UCSI University’s Faculty of Applied Sciences students presenting their posters on green environment and sustainable developement to one of the lecturers during the GREESDEV 2011 Seminar

UCSI University’s Faculty of Applied Sciences students conveying their oral presentation on green environment and sustainable development during the GREESDEV 2011 seminar

The green fashion exhibition by the University’s School of Design that was displayed during the GREESDEV 2011 seminar

Kuala Lumpur, 16 March, 2011 - UCSI University’s Faculty of Applied Sciences students undertaking the Waste Management subject recently organised a seminar themed, ‘Today’s Youth for a Sustainable World Today and Tomorrow’. The main aim of the event was to create and raise awareness on sustainable development (SD) amongst students to realise that SD is not just about going green but about giving back to the environment for a healthy social and productive economy for future generations. This is in line with the University’s aspirations in transcending classroom borders to provide practical opportunities for students’ holistic enhancement.

Touching on various important topics on this subject, the students invited some renowned guests to share their point of views, as well as to demonstrate their own oral and poster presentations. The students enthralled the audience with their choir performance of Michael Jackson’s, ‘Heal the World’ and a green fashion exhibition by the University’s School of Design.
 
Among some of the invited guests speakers were; Dr Noor Azlin from FRIM, Matthias Gelber from Maleki GmbH (Germany), Karam Singh Walia from TV3 Malaysia, and Brandon Liu from WWF-Malaysia.

Dr Noor Azlin, the Programme Head for the Ecotourism and Urban Forestry Programme with the Forestry and Environment Division, FRIM, noted the pivotal impact environmental education has on minimizing the effects of deforestation and pollution. She reiterated for more urban foresting projects to be considered instead of just cutting down trees for urban development projects.

On the same note, Karam Singh Walia, the News Editor for Environment with the News & Current Affairs Division, TV3 Malaysia, implored students against turning a blind eye on our effects on the environment and to speak out against them. “When you have numbers, you have voice; and when you have voice, people begin to realise that not everyone can be wrong,” he added.

UCSI University students, who were indeed empowered by the speakers, were excited to be part of the seminar. “I’m glad to be part of this, as it has affirmed my perceptions on the importance of SD,” said Ng Sui Ping a second year Food Science and Nutrition student at the University.

Yet another student from the School of Applied Sciences, Jason Yap, concurred by saying, “This Seminar definitely equips us with information that we wouldn’t normally learn in the classroom and has also helped us to realise the importance of each of our roles in preserving the environment.”

Fong Chin Hong, the President of the School of Applied Science Students Association (SASSA) as well as GREESDEV 2001, expressed her joy in organising such a seminar with her fellow course-mates. “I’m eager to share the responsibility with my peers in understanding the implications of this new found knowledge and to work together with them to forge long term plans and to adapt to ecological and social changes for the world now and for future generations,” she summed up. 

As the Executive Chairman of GREESDEV 2011, Victor James Noik, a Lecturer for Waste Management from the Faculty of Applied Sciences, expressed his hope of the event being a springboard and a learning platform to excite the minds of the students on SD and environmentalism. “Today’s youths are the ‘young engines’ of society and it is critical to expose them to the right training and knowledge in persevering our environment as it has become the paradigm shift in our daily lives,” he said. 

The Seminar, lasting throughout the day, came to an official close with a ‘Recycling and Waste Auditing Practices’ Campaign as well as a collection of recyclable solid wastes by Alam Flora Sdn. Bhd. the next morning.