Promoting STEM among youth

HERIOT-WATT University Malaysia (HWUM) and the British High Commission came together to organise the first Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Youth Festival.
The full-day event, held at HWUM, witnessed an estimated 70 students from five international schools in attendance.
The festival was established mainly to highlight the importance of the four subjects among today’s youth. The event itself comprised three workshops plus competitive assignments, along with a particular workshop sponsored by VEX Robotics.
IMPORTANCE OF STEM
HWUM provost and CEO Prof Robert Craik shared about the fundamental reason for the festival.
“STEM has always been important to Heriot-Watt, not only because of the university’s legacy, but also because of the important role it plays in building and shaping the modern world.
Furthermore, the event is also in line with the Malaysian government’s aspirations to increase the percentage of students’ involvement in STEM areas, as the country moves towards becoming a high-income nation,” said Craik.
INSPIRING GEN Y
British Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia Paul Rennie OBE also shared Craik’s sentiments.
He said: “The United Kingdom places great emphasis on STEM education programmes to inspire the next generation of innovative thinkers.
“The programmes also bring together schools, employers and young people to bring STEM learning and career opportunities to life. We are proud to support the growth of STEM education in Malaysia. It further strengthens the long-standing education partnership between our two countries.”
GENDER EQUALITY IN THE FIELD
The festival also highlighted the need for gender equality in the STEM sector. Ironically (or aptly), the issue was underpinned by the victory of an all-girls team in one of the competitions.
“STEM is no longer a male dominated field, as we’ve seen many women engineers of calibre throughout the years at the university. We continue to advocate its importance equally to both boys and girls from a young age, and hope that events like this will help girls and women everywhere see their potential, not just in the field, but also of their capability to contribute to it,” Craik said.
Seeing the interest the event has garnered, HWUM and the British High Commission hope to run the festival annually to grow interest and talent. The event also marked a significant milestone in industry and education collaborations between Malaysia and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit the HWUM website or its Facebook page.