FESTIVAL OF LEARNING 3.0 MARKS CLOSURE OF THIRD TALMY APPRENTICESHIP COHORT
PENANG, 17 September 2026 – The third cohort of Tilting Futures: Take Action Lab Malaysia – Environment and Sustainability (TALMY) concluded its apprenticeship journey with a Festival of Learning 3.0 held at Harmonico Penang, recently.
The event gathered international apprentices, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Tilting Futures, host organisations and supervisors to celebrate experiences, reflections, and knowledge gained in Penang.
Leadership Transition
Tilting Futures Interim Project Manager, Aarati Rao opened the event, thanking USM for its support and acknowledging the contributions of partner organisations. She announced her departure at the end of the cohort, with Emily Wong set to lead the next intake.
“I am grateful to everyone involved in the programme and for the journey shared with apprentices, supervisors, and partners,” said Aarati.
Emily, in her welcoming remarks, praised Aarati’s leadership and pledged to continue strengthening collaboration with USM and participating organisations.
USM’s Commitment
Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS) Deputy Director, Associate Professor Dr. Ng Theam Foo reaffirmed USM’s dedication to sustainability and youth engagement.
He shared that plans are underway to extend the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) for another three years, reflecting USM’s commitment to advancing environmental initiatives through education and experiential learning.
International Office (IO@USM) Deputy Director, Sr. Dr. Muneera Esa expressed appreciation to Aarati and thanked the USM team, supervisors, and apprentices.
She recalled early challenges in implementing TALMY, noting they became “valuable stepping stones” for the programme’s success.
Apprentice Reflections
Apprentices presented videos and reflections on Malaysian culture, religion, food, society, and sustainability. Many highlighted the hospitality of Malaysians as a memorable part of their experience.
A sustainable fashion show added creativity to the event, featuring second hand outfits to promote reuse and waste reduction.
Recognition and Closing
Supervisors received tokens of appreciation for their mentorship, which provided apprentices with meaningful opportunities to learn and engage with local communities.
The Festival of Learning 3.0 celebrated the achievements of the third cohort while paving the way for future collaboration.
With the planned MoA extension, USM and Tilting Futures reaffirm their shared commitment to championing environment and sustainability.
