KUALA LUMPUR, 8 January 2026 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), the nation’s sole APEX University, continues to reinforce its reputation as a global leader in sustainability.

Its pioneering initiative in research-driven environmental educational leadership, known as Environmental Transformational Leadership (ETFL), has earned international acclaim through the Malaysia Global Sustainability Award 2025 – Elite Award and a Five-Star Recognition – ESG Learning Centre 2025.

The programme was implemented under E.T.H.I.C.S@SMOA (Environmental Transformational Leadership Inspiring Character and Sustainability).

ETFL, conceptualized by Associate Professor Dr. Aziah Ismail of the USM School of Educational Studies (PPIP), serves as a framework for educational leadership that integrates academic research, character development, and the cultivation of sustainable practices.

This framework is then translated systematically into the implementation of the E.T.H.I.C.S@SMOA programme at the school level, simultaneously attesting to the capability of the university in translating knowledge into high-impact action.

The implementation of this programme also involves collaboration with Ainisaadah Mohd Saod, a doctoral candidate under the supervision of Aziah at PPIP, who is concurrently serving in the Learning Sector of the Perak State Education Department.

The recognition was awarded by the Sustainable Business Network Association Malaysia (SustNET) and acknowledged as an educational leadership initiative that has successfully integrated the principles of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) as well as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into educational practices in the school, which can be done in a holistic and continuous manner.

According to Aziah, E.T.H.I.C.S@SMOA is unique in its direct integration of ETFL into the Standard Curriculum and Assessment Document (DSKP), Classroom Assessment (PBD), and Project-Based Learning (PBL).

This approach would ensure that the values regarding sustainability, character development, and ethical leadership will not become add-ons, but rather they would be authentically integrated into the curriculum, pedagogy, and assessment.

Through PBL, environmental sustainability issues would be utilised as the context of learning across subjects, while PBD can be used to evaluate a student’s development continually, holistically and meaningfully, which would align with the aspirations of DSKP.

This programme also involves schools for the Orang Asli (SMOA) community.

Dean of PPIP, Associate Professor Dr. Rahimi Che Ahmad, relates the success as a manifestation of the strong academic ecosystem at PPIP in realising high-impact research and innovation.

She said that, USM being the APEX University has always encouraged innovative thinking and research that would directly contribute to social well-being and sustainability in the future.

Meanwhile, Ts. Dr. Norsaidatul Akmar Mazelan, who is the ‘Founding Chairman’ of SustNET, sees E.T.H.I.C.S@SMOA as a perfect example of the synergy between the academia and educational practices.

She stressed that such an initiative has proven that educational leadership has a major role in moulding future generations to become individuals with character, ethics, and being responsible towards the environment.

The global recognition accorded to ETFL through the E.T.H.I.C.S@SMOA programme not only reinforces USM’s stature as a world-class APEX University, but also highlights the pivotal role of a research university as a catalyst for transforming education towards sustainability, anchored in knowledge, leadership, and value-driven action.

Text & Photos: School of Educational Studies, USM/ Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin