PENANG, 31 August 2018 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) has been honoured by being the first university in Asia to host the 4^th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities (WSSD-U-2018) recently.

The programme which was held on campus grounds from 28-30 August 2018 saw the participation of more than 100 experts from 18 countries, with backgrounds in various fields relating to sustainable development.

The USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail said in her opening speech that, with USM being the venue for the programme, there is much that could be shared on issues relating to sustainability in the country and the region.

“USM has made a policy on maintaining the greenery and other sustainable practices on campus, in ensuring that the university continues to be referred to as the “University in a Garden,” at the same time upholding the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which forms the basis of USM as the sole APEX university in the country.

“USM was acknowledged to be the sole APEX University in Malaysia in 2008, with its focus on sustainable initiatives and catering to the bottom billion.

“Currently, the university is also giving emphasis on the feasibility of operations in low-resource settings. It continues to nurture individuals with talents through the promotion of knowledge, values and humanity in facing the disruptive changes of the future, at the same time supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations,” said Asma.

Meanwhile, Professor Walter Leal, Head of Research and Transfer Centre, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany and Chairperson of Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP) reminded all on the importance in achieving the SDG 2030 goals and to be part of the movement towards change.

He also said that the presentations by participants would be documented and disseminated, as they are put into publication.

In addition to the plenary presentations, parallel sessions and poster exhibitions, the participants were also taken on a tour of the campus grounds in the evening on the first day of the presentations.

Then in the evening, a dinner reception was held for the participants, and they were treated to traditional dance performances by USM’s very own Adikarma group and the Penang Cultural Team.

Director of the USM Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), Dr Suzyrman Sibly later when interviewed said that it was a good opportunity to have the participants converging on campus, as this would facilitate the exchange of knowledge in the field of sustainability. It also fit well into the theme of the programme, which was “Universities as Living Labs for Sustainable Development: Supporting the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

He added that, there was also plenty of room for collaborations, and in publishing their works, with regard to promoting sustainable practices in many related areas and with different organisations. It is a new and exciting field to be part of for the future.

The programme was attended by participants and officials from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Bahrain, China, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The programme was organised by USM (Malaysia), Manchester Metropolitan University (UK), Research and Transfer Centre, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany), along with the World Sustainable Development Research and Transfer Centre, in cooperation with IUSDRP and the United Nations initiative Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development.

Local involvement included from the Penang State government and Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB).

Others who were present at the University Conference Hall include the Director of USM River Engineering and Urban Drainage Research Centre (REDAC) who is also the Director of USM Engineering Campus, Professor Dr. Nor Azazi Zakaria;Director of USM Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Professor Dato’ Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai; academicians, research officers, students and university officials.

The next World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities (WSSD-U-2020), as later announced by Professor Walter Leal, would be held at Uppsala University in Sweden in 2020.

Text: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa