COLLABORATION between Asia’s MICE industry and higher education is on the rise as a pioneering journal dedicated to business events and community legacy passes to the Malaysia campus of an international university.
Business Events Sarawak (BESarawak) has transferred management and operations of the International Journal of Business, Events and Legacies (IJBEL) to Curtin University Malaysia, cementing a deeper alignment between the industry and academic research.
The formal handover, officiated through an agreement witnessed by BESarawak CEO Amelia Roziman, grants Curtin Malaysia full managerial and operational authority over the open‑access journal. BESarawak, which established IJBEL, will remain recognised as the publication’s Founding and Strategic Partner.
The transfer of ownership reinforces BESarawak’s legacy principles of continuity and sustainability, enabling legacy‑driven business events to evolve as a field of study. We will continue to support the journal through advocacy, promotion, and guidance to ensure that IJBEL lives on as shared, global intellectual capital.”
– Jason Tan Chin Foo, Deputy Chief Executive, BESarawak
Describing the agreement as a boost for research and sector‑wide knowledge development, Professor Vincent Lee Chieng Chen, Pro Vice‑Chancellor, President, and Chief Executive of Curtin University Malaysia, said: “This Memorandum of Agreement with Business Events Sarawak marks an important step in strengthening academic-industry collaboration to advance research, knowledge sharing, and thought leadership in business events and legacy studies.
“Through IJBEL, Curtin University Malaysia is proud to provide a credible, internationally aligned platform that brings together academic research and industry perspectives, while enhancing the visibility and impact of business events across academia, industry, and government,” Lee said.
More… Borneo shines with Sarawak Tribe Legacy
Established in 2022, IJBEL was announced as the world’s first journal to focus exclusively on the legacies of business events, whether economic, social, environmental, or cultural. A BESarawak spokesperson said Curtin University Malaysia played a central role in shaping the journal since the beginning, providing editorial leadership and academic grounding while ensuring global reach and credibility.
The journal’s growing international profile was underscored in 2025 when BESarawak and Curtin Malaysia secured Goyang Convention Bureau’s commitment to produce the 2026 IJBEL Korea Special Edition.
Under the initiative, Goyang will collaborate with Curtin Malaysia to publish the edition and host a legacy forum during Goyang Destination Week to further extend IJBEL’s role as a global platform for advancing legacy‑driven business events.
Main image… BESarawak, represented by Jason Tan (left, centre) and Curtin University Malaysia represented by Professor Vincent Lee Chieng Chen (right, centre) shake on the agreement. Amelia Roziman, BESarawak CEO (centre), witnessed the signing
