Curtin Malaysia empowering tomorrow’s innovators, hosts workshop for SM Sains Miri students

Miri, Sarawak – 7 June 2024 – The Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) Library, in collaboration with the university’s Student First Place Activation Department and School of Pre-U and Continuing Education (SPACE), recently hosted a one-day workshop for students from SM Sains Miri, spanning Form One to Form Five.

The workshop, designed to support students participating in the upcoming Global Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (GYEC), an international, online, 12-hour business idea competition for high school students, and those on the school debate team, aimed to equip them with essential skills for success in both competitions and academic endeavours.

Fiona Toh, a teacher at SM Sains who spearheaded the initiative to equip the students with the essential skills, underscored the importance of information literacy for students’ participation in competitions and projects, emphasising its role in elevating the quality of their work. “A comprehensive understanding of information literacy is crucial for students to excel in any endeavour,” said Toh.

Toh emphasised that this workshop was particularly crucial for the science stream students, who were largely unfamiliar with entrepreneurship and information literacy. Recognising this gap, she collaborated with Curtin Malaysia to organise the workshop, both to inform and inspire the students.

The workshop featured segments led by experts in various fields. Nora Hii, Reference Librarian at the Curtin Malaysia Library, led the Information Literacy component, emphasising the importance of discerning credible information. “Students need the ability to not only identify relevant information but also evaluate its reliability and suitability for their purposes,” explained Hii.

Nomiday Dajie, Manager of Student First Place Activation, imparted valuable insights on producing effective marketing videos using smartphones, encouraging the students to leverage their creativity while communicating the essence of their products. “A visually engaging video can captivate audiences and effectively convey the message,” said Nomiday.

Delon Chai, SPACE’s Associate Director of Learning and Teaching, and Michelle Phua, Head of the Arts and Commerce Department, provided mentorship on crafting business plans and financial budgeting. Their guidance aimed to equip the students with practical skills for entrepreneurship and academic success.

“This workshop is a testament to Curtin Malaysia’s commitment to nurturing future leaders and innovators,” remarked Associate Professor Fidella Tiew, Director of SPACE. “We are proud to support SM Sains Miri students on their journey towards excellence.”

Curtin Malaysia is the largest international campus of Curtin University, a global university ranked in the top one percent of universities worldwide. Located in Miri, Sarawak, it offers a comprehensive range of pre-university programmes, and undergraduate and postgraduate courses spanning business, engineering, science, humanities, and health sciences. Curtin Malaysia is committed to providing high-quality education and fostering a dynamic learning environment that empowers students to excel in their chosen fields.

Information on Curtin Malaysia can be found on its website at curtin.edu.my, or look for Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok.

(Standing 7th to 11th left) Hii, Nomiday, Chai, Phua and Toh, in a group photo with the students