The total R&D personnel in Malaysia's higher education sector is forecasted to grow steadily from 2024 to 2028. Starting at 79.26 researchers in 2024, an increase is expected each year, reaching 82.72 researchers by 2028. This upward trend signifies a consistent year-on-year growth of around 1–2%. Calculating the CAGR for the period from 2024 to 2028 suggests an average annual growth rate.

Future trends to watch for include:

Diversification of research fields and interdisciplinary studies gaining more traction.
Increased funding and government initiatives to further boost R&D activities.
Growing collaboration between higher education institutions and private sectors.
Impact of technological advances on R&D productivity and effectiveness.