The top three local teams – Team Terrago, Team Suria and Team EcoFlow – of the Sustainability Startathon organised by Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), in partnership with the OSG Youth Alliance Brunei Chapter, will head to Singapore to compete in the Grand Finals during the ASEAN-China-India (ACI) Youth Leadership Summit in October 2024.
This year’s competition featured 50 students from 11 local and international higher education institutions advancing to the final round.
The startathon, held at UBD, was designed to stimulate innovative solutions for urgent sustainability challenges. As a key component of the ACI Youth Leadership Summit 2024, the competition focused on addressing global issues in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), particularly Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
The event saw teams of five tackle critical sustainability challenges, working together to brainstorm, design and prototype innovative solutions, while receiving expert guidance.
OSG Youth Alliance founder Dr Tan Eng Han said their social enterprise initiative aims to empower young people by encouraging them to tackle global challenges. Focusing on the SDGs and issues relevant to Brunei, the event was designed to build leadership, entrepreneurship, and innovation skills, preparing youth for effective leadership in these areas.
Meanwhile, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Industry Engagement and Enterprise Development) Dr Haji Masairol bin Haji Masri, underscored the potential of the competition to empower emerging youth leaders.
He emphasised that by enabling these individuals to contribute directly towards achieving global objectives, the competition plays a crucial role in fostering a more sustainable and inclusive world.
UBD Vice-Chancellor Dr Hazri bin Haji Kifle was the guest of honour. – James Kon
