UiTM Ready To Assist Government Build A Strong STEM Ecosystem

PASIR SALAK, Sept 5 (Bernama) - Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) is prepared to assist the government develop an ecosystem oriented towards the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields which is one of the vital components in driving the country's economic growth.

UiTM vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Shahrin Sahib said to ensure that the aspiration is realised, aspects involving innovation and research need to be focused on, as it will produce more local experts and skilled workers in the field.

“Currently, we still lack local skilled manpower, experts and researchers even though it is known that STEM is a critical field.

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“So, to ensure that this field continues to develop and achieve its targets, it needs to begin from an early age and it requires guidance from various parties,” he told Bernama at the UiTM Institute of Leadership and Development (ILD) in Kampung Gajah here today.

Shahrin said organising the Malaysia Rocket Competition 2024 (MRC 2024) is one of the initiatives taken to nurture the interest of youth, especially university and secondary school students, in the importance of STEM.

“Our purpose (of organising MRC) is not just to find out who wins or loses, but we want the students to understand this field more specifically on their own,” he said.

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Meanwhile, MRC 2024 director Assoc Prof Dr Zuraidah Salleh said a total of 43 teams took part in the competition comprising university and secondary school students.

She said the competition, which took place from Sept 3 to 5, featured three categories, namely the one-kilometre rocket, Can-Size Satellite and Can-Size SatelliteR.

“This year's event is quite interesting as it also saw the participation from Indonesia, Singapore and India.

“We hope that with such a relatively lively reception (of the competition), the programme can be organised again next year either in Perak or in other states,” she said.

-- BERNAMA