PENANG, May 2014 - The Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman has launched the Regional Sejahtera Education for Sustainable Development Network (RSEN) and the Sejahtera Club.

RSEN is a network which currently has over 30 member agencies to mutually share best practices and work with one another through collaborations. As an APEX University's global network, it gets to source for expertise in their respective fields as educational resources for sustainable development.

“The formation of RSEN helps and leads advocacy, and increase public awareness through efforts pertaining to the importance of education on sustainable development,” said the Vice-Chancellor.

“USM has been selected as one of seven Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) pioneers in the world by the United Nations University-Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS) and has proven its ability in conducting sustainability programmes to perform a variety of activities and initiatives that benefited the community,” Omar said while launching RSEN by symbolically watering some miniature bamboo plants that represented the racial and cultural diversity of Malaysian society and the world.

“RCE Penang has collaborated with the Penang State Education Department (JPN) in carrying out activities directly with other RCE abroad,” said RCE Coordinator of Penang, Professor Dr. Munirah Ghazali.

“The activities carried out included International Youth Eco Summit 2013, Sustainable Living with Risk Environment Programme and Workshop on Green Activities,” she added.

Sejahtera Club is based on three main elements, namely: Leadership, Sejahtera, and Education for Sustainable Development. The name of this club is parallel to the concept of Sejahtera which include peace, harmony, tranquility, well-being and health.

“Sejahtera Club was established in five pilot schools in Penang where they were able to build a network with other global RCEs including RCE Delhi, RCE Yogyakarta and RCE Greater Western Sydney," added the Vice-Chancellor.

In conjunction with the launching of RSEN, RSEN’s inaugural meeting was also held and three USM representatives and five from outside agencies were appointed as RSEN Council Members.

USM Vice-Chancellor who is also the RSEN Chairman, proposed that two more representatives be added making a total of 10 agency representatives as Council members. The complete list is as follows: -

1. SRI-SMI Berhad Education Centre (MUSLEH)

2. Penang State Education Department

3. SEAMEO RECSAM

4. UNESCO-IHP

5. Environmental Department

6. Penang Botanic Gardens

7. Musleh Academic Board (LAM)

8. Tuanku Fauziah Museum dan Gallery, USM

9. Eco-Hub USM

10. The Centre for Global Sustainable Studies (CGSS)

Translation: Yong Check Yoon/Text: Nor Rafizah Md. Zain/Photo: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa