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Transforming higher education for a sustainable tomorrow:
a case of learning by doing at
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Dzulkifli A. Razak, Zakri A. Hamid, Zainal A. Sanusi and Kanayathu C. Koshy,
Centre for Global Sustainability Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia
C
onvinced that universities everywhere must change to
embrace a globalizing world, Universiti Sains Malaysia
(USM) has embarked on a long-term strategy to make
sustainability a major mainstream guiding principle. USM
believes that its large pools of disciplinary experts, high quality
research facilities, excellent infrastructure and a cohort of
students with varied academic interests will help to promote
sustainability in the communities it serves. We have also tacitly
accepted our responsibility to be the ‘social conscience of society’,
in addition to our traditional role of disseminating knowledge.
1
In recognition of the university’s contributions to education for
sustainable development (ESD), USM was recognized in 2005 as
one of seven Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE’s) for the UN
Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. In September
2008, Malaysia’s Ministry of Higher Education granted USM the
status of an accelerated programme for excellence.
2
Building on
these accolades, USM has fast-tracked its efforts to refocus and
retool its teaching, research and community engagements to meet
its sustainability targets.
USM’s sustainability agenda includes a number
of initiatives. Some focus on empowering people, a
precondition for sustainability as poverty, social depri-
vation and lack of public services negate freedom of
choice and therefore people’s ability to live sustain-
ably.
3
USM’s sustainability agenda thus has a special
focus on the capacity-deprived ‘bottom billion’. In this
sense, USM is both a knowledge based institution where
we create knowledge (as a ‘product’), and a knowledge
based institution that applies the knowledge it gener-
ates (as a ‘tool’) to improve the lives of ordinary people.
Sustainability also requires creating functional capa-
bilities in students to make informed and innovative
choices. Examples of USM’s effort to train students in
this regard include annual national research and inno-
vation competitions, and a student entrepreneurship
development initiative (SEDIA@USM).
USM’s sustainability integration strategy aligns with
the Malaysian government’s current priorities of high
income, sustainability and inclusiveness.
Millennial initiatives
In the year 2000 USM introduced a package of activi-
ties
4
to promote sustainability: the University in a
Garden, Healthy Campus, a transdisciplinary approach
and USM community partnership programmes.
University in a Garden
The USM book
The University in a Garden: Special
Edition
5
says: “The environment (
ǎ
lm) as a source of
knowledge (‘ilm) contains much we can learn by just
reflecting on the garden. At the centre of this garden
is rooted the age-old tree of knowledge amongst other
trees all standing in a totally balanced ecosystem of flora
and fauna, and the earth.”
Using this development metaphor, USMhas embraced a
number of initiatives. For example, a ‘waste management
cluster’ of engineering, science and technology focuses
research on solid waste, wastewater and environmen-
tal remediation/rehabilitation. USM is also conserving
resources. The Chancellery building now exclusively uses
energy-efficient light bulbs, and efforts are being made
The APEX Award from the Minister of Higher Education, Y. B. Dato’ Seri Mohamed
Khaled Nordin, Malaysia
Image: USM