Unimas collaborates with Tegas in efforts to empower students with STEM — Vice-chancellor

KUCHING: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak ( Unimas) has been playing a major role alongside Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Bumiputera Sarawak ( Tegas) in empowering Sarawak students with science, technology, engineering and mathematics ( STEM).

Its vice- chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi said this was in view of the need to address the critical issue that only 26 per cent of students in the state had STEM background.

“A number of activities had been executed to address this such as the establishment of STEM Education Lab in six primary schools in Sarawak this year which we hope to extend to another 158 primary and secondary schools by early 2018,” he said at the opening ceremony of the International Unimas STEM Engineering Conference ( EnCon) 2017 which was officiated by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg at a leading hotel here yesterday.

He noted that the university had also organised the STEM Innovation and Nature Fair 2017 and Sarawak TVET ( technical and vocational education and training) Initiatives 2017 Programme.

“Our efforts to increase the percentage of STEM students are in place and well implemented and this is in order to prepare the people for Malaysia to be a developed nation by the year 2030.”

On EnCon, Kadim said more than 100 technical papers will be presented at the two- day conference which brings together research topics concerning the latest sustainable and green technologies.

“This year’s conference, which is now in its tenth year, embarks on the theme ‘Gearing Towards a Greener Future’ which is very significant as the engineering community in general is facing various challenges to develop green and sustainable technology in responding to the need of the society and the environment.

“This challenging task definitely requires the best of minds to be creative and innovative and the two- day intellectual discourse during this event is expected to reveal several pertinent resolutions.”

Hosted by Unimas Faculty of Engineering, this year’s Encon attracted 184 delegates.