KOTA KINABALU: The government has given University College Sabah Foundation (UCSF) the greenlight to utilise the state’s conservation areas to promote its green agenda.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal said the green university, which is owned by Yayasan Sabah, should fully leverage on these areas as world-class living labs for teaching and learning, research and potential sources of sustainable value-added products.
"It is my hope that this noble effort embarked upon by Yayasan Sabah and the state government will draw more attention and collaboration among various parties, including global players," he said at the UCSF's inaugural convocation here today.
The conservation areas in the state include the Danum Valley, Maliau Basin which is dubbed 'the lost world', Imbak Canyon, Silam Coast Conservation Area and Taliwas Forestry and Recreation Area.
Commending UCSF for its green agenda, Shafie said the varsity should incorporate its green philosophy and elements of the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in all its academic programmes.
"This way, UCSF can significantly create the much desired impact and contribute to a more balanced development of the state and nation, thereby driving towards achievement of the SDG targets by 2030.
"By doing so, UCSF could also become a centre of excellence in green initiatives and help pioneer, advocate and spur the green economic agenda of the state," he said.
Shafie stressed Yayasan Sabah and the state government is forward looking and moving in tandem with the global concern and commitment towards sustainability and green agenda.
He believed UCFS would be committed to make its vision and mission a reality, regardless of the challenges to fulfil its mission of becoming a new model of a green university that is relevant to the state.
Established in 2013, UCSF has produced 274 graduates in 10 programmes.
Over the years, its research work has been transformative, and one of its growing strength is the knowledge it generates from the ethnography research on the Pala’uh people or the sea gypsies.
"We take cognizance of USCF’s contribution in efforts to engage the Pala’uh people, an indigenous community, towards mainstream development.
"Similarly, the research on bats as an indicator of sustainable developments in rural agriculture is very encouraging.
"It is my hope that other IPTS in Sabah will follow this path of making research transformative, and thereby develop new knowledge which is relevant, practical and ecologically friendly to Sabah and the world," he said.