Kota Kinabalu: Scimatech: Road to Success 2025 gave students across Sabah the opportunity to experience science and technology through real-life exposure at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS).
The two-day programme, held at the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), was officiated by Assistant Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Datuk Harun Durabi.
He said early exposure to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (Stem) not only builds foundational knowledge but also sparks student interest and self-confidence in their potential.
“Technologies like artificial intelligence, biotechnology and renewable energy are no longer future concepts. They are here today and creating exciting new opportunities in Sabah,” he said during the launch at UMS’s U-Science Centre, on Wednesday
He emphasised that Sabah’s most valuable asset lies not in its natural resources but in the minds of its young people participating in programmes like this.
Meanwhile, UMS Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Kasim Mansor said FST had invited 3,000 primary and secondary school students across the state to take part in the programme.
He said this programme gave students the chance to engage with science and mathematics and to understand how they apply to everyday life.
“This is where students’ creativity can grow through direct experience at the university,” he said.
Students and teachers took part in lab tours and hands-on experiments featuring over 30 interactive modules at FST and the Borneo Marine Research Institute (IPMB).
The programme also introduced nine Stem-related degree courses offered by the faculty, including Environmental Science, Industrial Physics, Marine Science, Computer Graphic Mathematics, Industrial Chemistry and Biotechnology.
Dr Kasim said the programme reflects UMS’s mission to drive knowledge development in the region under its “Brain of Borneo” slogan.
The programme was held in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation Sabah, the State Education Department and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia.
Harun said the State Government remains committed to expanding access to Stem programmes, especially in rural and interior areas, to ensure equal access to quality education.
