17.4.3 : Education for SDGs in the wider community
Paper Plane Competition at Selangor Aviation Show 2024 Promotes STEAM Learning and SDGs
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM)'s role in co-organizing the Paper Plane Competition at the Selangor Aviation Show 2024 provides strong evidence of dedicated outreach educational activities for the wider community, effectively disseminating knowledge on SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) to local residents and the general public.
The initiative, a collaboration with the Human Life Advancement Foundation and Invest Selangor, used a gamified, hands-on approach to teach STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) principles. By having three categories that spanned a wide range of ages—from children (7 years old) to adults (16 years and above)—UTM ensured the educational outreach was inclusive and applicable to diverse segments of the wider community.
Participants were required to apply principles of aerodynamics and flight physics to design planes for maximum performance. This activity not only fostered technical skills like critical thinking and problem-solving but also directly connected these concepts to the broader theme of innovation and sustainable design (SDG 9).
By staging this educational event at a major public venue, UTM successfully moved its expertise outside of the university setting, making complex, SDG-relevant knowledge accessible, engaging, and directly applicable to the daily lives of local residents, thereby fulfilling its commitment to community-wide SDG education.
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UTMCS-ISI anjur Karnival Mini SDG perkenal konsep kelestarian kepada komuniti awam
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Campus Sustainability Office (UTMCS), in collaboration with the Sultan Iskandar Institute (ISI) and AEON, successfully organized the Mini SDG Carnival at AEON Mall in Skudai, Johor, providing exemplary evidence of dedicated outreach educational activities for the wider community, thus advancing SDG 4 (Quality Education).
By purposefully hosting the event at a public space—a shopping mall—UTM ensured its educational activities were accessible to a broad public audience, moving the sustainability agenda beyond the university gates. This engagement directly targeted local residents who might not otherwise participate in traditional academic programs.
The carnival avoided conventional lectures, instead using engaging, interactive educational games like SDG Snakes and Ladders (Dam Ular SDG), Mix and Match Games, and a "plastic-free" creative wrapping competition (using banana leaves and newspaper). This gamified, hands-on approach effectively introduced the complex concept of sustainability and the SDGs to both children and adults, making the connection between daily life (like grocery shopping) and global goals (like responsible consumption, SDG 12) immediate and impactful.
This model of high-visibility, community-focused, and interactive education demonstrates UTM’s strong commitment to fostering sustainability awareness and behavioral change across the wider community, ensuring the knowledge and spirit of the SDGs are diffused into the regional public consciousness.
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