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RESEARCH & INNOVATION

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UMS HIGHLIGHTS


Battling Zoonotic Threats in Sabah: Why One Health Matters Now More Than Ever

06 June 2025

Article by: Prof. Dr. Vijay Kumar & Assoc. Prof. Dr. Zarina Amin Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled...

Tough Decisions That Upset People – The HR Challenges

28 April 2025

By Associate Professor Dr. Jakaria Dasan, Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy, Universiti Malaysia Sabah In every organization, tough decisions must be made at some point. These decisions are usually...

Is U.S. Tariffs for Malaysia, A Threat or a Wake-Up Call?

16 April 2025

By: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Caroline Geetha A/P B. Arokiadasan, Research Fellow, Centre for Economic Development and Planning, Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy, Universiti Malaysia Sabah When the United States...

Reassessing the Sultanate of Sulu’s Renewed Claim to Sabah: A Preliminary Rebuttal

08 April 2025

By: Marja Azlima Omar, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Malaysia Sabah In April 2025, the Sultanate of Sulu announced its intention to invoke a series of historic treaties,...

Exploring Japanese Early Childhood Education: Lessons from an Educational Visit

03 February 2025

Author: Dr Connie Shin @ Connie Cassy Ompok Faculty of Education and Sports Sciences, University Malaysia Sabah INTRODUCTION This article begins with an account of how I discovered my academic...

Sabah Day, a Meaningful Day to Remember

19 August 2024

By: Dr. Eko Prayitno Joko, Head of the History Programme, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Universiti Malaysia Sabah From colonised to independent. From the Federation of Malaya to the...

UMS Clock Tower: A Great Opportunity for Young Engineers

02 April 2024

Author: Dr. Connie Cassy Ompok Faculty of Psychology and Education, Universiti Malaysia Sabah This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. document.getElementById('cloakdbd5e430a84a0111daa6f03c97fc5938').innerHTML =...

Marketing for Positive Social Change

06 February 2024

Embarking on a mission for a greener tomorrow, Faculty of Business, Economics and Accountancy (FBEA), Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) students initiated the "Strawvolution: Metal Straws for Sustainable Future" and “Do...

Crisis Traits And Competencies

02 January 2024

By Dr. Jakaria Dasan, Director, Corporate Communication Centre A crisis is a significant calamity that can arise from a natural disaster, illness, human error, intentional purpose, or any combination of...

Road To A Jumbo Disaster

23 October 2023

[The Star, 23 October 2023] I HAVE dedicated almost 17 years to the conservation of biodiversity in Sabah. During this time, I’ve been privileged to contribute to safeguarding the wild...

The Armoured Volkswagen of Gaya Island

05 September 2023

Gaya Island, situated very close to Kota Kinabalu city, is renowned for its marine wildlife attractions, captivating both international and local tourists. However, beyond its aquatic wonders, the island holds...

Malaysian scientist braves Antarctica winter for research

28 April 2023

Cold. Inhospitable. Lonely. The frozen land of Antarctica is a place few people can boast of ever seeing with their own eyes, let alone of visiting it. For Malaysians, the...

Call for Abstracts: International Conference on Food Security 2025 (ICFS 2025)

Call for Abstracts: International Conference on Food Security 2025 (ICFS 2025)

on 10 July 2025

Announcement From: Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition [Second Announcement:...

Call for Papers: 4th Seminar on Innovative Learning & Teaching (SILT) 2025

Call for Papers: 4th Seminar on Innovative Learning & Teaching (SILT) 2025

on 07 July 2025

Announcement From: Centre for Academic and Excellence Development CALL FOR...

Simple Steps to Access the Database

Simple Steps to Access the Database

on 07 July 2025

Announcement From: UMS Library SIMPLE STEPS TO ACCESS THE DATABASE...

Book and General Publications Published in January-June 2025 for Verification in the SMPPPI

Book and General Publications Published in January-June 2025 for Verification in the SMPPPI

on 04 July 2025

Announcement From: UMS Press Assalamualaikum wbt and Good Afternoon. Book...

TURNITIN: Getting Started with Feedback Studio and Originality Check for Instructors

TURNITIN: Getting Started with Feedback Studio and Originality Check for Instructors

on 04 July 2025

Announcement From: UMS Library TURNITIN : Getting Started with Feedback...

Call for Abstract/Oral/Poster: International Conference on Borneo Sustainability 2025

Call for Abstract/Oral/Poster: International Conference on Borneo Sustainability 2025

on 03 July 2025

Announcement From: Strategic Management Centre 🌱📢 CALL FOR ABSTRACT/ORAL/POSTER: ICBS...

Malaysia Association of  Research Managers & Administrators (MyRMA) Symposium 2025

Malaysia Association of  Research Managers & Administrators (MyRMA) Symposium 2025

on 03 July 2025

Announcement From: Research Management Centre Malaysia Association of Research Managers...

International Seminar on Forensic Engineering 2025

International Seminar on Forensic Engineering 2025

on 03 July 2025

Announcement From: Research Management Centre International Seminar on Forensic Engineering...

Call for Abstract for the 2nd Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion and Composting (ADIC2025)

Call for Abstract for the 2nd Symposium on Anaerobic Digestion and Composting (ADIC2025)

on 03 July 2025

Announcement From: Faculty of Engineering Dear all academicians, researchers, students...

Phase 1: Articles and proceeding published in January – April 2025

Phase 1: Articles and proceeding published in January – April 2025

on 03 July 2025

Announcement From: UMS Library Assalamualaikum w.b.t dan Salam Sejahtera, YBhg. ...

