KOTA SAMARAHAN, 3^rd October 2019: The World Animal Day 2019 and the Open Day of the Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation (IBEC) was held today at the Kota Samarahan campus of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS). This year’s theme is ‘Discovering Biodiversity Through Photography’, the event extending to 4^th October 2019.

The Institute’s Open Day commenced with an introduction by Prof Gabriel Tonga Noweg, Director of IBEC, followed by a welcoming speech by YBhg Prof Dr Wan Hashim Wan Ibrahim Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation), who mentioned that the World Animal Day is celebrated in dozens of countries worldwide, to draw public attention to the world’s rich biological diversity.

The highlights of the programme included talks, a workshop and exhibition highlighting the role of wildlife photography in creating public awareness and film screening on the Institute’s outreach programmes as well as station-based biodiversity activities, with prizes.

Deputy Vice Chancellor, YBhg Prof Dr Wan Hashim Wan Ibrahim released the book “Conserving the Gems of Upper Baleh, Kapit, Sarawak”, a richly-illustrated work on the biological diversity of the said area, encountered by an expedition by the Institute and its partners from the Faculty of ...

KOTA SAMARAHAN, 3 October 2019: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) is the organizer of the Problem Based Learning (PBL) Group Dynamics and Case Design Workshop from 2^nd-3^rd October.

It was attended by over 60 academicians from UNIMAS, UM, USM, UKM, UiTM and universities in Indonesia and Thailand.

PBL is a major educational approach that uses problem as the stimulus for active and collaborative learning. It originated from McMaster University, Canada, and this year is the 50^th year anniversary of its founding. The chief trainer is Prof. Dr. David Kwan, a prominent PBL leader in Asia. He is Emeritus Professor of McMaster University. He has authored more than 300 articles and books in cardiovascular sciences, medical education and PBL.

This workshop was a collaboration of UNIMAS’s Business School and Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. It was held to upgrade skills for implementing PBL in higher education. It trained participants in facilitating PBL small groups and writing good problem cases.

It was officially opened on 2^nd October Prof. Dr. Chew Keng Sheng, the head of Medical Education at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. The keynote talk was given ...