KUALA LUMPUR, 2 November 2023 – RCE Penang continues to be a shining example of excellence in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) by proudly securing not one, but two prestigious international Regional Centre of Expertise (RCE) awards for the year 2023.

This remarkable accomplishment was officially announced during the 13th Global RCE Conference, a hybrid event held from 31 October to 2 November, 2023 hosted by RCE Greater Gombak and RCE Greater Kuala Lumpur.

The first accolade, the prestigious "Acknowledged Flagship Project" award, was bestowed upon RCE Penang for their groundbreaking initiative, 'Empowering Students' Knowledge of Palm Oil Sustainability via Intergenerational Online Program and TikTok Video Competition.'

This visionary project is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8, focusing on Decent Work and Economic Growth within the thematic category of Agriculture. It was coordinated by Associate Professor Dr. Japareng Lalung, from the School of Industrial Technology. Dr. Lalung, who also serves as the coordinator of RCE Penang at the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies (CGSS), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), played a pivotal role in this endeavour.

This remarkable collaborative effort involved a consortium of esteemed organizations, including the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), Malaysian Academic Research on Palm Oil Sustainability (ARPOS), Sime Darby Plantation, the Ministry of Education Malaysia, RCE Penang, the Centre for Global Sustainability Studies at USM, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, and Heriot-Watt University Malaysia.

The second accolade, an "Honourable Mention" award, was bestowed upon RCE Penang for their project titled 'Empowering Preschool Teachers' Knowledge Attitude and Practices of Systems Thinking’.

This initiative aligns with SDG 4, focusing on Quality Education, and falls under the thematic category of Curriculum Development. The project was headed by Associate Professor Dr. Aswati Hamzah from the School of Educational Studies (PPIP), who also holds the esteemed position of associate Fellow of RCE Penang.

The project is a collaboration involving the CGSS, the Penang State Education Department, SK Kepala Batas, SK Tanjung Bungah, SJKT Palaniandy, and SJKC Perkampungan Berapit.

Both awards were presented by Dr. Jonghwi Park, the Programme Head of the Innovation and Education Programme at The United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS).

Both transformative projects have made a profound impact on sustainable development, receiving recognition for their remarkable ability to bridge local and global perspectives on sustainable development.

They are celebrated for their engagement in transformative learning and research, as well as their notable contributions to community engagement. Furthermore, these initiatives have played a pivotal role in developing the capacities of stakeholders and partners.

The video of RCE Penang's award-winning projects can be accessed at (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMNpIpA4k5s). The RCE Awards, inaugurated in 2012, stands as a testament to honouring exceptional projects and programmes within the Global RCE Network that adeptly tackle local sustainable development challenges. It pays tribute to RCEs that have shown unwavering dedication to fostering both local and global perspectives on sustainable development through transformative learning, research, and active community engagement, all while enhancing stakeholder and partner capacity development. The resounding success of RCE Penang underscores USM's unwavering commitment to sustainable development and its dedication to inspiring positive change on a global scale.

Text: RCE Penang/Editing: Mazlan Hanafi Basharudin