By UOW Malaysia 

UOW Malaysia is celebrating a remarkable academic milestone as Doctor of Philosophy (Business) candidate Mr Dai Jiapeng clinched the Best Paper Award at the 27th Malaysian Finance Association International Conference (MFAIC 2025), held on 26–27 November at Curtin University Malaysia in Miri, Sarawak. His winning paper earned him a RM1,000 cash prize and distinguished him among more than 120 peer-reviewed submissions from over 10 countries.

Mr Dai’s paper, “Asymmetric Effects of Environmental Policy Stringency on Sustainable Financing Costs: Evidence from OECD Countries,” captivated scholars and industry experts with its timely insights into global sustainability challenges. His research explores how stringent environmental policies shape the cost of sustainable financing—an area of growing importance as economies transition towards net-zero commitments.

Currently supervised by Dr Jasmine Phan Ah Kiaw (Head of Department, Postgraduate & Research Centre) and Associate Professor Dr Eddy Yap Tat Hiung (Associate Professor, School of Business), Mr Dai recently passed his viva voce on 5 November 2025. Since beginning his PhD journey in September 2023, he has demonstrated exceptional research productivity with an impressive 9 publications as first author, including 6 Q1 papers, 2 Q2 papers, 1 Q3 article, and 1 Springer book chapter, a remarkable scholarly record for any PhD candidate.

MFAIC 2025, jointly organised by Curtin Malaysia, the Malaysian Finance Association (MFA), and the Sarawak Digital Economy Corporation Berhad (SDEC), gathered more than 150 delegates, including over 40 international participants spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and Oceania. With its theme centred on “Sustainable Finance and Business: Transition into a Resilient and Net-Zero Economy,” the conference provided an ideal platform for showcasing cutting-edge research in sustainability, governance, and digital finance.

Mr Dai’s recognition not only highlights his personal dedication but also reinforces UOW Malaysia’s growing reputation for research excellence and its commitment to nurturing future leaders in sustainable finance. The University proudly congratulates Mr Dai, his supervisors, and the PHDBS program team on this exceptional achievement, which sets an inspiring benchmark for postgraduate research in Malaysia.