The F1 in Schools is the world’s most prestigious STEM student competition, comprised of groups of 3–6 students, in which they have to design and manufacture a miniature car out of the official F1 Model Block using CAD/CAM design tools. Based on the College of Engineering’s expertise and facilities, a group of UiTM professors have taken the initiative through the CSR knowledge transfer programme to help several F1 in Schools teams from SMK Seksyen 9 in Shah Alam that have been participating in the event since 2013.
For this year, a team named ECOLEST9 has won Malaysia’s 2021(22) F1 in Schools National Champions title and will carry Malaysia’s name at the 2022 Aramco F1 in Schools World Finals, which will be held in Silverstone, United Kingdom, this 9th to 15th July. As part of ECOLEST9’s team’s CSR in their World Finals journey, they have collaborated with the Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Malaysia, and Fraunhofer Institute for Mechatronic Systems Design (Fraunhofer IEM), Germany, through Innovation Lab UiTM, to conceptualise the idea of a STEMHub for Selangor as an initiative to change the future of STEM education towards sustainable innovation. This initiative is in line with the agenda of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG17) as adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015: SDG 4; Quality Education, SDG 9; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 17; Partnership for the Goals.
On May 9, 2022, Innovation Lab UiTM hosted a representative from Fraunhofer IEM, Mr. Laban Asmar, to the College of Engineering to introduce the initiative of STEMHub as part of innovation activities with the school community. Mr. Laban was introduced to the ECOLEST 9 team and they discussed the strategy towards sustainable innovation management.
After more than a decade of scientific collaboration, the UiTM-Fraunhofer Innovation Lab was officially established in September 2019. It is an exemplary platform to empower collaboration between universities and industry. The Innovation Lab provides services such as innovation engineering, consultancy, research collaboration, training, and talent development through innovation activities. Besides collaborating with industries, Innovation Lab also serves as a platform for ideation of innovation management strategies with communities such as school students towards young talent development.
One of the main initiatives of Innovation Lab UiTM is to establish STEMHub for Selangor in collaboration with SMK Seksyen 9, Shah Alam, using the same concept that has been established through F1 in Schools activities. In brief, this STEMHub concept is a designated area for ideation, collaboration, and fabrication that can be fully utilised by school students around Selangor. Besides an area for networking, it also houses hard-to-access STEM-related machinery and equipment such as 3D printers and CNC machines to remove the constraint when schools want to participate in STEM-based activities and support the implementation of technology IR4.0 among Malaysian netizens.
Through the establishment of STEMHub, it is hoped that more strategic partners will be able to leverage collaboration in ensuring sustainability in innovation and to create young talent for the nation’s development.
Author by: Assoc. Prof. Dr Muhammad Hussain Ismail