[Virtual] UTM Summer School SS14 Accelerating Green Development in Asia 2021

Mar 19, 2022

16-27th August 2021

27 August 2021. Johor Bahru.

The [Virtual] UTM Summer School SS14 Accelerating Green Development in Asia (UTM SS14) was successfully held, as a virtual program for the first, from 16th to 27th August 2021. A group of 22 international students comprising 15 from Ritsumeikan University, Japan, 4 from Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU UK-Low Carbon Centre) and 3 from Xiamen University Malaysia have joined this international summer program. Thirteen students from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) also joined as the local buddies to enhance multicultural interaction and online learning on a range of sustainability topics.

UTM SS14 program serves as a platform to promote sustainable development notably on the security of food-energy-water nexus and towards achieving the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  The program aims to groom young graduates as global leaders to promote sustainability activities through cross-cultural communication, and to inspire the long-term goal of student exchange and academic exchanges.

In line with the SDGs, the summer program covered a range of green topics including Glossary on Sustainable Development Goals, Low Carbon Economy, Sustainable Consumption and Production and Grooming Future Green Champions. Related virtual technical tours were arranged to enhance the experiential learning of these topics. Each talk or tour was followed by interactive quizzes and discussions. Participants have the opportunity to know the various green initiatives during the virtual tours, including the:

  1. Virtual tour 1: UTM Green Campus, including the aquaponics in UTM Eco-Park, Urban Farm and compost site in Tun Hussein Onn College (KTHO)
Figure 1 UTM Green Campus
Figure 2 Green Initiatives in UTM were introduced
Figure 3 UTM Eco Park
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Figure 4 Urban Farm in Kolej Tun Hussein Onn (KTHO)
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Figure 5 Ritsumeikan University was introduced by the Japanese representative
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Figure 6 Xiamen University Malaysia was introduced by the representative

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Figure 7 Green initiatives in Xiamen University Malaysia

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Figure 8 Shanghai Jiao Tong University was introduced by the representative
Figure 9 Daily life of Shanghai Jiao Tong students
  1. Virtual tour 2: Community Composting in Johor
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Figure 10 Brainstorming session on Virtual Tour 2
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Figure 11 Composting process in Layang-layang, Johor
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Figure 12 Editing lyrics of compost song session
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Figure 13 UTM Buddies presented the composting slides to the internationals students
  1. Virtual tour 3: Aquaponics Project
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Figure 14 Brainstorming on Aquaponics Virtual Tour
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Figure 15 Lecture on Aquaponics system during virtual tour 3
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Figure 16 Aquaponics virtual site visit
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Figure 17 Each group designed their own Aquaponics system
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Figure 18 Q&A session on Aquaponics Virtual Tour
  1. Virtual tour 4: Malay Cultural Village
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Figure 19 Malay traditional costume sharing
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Figure 20 Malay traditional games sharing
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Figure 21 Malay eating method was introduced
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Figure 22 Introduction to fasting during the month of Ramadan
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Figure 23 Eating by hand together

Students presented the group project at the end of the summer program, each group presented a green project and mapped on the 17 SDGs. 

A series of lectures was conducted to share the opportunities and challenges for sustainable urban development during the 2nd iSSRR:

  1. Low Carbon Economy in Iskandar Malaysia by Prof. Ho Chin Siong, UTM 
  2. Sustainable Consumption and Production by Prof. Lee Chew Tin, UTM
  3. Toward Green University by Prof. Lee Chew Tin, UTM

The students were grouped into six groups and each was given a topic regarding sustainable development and resource recycling. Students gained inputs from the virtual experiential technical tours, lectures and independent team learning process to prepare for the team assignment and presentation.

The six team projects of the four countries have carried out in-depth research and academic reports on topics relevant to sustainable development. Despite initial multicultural and language barriers, all members gradually demonstrated excellent communication and consultation skills to accomplish the teamwork. Through this team assignment, students gained more interest and reflection on the practice of sustainable urban development and resource recycling. Such interaction laid the foundation for establishing a platform for international exchange in the future.

Guided team assignment:

Team assignment presentation

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Figure 24 Team 1:Community Composting @RTC Layang-layang
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Figure 25 Team 2: Green Campus: University as Case Study

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Figure 26 Team 3: Green City Development in Developed Country
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Figure 27 Team 4: Sustainable Consumption and Production
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Figure 28 Team 5: Low Carbon Economy in Iskandar Malaysia
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Figure 29 Team 6: Aquaponics

The best team presentation award 

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Figure 30 The best team presentation was awarded by Team 2

Multicultural Immersion

A multicultural interaction session was carried out. 

Students gained insights on Malaysian culture, its historical development and urbanization process. The program provides the opportunity for students to learn about Malaysia’s practices in sustainable development and resource recycling.  Intensive multicultural interactions among the students to work out the resolutions for sustainable urban development would be a valuable life-long learning process. It expands the international perspective of students, enhances the confidence and professional quality of the students, strengthens the foundation of academic cooperation among teachers, and lays the foundation for the students to explore sustainable development in their future undertaking. Many students, in their reflection reports, stated that they gained more awareness on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and towards living a leaner lifestyle.

Figure 31 Chinese culture sharing by students from Shanghai Jiao Tong Univerisity
Figure 32 Japanese culture sharing by students from Ritsumeikan University
Figure 33 Egyptian culture sharing by the students from Xiamen University Malaysia
Figure 34 Malaysian culture sharing by UTM students
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Figure 35 All participants learnt Indian traditional dance

UTM Summer School SS14 Accelerating Green Development in Asia has been run since 2014. The program was not conducted in 2020 due to the pandemic lock down. It is a breakthrough to make it happen this summer as supported by the participation of students from Japan, China and Malaysia. This would not be possible with the great support from UTM Green DNA members.

For sustainable development, every baby step counts. As the famous phrases say:

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.

*Note: Join UTM, a higher education institution committed to educating and promoting sustainable development.