Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) through the Faculty of Tropical Forestry (FPT) organised the International Forest Day Celebration to raise public awareness of the importance of forest preservation and conservation.

According to UMS Vice Chancellor, Prof. Datuk Dr Kasim Hj. Mansor, the celebration of International Forest Day is an annual programme declared by the United Nations (UN).

"It started in 2012 and is celebrated every March 21 by 20 countries around the world.

"The programme aims to make the whole community aware of the importance of forestry, its preservation and conservation for the well-being and stability of the environment," he said.

Kasim said the first UMS-level International Forest Day celebration was held on 22 June 2022 and this year is the second celebration, organised by FPT.

"For this programme, the chosen theme is 'Forests and Health', which coincides with the wishes and aspirations of the people regarding the roe of forests and the importance of forests that give us many benefits for our health.

"Therefore, in conjunction with International Forest Day today, we aim to plant 200 trees," he said during the opening ceremony of the International Day of Forests, on Tuesday.

He added that to achieve the UMS target of 200,000 trees by 2025, several activities will continue.

"On this day, all 160 new students in the first year of FPT will plant one tree per student and will be named MYTREE.

"In addition to the tree planting activity, various activities have been organized over the course of three days starting today including the Adjunct Professor's Keynote Lecture, Knowledge Sharing by Strategic Partners and interesting activities involving various age groups, " he explained.

At the ceremony, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between UMS and the Sabah State Forestry Development Board (Safoda). Also present the General Managr of Safoda , Barul Razha Chuprat; UMS Registrar, Luqman Ridha Anwar; CEO of Jawala Plantation Industries Sdn Bhd, Abdul Rahman Khan Hakim Khan ; Safoda Research and Development Division Manager, Fiona Evelyn Anthony and FPT Dean , Associate Professor Dr. Normah Awang Besar @ Raffie.

Training Course on Tourism 2023 University Malaysia Sabah (UMS)-MTCP equip knowledge and skills to champion sustainable and responsible tourism.

Implementation of this program is aim to equip knowledge and skills to champion sustainable and responsible tourism, to draw lessons from adversity and infuse them into resilient strategies, and to create a dynamic network that transcends borders and fosters collaboration.

According to Vice Chancellor of UMS, Professor Datuk Dr. Kasim Hj Mansor, the Training Course on Sustainable and Resilient Tourism beyond Frontiers is not just about advancing academic knowledge.

“It is a bridge to a more sustainable tourism industry that is deeply cognizant of its role in the broader framework of global development.

“This course embodies a holistic approach, weaving together the threads of nature tourism, sustainability studies, and consultative experiences,” he said.

He said this while inaugurating the closing ceremony of this program.

Kasim added, this program also stands at the intersection of academia, industry, and community, recognizing that the journey to transformational change must be collective and inclusive.

“As we gather here today with our unique skillsets and perspectives, we embark on a journey of exploration, discovery, and co-creation.

“This journey is not just about learning, it is about driving innovation, fostering resilience, and empowering each participant to become a torchbearer of change within their respective spheres of influence,” he said.

This program is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC) at UMS towards advancing sustainable and responsible tourism in alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG 2030).

Present to this program, Director of Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation UMS, Associate Professor Dr. Fiffy Hanisdah Saikim and Undersecretary of International Cooperation and Development Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia, Devrin Jeck.

Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) Press wraps up a Summer Camp with Wuyi University, China delegation by organizing the Summer Camp: UMS Colloquium on Artificial Intelligence (Research and Publication) recently.

The closing ceremony of the summer camp which took place at the UMS Library Auditorium commenced with the inaugural address by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Associate Professor Ts Dr Ismail Saad.

According to Ismail, the two weeks summer camp are involving 48 students and 2 accompanying lecturers from Wuyi University, China.

“Throughout this two week, several programs were held which aimed to create a space for an exchange of knowledge and experience between the two institutions and introduce participants to the unique culture of Sabah.

“It is hoped that this programme could inspire all participants to carve their path to success in the field of artificial intelligence in the future,” he said.

During the event, Ismail also presenting the participation certificates and outstanding achievements to the involved participants.

Also attending the event Head of UMS Press, Prof. Madya Ts. Dr. Kenneth Teo Tze Pin.

To enhance their ability to serve and communicate better with the growing Chinese community in the region, a group of staffs from Royal Malaysian Customs Department of Sabah had successfully completed their Chinese Language Course (HSK) level 1 at Confucius Institute Universiti Malaysia Sabah (CI@UMS).

Over the past three months, a selected group of custom staff personnel eagerly immersed themselves in learning the complexities of Mandarin at the Confucius Institute.

Ten personnel of the department pass all the requirements for the course and were receiving their certificates from CI@UMS recently in a brief ceremony which was held at the Sabah Custom building in Kota Kinabalu.

The Chinese language course, conducted by professional teacher Ming Hao from CI@UMS, encompassed a comprehensive curriculum, focusing on basic conversational fluency, cultural understanding, and specific terminology relevant to Custom procedures.

Participants actively engaged in language exercises, role-plays, and interactive discussions, enhancing their vocabulary, pronunciation, and comprehension skills.

Throughout the course, the staffs turned students showed remarkable dedication and perseverance, attending classes outside of their regular work hours.

Their commitment to mastery of Mandarin was commendable, demonstrating their genuine desire to improve communication channels and foster stronger ties with the local and overseas Chinese community.

This endeavor aimed at equipping the students with the necessary linguistic skills to better serve the needs and concerns of Chinese visitors, residents, and nationals seeking assistance from custom authorities.

The Director (Malaysia) of Confucius Institute UMS, Professor Ts. Dr. Chong Khim Phin expressed his admiration for the participants' unwavering commitment.

"It is heartening to witness the dedication and enthusiasm shown by these Custom members.

“Their decision to invest time and effort in learning the Chinese language demonstrates their sincerity in building stronger connections with the Chinese community and fostering a more inclusive society," he said.

Meanwhile the Deputy Director of Custom Department of Sabah, Edward Justin congratulated the participants on their achievement, emphasizing the importance of effective communication in the Custom sector.

"The completion of this Chinese language course equips our Custom staffs with invaluable skills that will enable them to provide improved services to our Chinese-speaking population, contributing to a more seamless and welcoming experience," he said.

The successful completion of the Chinese language course marks a significant milestone, not only for their staffs but also for the community at large. A multilingual workforce is crucial for addressing language barriers and ensuring efficient service delivery, particularly in a diverse and multicultural society.

CI@UMS will continue to offer HSK level 1 classes to the Custom Department and HSK level 2 to those who had pass the level 1.

The Institute is dedicated to provide language and cultural learning opportunities to individuals and organizations, facilitating cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.