INSTITUTIONS of higher learning play a fundamental role, not only in providing fertile ground to tackle the world’s most pressing environmental, social and governance (ESG) challenges, but also in shaping future changemakers.
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) vice chancellor Professor Dr Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Mutalib believes that by embedding sustainability in all facets of its operations from the administration to teaching and learning, research priorities and the day-to-day workings of the university, students immersed in this environment will be more aware of the importance of sustainability – entering society and the workforce as potential change agents.
For UTP, which was established more than 25 years ago, this is a progression of its mission to produce well-rounded graduates who will one day become leaders of industry, society and the country.
In recent years, ESG considerations have been integrated into corporate and investment decision-making.
The same can be said of institutions of higher learning, whether it is investment decisions that support sustainability and social responsibility or addressing issues such as climate change, energy transition and circular economy in their academic curriculum, research and operations.
For UTP, sustainability is more than a catchphrase – it is a license to operate. Within its financial operations, sustainability is necessary to ensure the university’s longevity.
“We’re striving towards financial sustainability to ensure that we’re able to sustain operations. This means prudent spending that is balanced against our revenue from grants, academic business operations, research and commercialisation. Financial sustainability ensures that UTP will have that edge,” says Prof Mohamed Ibrahim.
As a subsidiary of PETRONAS, UTP’s sustainability path is viewed through the national oil corporation’s four sustainability lenses, namely ensuring continued value creation, bringing positive social impact, having responsible governance and safeguarding the environment.
“We believe that we can contribute to addressing ESG concerns by embedding these principles across our relevant areas of operations as well as through research and education, engagement with partners and community,” says Prof Mohamed Ibrahim.
He adds that this is in sync with UTP’s aspiration to attain sustainable global prominence, its alignment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as to collectively drive PETRONAS’ sustainability initiatives.
“We look to PETRONAS and work closely with them in seeing how UTP can contribute to the 2050 net zero carbon emissions aspiration,” he says, pointing to the collaboration with Gentari for the installation of a 7.4MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop panel at UTP.
This grid-connected solar PV system is the largest single solar rooftop in Malaysia, covering an area of 410,837 sq ft.
Since its deployment in early May 2022, the system has generated more than 13,000 MWh of clean electricity – meeting more than a quarter of UTP’s total electricity demand.
UTP chief strategy officer Zaimizi Hamdani says the university is also reviewing its energy consumption with a view to improving energy efficiency, and reducing energy requirements and carbon emissions on campus.
The goal, he adds, is to create a low-carbon campus. With an efficient energy management policy already in place, UTP is now upgrading the campus infrastructure with the installation of energy-efficient and energy-saving equipment for its heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, lighting (with LEDs) and the implementation of digital solutions such as Building Management System to monitor and control the campus’ energy needs.
Various university-wide sustainable practices have also been implemented. These include effective recycling by having waste segregation bins, the use of recycled water and the implementation of a groundwater tube well project for landscape watering and irrigation.
As part of its strategy to embrace green mobility and promote a sustainable lifestyle, Zaimizi says UTP is also actively enhancing the quality and accessibility of campus walkways to encourage walking on campus.
These include addressing the connectivity of pedestrian pathways from residential villages and parking areas to academic blocks, including the expansion of covered walkways around the campus, spanning a total of 1.7km and the designation of micromobility lanes for scooters, bicycles and other small, lightweight vehicles.
In addition, UTP is also committed to the management of its forested areas (which make up half of its total land area) and the conservation of the biodiversity it holds.
As a leader in technology education, UTP has also taken proactive steps to embed courses that address sustainability issues in its curriculum.
For example, during their first year, undergraduates regardless of their chosen academic programme, undergo a compulsory subject called Introduction to Oil & Gas Industry and Sustainable Development, where they are initiated to the concept of sustainable development, energy security, net-zero carbon emission and renewable energy.
Each academic programme then furthers these concepts through teaching and learning activities.
The university also provides a conducive environment for students to deepen their knowledge and skills within the sustainability space, whether in research or professional short courses.
UTP’s sustainability lens is especially apparent in the research that it undertakes. The university’s research, innovation and commercialisation activities at its six research institutes are centred on two mega themes, Smart Communities and Energy Sustainability.
From innovations in green buildings to advancements aiming towards zero waste and zero carbon, and the generation of clean energy and water for all, research at UTP considers the complex challenges faced by the world today.
The sustainability ethos is also fostered through UTP’s unique approach on corporate social responsibility initiatives, which is now dubbed “university social responsibility”.
With this new outlook, the focus shifts from purely philanthropic and charity-based activities to those that prioritise capacity building to empower communities, from school children and home-based entrepreneurs to B40 groups.
“We encourage students to undertake sustainability projects that will help the community, which then helps students strengthen their understanding of sustainability and spread that message of sustainability to the various communities,” says Prof Mohamed Ibrahim.
He is also heartened by the fact that student-led clubs and societies have been established, dedicated to promoting and implementing a green lifestyle among the student body. These include the Go Green Movement and UTPrihatin.
Ultimately, as an institution of higher learning, Prof Mohamed Ibrahim hopes that the years spent at UTP will instil in students with strong emotional intelligence, alongside intellectual intelligence and the importance of ESG considerations.
“The hope is that by creating this culture of sustainability the students become conditioned by the sustainability practices within the university,” he says.
“They become more aware of the need to conserve energy for example, and so they switch off the lights and fan when they leave a room or do away with the practice of single-use plastics and are more conscious of the waste produced.
“The hope is that when they graduate these practices will become second nature to them, and they will then continue with these habits in the community and workplace. So, they then become advocates of sustainability practices and change agents who will make a difference in society.”
While Prof Mohamed Ibrahim hopes to see UTP become a model university that displays wholesome sustainability practices, he acknowledges that furthering the sustainability agenda is a journey.
“As we live our role of preparing talent for the industry, so that students become responsible members of society, and ensuring that our research output and outcomes help businesses to continue to grow responsibly, we’re also making certain that our sustainability standards are comparable to other institutions,” he adds.
Over the years, UTP has cemented its position as the best private university in the country, through its rise in world and national rankings and ratings such as Times Higher Education (THE), Quacquarelli Symonds, Malaysia Research Assessment Rating System and Rating System for Malaysian Higher Education.
Today it reigns as the country’s number one university and the top private university in Asean in THE’s Asia University Rankings 2023. The focus going forward will continue to be on furthering the university’s standing globally.
“We want to push UTP towards greater world recognition, and so we are creating a culture that addresses societal challenges and at the same time ensure UTP maintains and improves its standing in global rankings and ratings,” says Prof Mohamed Ibrahim.
