USM PENANG, 20 January 2025 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) were honoured to receive recognition from the recently concluded Malaysia GPM Sustainability Awards 2024.

Their collaborative project, ‘Sustainable Positive Youth Development (SPYDe) Activities through the P.A.T.H.S. Programme,’ earned them the Project Excellence award under the Project of the Year category.

The Project of the Year award recognises the outcomes of the Sustainable Positive Youth Development (SPYDe) initiative, a key activity under the Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social (P.A.T.H.S.) Programme.

This programme is a collaborative effort between the USM School of Educational Studies and the PolyU Department of Applied Social Sciences.

Funded by PolyU, the project focuses on promoting the holistic development of adolescents among Form 1 and Form 2 students in Malaysian secondary schools.

According to Associate Vice President of PolyU and Principal Investigator of the P.A.T.H.S. Programme in Malaysia, Professor Daniel T.L. Shek, the programme is designed to foster essential social, emotional, and cognitive skills in young learners.

“I am delighted that the P.A.T.H.S. Programme, which originally began in Hong Kong, has been successfully implemented in 20 Malaysian secondary schools.

“I am equally well pleased with the programme's positive impact on Malaysian secondary students,” he said.

The Co-Principal Investigator from School of Educational Studies, USM, Associate Professor Dr. Thien Lei Mee, reported that the implementation of 10 teaching modules took place from 1 June to 30 July 2024, across 20 selected schools in Penang, covering four districts: Timur Laut, Barat Daya, Seberang Perai Utara, and Seberang Perai Tengah.

“The programme engaged 1,010 Form 1 and 2 students as well as 53 teachers in SPYDe activities.

“Aligned with USM's commitment to sustainability, the SPYDe initiative incorporates key sustainability elements, such as sustainable lesson plans and teaching materials into its curriculum,” she said.

She said further, “This is to foster the holistic development of adolescents while equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to a sustainable future.”

Thien, who is also the Director of the USM National Higher Education Research Institute (IPPTN), highlights that these activities are also closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), namely SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being, SDG 4 – Quality Education, and SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals.

“Additionally, SPYDe activities are structured around the 5P Framework: Product, Process, People, Planet, and Prosperity, ensuring a balanced approach to sustainability and positive youth development,” she explained.  

This initiative, she said, exemplifies how education can transform young people into contributors to a more sustainable and equitable future, and in the process, driving meaningful progress for both the environment and future generations.

The Malaysia GPM Sustainability Awards 2024 ceremony was held at Dewan Azman Hashim, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Kuala Lumpur on 16 January 2025.  

Among the notable guests who graced the ceremony were the CEO of Kumpulan Antah Healthcare, Tunku Datuk Mohamed Alauddin Tunku Naquiyuddin; the Chairman of the GPM 2024 Sustainability Awards, Ir. Ts. Hisham Yahaya; the CEO of the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Corporation (MGTC), Ts. Shamsul Bahar Mohd Nor; the Secretary-General of the Sustainable Business Network Association Malaysia (SustNET) as the main organiser, Ts. Dr. Norsaidatul Akmar Mazelan, and several others.

The Green Project Management® (GPM®) Sustainability Awards programme is set up to honour and highlight the success and effect of individuals and projects for their contribution to sustainable development via the implementation of green project management principles.

The programme is managed by the Green Project Management (GPM) organisation that was founded in the United States in 2010, and is headquartered in Michigan.

Over the years, it has grown into a global movement promoting sustainable project management practices aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Source: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thien Lei Mee/Text: Tan Ewe Hoe/Photos: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thien Lei Mee