Call for Papers: 7th IICAIET 2025, 26-28 August 2025

Call for Papers: 7th IICAIET 2025, 26-28 August 2025

on 03 July 2025

Announcement From: UMS dan IEEE Sabah Subsection Call for Papers:...

Access Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) Articles on ProQuest!

Access Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI) Articles on ProQuest!

on 02 July 2025

Announcement From: UMS Library Access Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI)...

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 CAMPUS LIFE @ UMS


“Hey Hamburger, why so white ah?”

MONDAY, 5 JUNE - My name is Lukas Tretau, I am 25 years old and I come from Hamburg in Northern Germany (my friends sometimes call me ‘Hamburger’ when they are hungry).

I just finished my mobility exchange programme between University of Hamburg and Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS). Being here in this beautiful state of Sabah for two semesters, I gained lots of friends and experiences.

After a long but enjoyable flight I was relaxed and landed in Kota Kinabalu. Then the officer at KKIA informed me that my luggage unfortunately didn’t leave Hong Kong International Airport and that it might come two or three days later. Biarkan sahaja, I am in the tropics why would I need clothes!

Not long after that news I met my supervisors and contact persons from the international office of UMS who were very welcoming and supportive in finding a shelter for this orang putih and helped me in applying for a student visa.

It did not take long until I found friends who took me around Kota Kinabalu to show me the world and extend my horizon (excuse the drama here).           
We went to experience the chilly weather in Kundasang and the ice cream from Desa Cattle – it was amazing, felt like home with all the cows and the cool wind.

Another trip and another group of friends took me to Pantai Rang Bulan in Kota Belud. A beautiful and empty beach welcomed us there to do a boat tour through the reefs and enjoy life.  Luckily this bunch of people also liked to main-main so it was easy to convince them doing some rides on the Banana Boat, another great day in paradise.  I was very lucky to meet so many open-minded and open-hearted people just after my arrival, still being a total stranger. 

Nowhere else have I experienced such a welcoming atmosphere.

Whether we just went out for lepak-lepak (seriously, I still do not understand how Malaysian people can stay up that long at night and wake up again early in the morning) or Karaoke (that was a surprise and not a nice one, I am a really bad singer!), to visit the Sabah Tea Garden or Kudat; everyone was determined to include and integrate me to make me feel home. Now I can say that Sabah and KK especially feels like my second home.  

Yes, my friends even helped me look pretty – am I not cantik?!

During my time in Sabah I experienced a lot.  Local Muslim wedding, numerous sport events, local traditional cultural events in Membakut and also festivities like Japanese Cultural Night within UMS called ‘Bon Odori’.  Unfortunately I did not get to experience Kaamatan and Hari Raya. Sabah’s culture is super diverse: it does not matter where you are from.  You are here and you are welcomed! Many countries in Europe can learn from that.

Many years ago when I was still young - obviously I am very old now - I was very active in athletics, especially short distance sprinting. Therefore I took the chance of competing at the Sabah Open competition in Likas stadium in early September. I took part in the 100m sprint event and what all I could say I finished last! Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the other’s fault but honestly I assumed that the sad truth is, I was just out of shape and slow.  

In October, UMS gave us the chance of participating in the ‘International Students Sports Carnival’ organised by HELP University held in Kuala Lumpur.  We represented UMS in Futsal, Badminton and 4x100m relay.  We managed to get a silver medal for the sprint with smiling faces and a huge amount of fun. Our glorious team consisted of European, African, Chinese, Polynesian and Malaysian athletes, it was a blast!

 

Next to this kind of sports that I did for a long time, I started to play Frisbee, the game that is often mistaken and understood as a game for dogs where you throw a plate and it needs to catch it. Actually it is for human. The players are great and I enjoyed every time we gather and ‘go tossing’.  A small committee managed to organise a tournament in UMS.   It was my first Frisbee tournament and super tiring because I am white, old and fat but it was so much fun with an amazing atmosphere and sweating smiling faces.

I did not only do sports here, but also have been studying (sometimes). As a ‘Geography International’ student from Germany I enrolled in the HG20 programme, Nature Parks & Recreation.   Awesome choice! A great class, very sporting lecturers and super enjoyable field trips to places throughout Sabah!

After I studied one semester in UMS in the forestry faculty, I started my internship at Sabah Parks. Working in the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park, I had to go to the islands sometimes because I did a small research study on the crowding there.  Asking tourists of their opinions about the islands, and after that went sunbathing and swimming during lunch time, such a hard life, kan?  Still I missed climbing Mount Kinabalu and also didn’t make it to Pulau Tiga.  So I guess I will have to come back, Sabah be ready!

I could go on for a long time because I had a great time and did a lot of things but I will save the rest for another time.  Also, I played a (very small) role in one movie that is about to be released.  I even got made-up for it, comelnya! That was really exciting and I was very nervous because I was in front of the camera and although I usually talked people to death, that was something very new.

Before going back to my old life I felt like I wanted to do something worth remembering and so I managed to organise a sports event called triathlon (1st UMS Mini-Sprint Triathlon) with the great support of a number of friends from UMS.  This event consists of swimming, cycling and running in one go.  It is very popular in Germany and very enjoyable (but exhausting) and so I wanted to share my passion and introduce it here.  It was marvellous and a success because hey: no one died!

I must say good bye and jumpa lagi for now but I will be back and if you feel like wanting to visit Hamburg, boleh bah kalau kau!

UPCOMING EVENTS

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