16 participants of AEF2025 arrived in Malaysia for the UMPSA Mobility Program

GAMBANG, 19 February 2025 - A total of 16 international participants from Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Cambodia and Thailand have safely arrived in Malaysia to participate in the ASEAN Student Mobility Program in conjunction with the ASEAN Universities Exhibition and Forum 2025 (AEF2025). 

AEF2025 is a program organized by Education Malaysia Global Service (EMGS) in collaboration with Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) through the Center for International Affairs and Cooperation (CIAC) in conjunction with Malaysia's chairmanship in ASEAN 2025.

This hybrid program takes place from 11 to 17 February 2025 via online, and from 19 to 25 February 2025 face-to-face at the respective host university.  

Among the activities that have been organized throughout AEF 2025 were the Young Speaker Contest, Young Innovators Challenge, Familiarization Visit and ASEAN Exhibition and Forum 2025.

UMPSA together with 12 other public and private universities have been selected as the host university for the Familiarization Visit program and also the Young Innovators Challenge which took place from 19 to 23 February 2025.

The objective of organizing this Young Innovators Challenge program is to encourage participants to share their views and ideas related to the issues of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in their respective countries and to propose innovative and impactful solutions capable of solving the issues discussed.  

The Young Innovators Challenge Program started with a briefing by the Deputy Director of Sustainability Development Centre (SDC), Ts. Dr. Mohammad Adam bin Adman. 

The next slot was continued with a speech by Distinguished Research Fellow of Centre for Research in Advanced Fluid and Processes (Fluid Centre), Professor Dr. Julius Gimbun, who explained in detail the results of UMPSA's efforts that support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Participants were then divided into small groups which were also joined by UMPSA students and assisted by several facilitators from the Faculty of Industrial Management and the SDC UMPSA.

UMSPA as the host university has chosen Theme 3: ASEAN Climate Action: Pathways to Sustainability and Resilience as the discussion topic for the participants. Each group has to present the results of their discussion related to the set theme in the form of a three to five minute video recording. 

Winners will be selected based on several criteria that have been set, including innovation and creativity, quality of presentation as well as impact and feasibility. 

In addition to the Young Innovators Challenge program, various activities and tour programs were also organized to give participants the opportunity to experience the customs, culture and way of life of the multi-racial society in Malaysia. 

Among them were visits to Menara 188, Streets Art, and attending a cultural feast. 

This program has become an important platform in strengthening relations between universities in the ASEAN region, driving academic networks, and promoting cultural understanding between participating countries.

By:  Nadira Hana Abd Hamid, Student Affairs & Alumni Department