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Tan Ming Qi (right) and Lee Shao Xuan (left), winners of the first prize, received their RM3000 mock-cheque from Professor Datuk Ir Ts Dr Siti Hamisah Binti Tapsir, CEO of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ Group and Vice-Chancellor of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University (Center), who was accompanied by

STEM is the engine of growth for innovation and future generations must master it to excel in critical industry sectors,¡± said Prof Noraini who is also an honorary professor and advisor of the Universiti Malaya STEM Centre.

Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ University partnered with the Education Ministry to organise a science challenge that required contestants to devise scientific innovations to solve real-world problems. Christened the Student Life Hacks TikTok Innovation Challenge, the competition also required secondary school students to upload a portrait-mode video of their innovations, explaining their game-changing potential. The objective: To make STEM fun. By utilising social media, students could share their innovations with their friends.

The effort could not come fast enough. The Education Ministry¡¯s 2020 Annual Report highlighted that Malaysia¡¯s annual tertiary education enrolment in STEM courses was 47.18% - a far cry from the government¡¯s target of 60%. While there were many interesting videos, Lee Shao Xuan and Tan Ming Qi, both 18, stood out with their innovation called ¡°sports steward¡± - a device that analyses and corrects one¡¯s posture as they work out. ¡°We both love science and we worked on this device because our friend Cheng Xin injured her knee during gymnastics training due to postural problems,¡± said Shao Xuan at the prize giving ceremony.

¡°We tested the device with some of our friends and they found it useful when they were reminded to correct their posture.¡±

For their efforts, the duo from the Penang Chinese Girls Private High School walked away with RM3,000 in cash and a full tuition waiver to continue their studies at Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­. National STEM Association president and founder Prof Dato¡¯ Dr Noraini Idris said that the competition was an ideal way to generate interest in STEM-related studies.

¡°STEM is the engine of growth for innovation and future generations must master it to excel in critical industry sectors,¡± said Prof Noraini who is also an honorary professor and advisor of the Universiti Malaya STEM Centre.

¡°By focusing on innovation, Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ has instilled interest in STEM and I look forward to seeing more efforts like this.¡±

She added that the National STEM Association had set up a STEM Mini Theatre project for B40 students to ensure no one would be left behind.

Also present was Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Siti Hamisah Tapsir who said that Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­ had incorporated IR4.0 technology into all its academic offerings.

¡°Our main objective is to provide a holistic education with cutting-edge digital technology as a means of gaining access to a high-quality education,¡± she said.

¡°We have trained our lecturers and students to adapt to the new norm and be agile in an era where change is the only constant.¡±

Organised by Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»­¡¯s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the competition drew participation from 55 schools. Plans are afoot to take the competition nationwide next year.