The University of Nottingham Malaysia (UNM) brought together educators and practitioners on 16 July for the SULAM Spark: Bridging Classrooms and Communities seminar, a half-day event designed to equip faculty and staff with the knowledge and tools to embed Service Learning Malaysia-University for Society (SULAM) into their teaching.
Held on-campus and made accessible via Microsoft Teams, the seminar drew 40 participants from UNM and partner institutions through a hybrid format. The event was organised with two clear goals: to develop knowledge on implementing SULAM into the curriculum, and to nurture the capability of academic and professional service staff to embed SULAM into teaching and learning.
It opened with an introductory session led by four UNM facilitators: Dr Belle Ooi, Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Dr Tan Thian Khoon from the Department of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering; and Dr Too Wei Keong and Dr Chu Shi Wei, both from the School of Education. The session drew a clear distinction between SULAM and conventional community outreach. Unlike volunteerism or standard internships, SULAM requires an academic context in which service enhances learning and learning enhances service. Participants explored key practices such as curriculum integration, critical reflection, sustained community commitment, and collaboration with non-profit partners as pathways to producing holistic and entrepreneurial graduates.
The Showcase segment followed, featuring three guest speakers from external higher learning institutions. Assoc Prof Dr Juju Nakasha Jaafar from Universiti Putra Malaysia presented high-impact strategies in SULAM, while Dr Nurul Hanim from Universiti Malaysia Sarawak shared examples of and insights on successful SULAM projects. Ts Dr Nur Hidayah binti Ahmad Zaidi from Universiti Malaysia Perlis rounded off the session with actionable guidance on implementation and best practices drawn from technical disciplines.
Participants then convened for an Idea Lab, a hands-on group activity in which teams selected an existing academic module, identified learning outcomes that could embed SULAM, and brainstormed service-learning activities that could be developed for real communities. The event concluded with a wrap-up on next steps for integrating these strategies into future curricula.
The SULAM Spark seminar underscores UNM's commitment to transforming theoretical learning into genuine understanding, preparing graduates to apply their knowledge in ways that make a meaningful difference to society.
Posted on 30th July 2026