Geography, Environment and Development
Students in International Events
Each year, students could be selected to participate in international events. These are two examples in 2023.
Youth Ecosperity Dialogue 2023, Singapore, 4-9 June 2023
By Dyg. Munirah Haji Abd Aziz (19b8018)
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The Youth Ecosperity Dialogue (YED) is a part of the Ecosperity Week organised by the Singapore Management University’s College of Integrative Sciences, supported by the Temasek Foundation. Ecosperity Week 2023, with the theme “Breakthroughs for Net Zero", involved global business leaders, policy-makers, investors and civil society from across industries to discuss transformational breakthroughs needed for the planet, businesses and communities. YED provided a platform for the youth to engage and participate in multidisciplinary discussions, industry visits, and workshops with a sustainability focus. This year, it brought together 100 environmental youth leaders from 14 different countries with the theme, ‘Sources & Sinks: Reimagining Renewables and Waste in Smart Cities’. |
I was offered the opportunity as my Final Year Project was on the 15-Minute City and whether this concept could be applied to Brunei and participating in YED23 could help me understand the complexity of cities and the urban environment. Six other students from UBD also joined YED23.
The 5 days program was the most productive 5 days I have had so far. Each day was filled with panel discussions, industrial visits and workshops. For instance, on the third day, we started the morning with a panel discussion on Renewable Revolution followed by a presentation and pitching workshop led by SMU-X. We were introduced the IdeaX, a toolkit for innovation and problem-solving to aid our preparation for the YED Challenge. After lunch break, the workshop continued.
Workshop activity using IdeaX cards developed by SMU-X
Then, we were brought to visit the Gardens by the Bay for a Carbon Walk, where we walked around the complex while the facilitator talked about Garden’s carbon and sustainability practices. Usually, in the evening, participants were given free time. But on this day, we were brought to experience the hawker culture of Singapore at Lau Pa Sat.
Group picture of the Carbon Walk activity at Gardens by the Bay
Borneo Youth Leadership Camp 2023 (BYLC 2023), 17-29 July 2023
By Ak. Muhammad Amirul Haziq bin Pg. Abdul Rahim (19b0046)
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The event is part of the Borneo Studies Network’s International Summer School programme. BYLC 2023 was held at Mulawarman University, Samarinda, in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, a centre of excellence on tropical studies. The programme included lectures, visits to field laboratories, city tour and outdoor activities, as well as language and cultural immersion.
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- Learning to be better teachers and innovators with the Faculty of Teacher Training & Education (FKIP). Activities: (1) Making key chains using wood resins and flower parts as part of entrepreneurship programme for craftsmen; (2) designing and constructing a paper tower to support 2 eggs (architectural project). Our group’s tower, modelled after a tree, was one of the successful ones.
- (1) Measuring water turbidity with FKIP using a bottle, cardboard, duct tape, distilled water and milk. Two smartphones were used, one to provide lighting while the other is used to measure turbidity using an app. (2) Building a terrarium using a base, sediments and a variety of plants as an alternative reality model. (3) Converting ecoenzymes from rotting fruits (organic waste) into fertilisers or disinfectants. (4) Creating natural stain patterns on blank tote bag using a variety of leaves and flowers.
- Importance of food with Faculty of Agriculture (FA). Visit to Betapas rice fields and hands-on experience planting and harvesting rice with a tractor. This was followed by another visit to a cow farm and cooking traditional food after returning to the FA building.
- Visit to Kampong Kopi Luwak (KKL) supported by Pertamina, which uses Liberica coffee variety. This was followed by a trip to Panrita Pantai Lopi, to view coral rehabilitation using ‘spiderweb’ technique.
- Cultural studies (ethnomusicology) with the Faculty of Cultural Studies (FCS), including traditional dance and music performance by FCS students. We were introduced to the gambus and slem (musical instruments) and learned a traditional song, ‘Buah Ara’.
- Visit to Mulawarman Museum. We learned about the history of East Kalimantan, from the Kutai Sultanate to Dutch colonialism. This was followed by a trip to Ladaya Tenggarong for some flying fox and paintball activity.
- Visit to Kampung Pampang, a Dayak village. We learned about Dayak culture and values, and participated in activities, such as spinning fabric and bamboo dance.
- Forestry with Faculty of Forestry. We learned about silviculture, environmental dynamics, wood, biodiversity, planning and management and traditional use through lectures and a visit to the lab.
- Visit to Sun Bear Enclosure, which rehabilitates rescued sun bears, many of which have been injured and have disabilities. This was followed by a trip to the Mangrove Center in Balikpapan to learn about the conservation programme. We stayed at Bankirai for the night.
- At 5:30 a.m., we were up for a hike up to the canopy tower to view sunrise. We immersed ourselves in the dipterocarp forest dominated by the specie, S. laevis, after which the hill is named (Bankirai, in local language). We engaged in outbound activities throughout the day, involving wall-climbing, suspension bridged and flying fox.
- We learned about the geology of East Kalimantan with the Faculty of Mathematics & Natural Sciences. We also had sessions in Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology.
- We took a walk to the Cerdas Park with the Faculty of Public Health to see the slums that have developed along a river section. We were told about the situation, in particular hygiene, and issues associated with addressing this problem.
Overall, this was such a unique experience. I have come to appreciate the natural environment of East Kalimantan and its importance of the culture that shapes the identity of Samarinda. There is always new knowledge to learn and introduction to new disciplines. I find that the concept of leadership taught here comes from the respect and understanding of various types of knowledge as it provides a perspective that is confident in making decisions with themselves. This event in particular, communicating with the lecturers and experts within my field of interest; to exchanging and getting together with people from different countries were the main factors that made me more confident in my knowledge and leadership abilities. Furthermore, the lecturers, student buddies and other participants have been some of the most energetic and motivated group of people I have ever got my chance to mingle with making the event more memorable than it could have been. Hopefully, I can carry on the knowledge I learned towards the development of Brunei Darussalam.