More than 150 professionals, experts and thought leaders from around the world gathered at Sabah International Convention Centre, here today for the region’s first symposium on the social and behaviour change communication (SBCC).

The first Asia Pacific SBCC Regional Symposium 2023 is co-organised by UNICEF Malaysia and the country’s three leading universities - Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia.

“This Symposium gathers SBCC practitioners to share best practices, explore opportunities, and develop sustainable solutions together with communities. We look forward to deepen our partnership to achieve better results for every child in the region,” said Robert Gass, UNICEF Representative to Malaysia and Special Representative Brunei Darussalam.

“The solution to many problems children face today have roots in social norms and behaviours. Guided by the mantra ‘Nothing about us, without us’, social and behaviour change strategies have the potential to empower individuals to make choices that protect their rights, develop communities, and promote resilience”, added Robert.

Themed “SBCC in Southeast Asia and South Pacific: Unlocking its Potential for Community Development and Resilience”, the inaugural event was officiated by Assistant Minister to the Chief Minister Datuk Abidin Madingkir, on behalf of the Chief Minister of Sabah, Datuk Seri Hajiji Hj Noor.  The symposium will end tomorrow.

Throughout the two days, the jam-packed symposium features 17 programmes which include a keynote address, plenary sessions, oral presentations, experiential zones, forums, a sandbox, parallel roundtable sessions and a closing reflection, and 35 esteemed speakers from 7 countries in the region, namely Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and New Zealand.

Among them are Axiata Foundation Chief Executive Officer Mohamad Kamal Nawawi, Institute for Development Studies Sabah Chief Executive Officer Associate Professor Datuk Ts. Dr. Ramzah Dambul and the award-winning TV Journalist and Astro Awani former Editor-in-Chief Kamarul Bahrin Haron.

These distinguished speakers are the panellists for the Plenary Session titled Diverse Voices, Shared Visions: Collaborative Strategies for SBCC, scheduled on the first day of the symposium.

The Asia Pacific SBCC Regional Symposium 2023 aims to unlock the potential for SBCC investment opportunities in the region, and to strengthen the SBCC network with various stakeholders, strategic partners, and key players in the region for sustainable development.

Meanwhile, UPM-UNICEF C4D Programme Director Dr Tham Jen Sern said, the distinctiveness of the three institutions behind the SBCC initiative mirrors their diverse objectives, united by a common purpose that is to contribute to Malaysia's social development and well-being.

“Together, we hope to bring rays of hope and opportunities across a broad spectrum of society,” Dr Tham said.

Throughout the two days, the jam-packed symposium features 17 programmes which include a keynote address, plenary sessions, oral presentations, experiential zones, forums, a sandbox, parallel roundtable sessions and a closing reflection, and 35 esteemed speakers from 7 countries in the region, namely Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia and New Zealand.

Among them are Axiata Foundation Chief Executive Officer Mohamad Kamal Nawawi, Institute for Development Studies Sabah Chief Executive Officer Associate Professor Datuk Ts. Dr. Ramzah Dambul and the award-winning TV Journalist and Astro Awani former Editor-in-Chief Kamarul Bahrin Haron.

These distinguished speakers are the panellists for the Plenary Session titled Diverse Voices, Shared Visions: Collaborative Strategies for SBCC, scheduled on the first day of the symposium.

The Asia Pacific SBCC Regional Symposium 2023 aims to unlock the potential for SBCC investment opportunities in the region, and to strengthen the SBCC network with various stakeholders, strategic partners, and key players in the region for sustainable development.

Meanwhile, UPM-UNICEF C4D Programme Director Dr Tham Jen Sern said, the distinctiveness of the three institutions behind the SBCC initiative mirrors their diverse objectives, united by a common purpose that is to contribute to Malaysia's social development and well-being.

“Together, we hope to bring rays of hope and opportunities across a broad spectrum of society,” Dr Tham said.

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.