KUALA LUMPUR, May 18 — The Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT) and Lotus’s Malaysia organized the National Sustainable Innovation Challenge 2024 (NaSIC’24) from April 1 to July 28, 2024. An opening ceremony was held on May 18, 2024, at Seminar Room 2, MJIIT, and was live-streamed on the official NaSIC’24 social media platforms. The competition provided a platform for higher secondary school, vocational college, and matriculation college students in Malaysia to showcase their creativity and problem-solving skills. This event was the first to provide a specific problem statement and training workshops to the participants to ensure the proposed innovations addressed specific problems.
The competition aimed to introduce students to the world of sustainability in the retail industry, empower them to become innovators for a more sustainable future, and create excitement for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It aspired to train students in solving real-life problems related to sustainability in the retail industry. The event was technically supported by the Chemical Process Engineering Student Society, MJIIT. The Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE) recognized the event for student participation. The event was also supported by the Centre for Community and Industry Network (CCIN), the Malaysian National Commission for UNESCO (MNCU), UTM Holdings, and Natureloop.
Prof. Ts. Dr. Abd Latif Saleh, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of UTM Kuala Lumpur, officiated the event and expressed that the university had a role in addressing the declining interest in STEM among Malaysian students. He highlighted that NaSIC’24 could be a critical step forward for the university and industry in instilling a sense of togetherness to build STEM interest among the participants and the broader community.
The competition attracted 142 teams from 61 schools across 13 states/territories, totaling 426 students and 90 teachers. The competition was divided into four stages: Infographic Competition, Virtual Pitching Competition (Top 50), Poster Pitching Competition (Semi-Final, Top 15), and Final Pitching Competition (Final, Top 5). The Poster and Final Pitching competitions were scheduled to be held physically on 27 and 28 July 2024 at UTM Kuala Lumpur and Lotus’s Kepong. The Top 50 teams underwent two virtual workshops on 24 May and 14 June 2024 to train their systematic innovation skills derived from design thinking theory and the NABC value proposition technique. The organizers authored a new workbook for the workshops, and the students received hard copies of the workbook, which were sponsored by the event partners.
At the opening ceremony, Mr. Ahmad Zuhairi bin Muzakir, the Deputy Director-General (Management and Licensing) of the National Solid Waste Management Department (JPSPN), Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), delivered the keynote speech. He addressed his concerns about sustainability in the community and how innovation for sustainability could benefit the community. He encouraged the students and participants to take the competition seriously as a chance to solve actual problems.
The event not only provided a platform for young innovators to showcase their talents but also emphasized the importance of sustainability in the retail industry. The involvement of various stakeholders, including government officials, industry partners, and academic institutions, highlighted the collaborative effort required to foster innovation and address pressing environmental issues.
Overall, NaSIC’24 demonstrated UTM’s commitment to nurturing future leaders in STEM and sustainability, paving the way for continued collaboration and innovation in addressing global challenges. The success of this event sets a precedent for future initiatives aimed at engaging and inspiring the next generation of problem solvers and innovators.
