TEAM SPIRIT: A team from SMAN3 Batam in the midst of ‘constructing’ their model bridge during the ‘Creative Bridge Challenge Workshop’.

TEST OF STRENGTH: A student from SMA Yos Sudarso putting loads on his team’s model bridge to test its strength during the ‘Creative Bridge Challenge Workshop’.

ENGAGING BRIEFING: FETBE Head of Department (Civil Engineering) Ir Assistant Professor Ahmad Bin Tamby Kadir briefing the students during the ‘Creative Bridge Challenge Workshop’.

WINNERS: UCSI University Indonesia Office Manager Regina Andhiwinata (back row, fourth from left) and FETBE Head of Department (Civil Engineering) Ir Assistant Professor Ahmad Bin Tamby Kadir (back row, fifth from left) posing with some of the winning te

TEAM SPIRIT: A team from SMA Mondial in the midst of ‘constructing’ their model bridge during the ‘Creative Bridge Challenge Workshop’.

INDONESIA: Over 320 students from four secondary schools in Batam, Indonesia – namely, SMA Ananda, SMA Mondial, SMA Yos Sudarso and SMAN 3 – participated in the two-day ‘Creative Bridge Challenge Workshop’ that saw them constructing model bridges. 

A CSR initiative jointly organised by UCSI University – namely, UCSI’s Faculty of Engineering, Technology and Built Environment (FETBE) and the UCSI University Indonesia Office – and One Education Batam, the workshop cum competition provided an excellent platform for the students to not only learn the basics of civil engineering for free but also apply it to practice. 

With the essential materials – such as popsicle sticks, glue and string – in hand, the students were quickly segregated into teams and set out to construct the most creative model design. 

Upon completion, loads were applied on each model bridge to test their strength. Notably, a team from SMAN 3 Batam emerged with the most creative model that could withstand the heaviest load – eight kilogrammes in total. 

FETBE Head of Department (Civil Engineering) Ir Assistant Professor Ahmad Bin Tamby Kadir, who acted as the judge of the competition, pointed out that the students’ entries were interesting. 

“They were all done very creatively and it was clear that the teams had put in a lot of effort to create their models from scratch,” he praises. 

“We are organising another bridge competition in Batam in 2014 and look forward to seeing more innovative designs from the students then.” 

The unique experience was very well received by the students, who, according to SMA Yos Sudarso teacher Ms Njuk Fan, were very happy with the workshop. 

“I could see that our students were very excited to work together in groups and create ‘bridges’ using popsicle sticks,” she says, expressing her wish for the same workshop to be conducted in her school next time. 

SMA Mondial teacher Ms Sri Partini shared similar views and also heaped effusive praise on the workshop. 

“It was fun, as the workshop was different (from other workshops we have conducted),” she says. “It was a good effort to expose students to the basics in engineering.” 

UCSI University Indonesia Office Manager Regina Andhiwinata was also present at the event.