Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) has been accepted as a member of MySUN (Malaysia Sustainable University Campus) Network. MySUN, funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of European Union under the Capacity Building Funding, aims to support Malaysia to address the challenges facing Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the area of the system, management and operations of sustainable university campuses in promoting people to people contacts, intercultural awareness and understanding, and supporting the national-level collaboration.
MySUN focuses on the three main activities of sustainability: curriculum development activities, modernisation of governance, management and system of HEIs and strengthening of the relations between higher education and the wider economic and social environment. With the support from 8 Malaysian HEIs, University of Alicante, University of Geneva and FH Joanneum University of Applied Sciences; and funds in a duration of 3 years (January 2020 to January 2023), activities as such can be well conducted.
Hence, as member of MySUN, on the 22nd July, 2021 via Google Meet platform, MySUN UiTM which led by the Faculty of Business and Management (FBM) conducted a seminar with the theme of “Green Initiatives for Sustainable City”. This seminar aimed at creating awareness on green initiatives in UiTM and bridging the initiatives among all stakeholders.
This seminar also fosters the support of MySUN as a supporting network to the current green initiatives held by the UiTM Green Centre (UGC). During the seminar, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norlida Jaafar, Manager of MySUN UiTM, expressed that MySUN intends to be part of the initiatives by UGC in developing a more sustainable green campus for tomorrow. She also highlighted the importance of identifying key target groups to ensure deliverables of green initiatives are achievable.
Meanwhile, in the “UGC & Green Initiatives in UiTM” segment, Assoc. Prof. Datin Dr. Arnis Asmat, the Director of UGC discloses an encouraging number of UGC green initiatives currently implemented by its clusters (infrastructure, waste, water, energy consumption, education and transportation). These initiatives are vowed to bring benefits to UiTM, for research, socio-economic and environment and to the nation, at large.
In the last segment of the seminar, TPr. Annie Syazrin Ismail, Senior Officer of Town Planning from the State Council (MBSA) acknowledged the need to extend the green initiatives to a wider economic and social environment. She also highlighted that the goal of creating a dynamic city comes with the support of local residents. Creating a smart, liveable and sustainable city is more feasible and the challenges facing the goal are minimized with residents understanding and appreciating the SDGs. To date, MBSA runs a variety of initiatives in supports of the SDGs.
Basically, the seminar yields a range of fruitful ideas and suggestions for future sustainable initiatives that UGC and MySUN could focus on. Appreciation goes to all the participants who supported and provided positive feedbacks and ideas throughout the seminar.