| Universiti Putra Malaysia

BioChallenge 4.0 opportunity for students to express biology

By: Dr. Mohd Noor Hisham Mohd Nadzir and Muhammad Firdaus Zulkifli

 

SERDANG, Jan 14 – The Biology Student Club (KMB), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), has organised the BioChallenge 4.0 2021 programme to provide an opportunity for students to express biology virtually in new norms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Programme adviser, Dr. Mohd Noor Hisham Mohd Nadzir, said the programme with the theme “Unleash Your Inner Biology in the New Norm” required students to think critically while unleashing their knowledge, talent, and skills in the field of biology, amid constraints of the current global crisis and normalisation of new norms.   

 

He said the programme was organised for the fourth time and had received a very encouraging response with the increase in participants compared to the previous year.

 

He added that the committee decided not to limit participation to UPM students only this year, rather opening opportunities for all undergraduate students from other public and private educational institutions as well as matriculation to take part in the programme.

 

The four-day programme was organised by the Biology Student Club (KMB), Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, UPM. It was conducted entirely online and had successfully gathered students from various educational backgrounds virtually with two times more participation than the BioChallenge 3.0 programme held last year.

 

Among the activities organised were “BioTALK”, “BioINFOGRAPHIC”, “BioVIDEO”, “BioINNOVATE”, “BioESSAY” and “BioPHOTO”.

BioChallenge 4.0 2021 is a UPM initiative, specifically the Department of Biology in efforts to produce students who are capable, responsible, knowledgeable and competitive in the future.

Dr. Bokhary Zainal, a lecturer from the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, UPM, who is also the programme adviser, said students need to be trained to think outside the box in finding solutions for various problems related to biology while inculcating curiosity which is crucial in a prospective scientist.

The programme received sponsorship and support from the Faculty of Science, Biology Student Club (KMB) and companies such as Techouz and MYC with the total funds collected amounted to RM1,000. In addition to cash sponsorship, the programme also received contributions of goods from MYC.

Programme director, Nor Izwan Hakimi Nor Azmi, hoped the programme could create an opportunity for students to be interested in biology and develop students’ talents and soft skills even during the pandemic is not an excuse to disregard knowledge.

“Interestingly, the results were inspired by themselves and the surrounding environment. Science is not a field that can only be learned and immersed in by Science students because as humans, we are all part of Science,” he said.

The programme succeeded in becoming a platform for students to delve into the world of biological sciences and indirectly developing creative and innovative skills in resolving challenges in each competition they participated in.

The BioChallenge 4.0 2021 had successfully attracted the participation of 474 students from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), Technical University of Malaysia (UTeM), National Defence University of Malaysia (UPNM), Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK), Johore Matriculation College, Malacca Matriculation College, Pahang Matriculation College,  Kedah Matriculation College and Institute of Teacher Education. - UPM

 

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