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Students to represent M’sia in US rocketry competition

Hungarian scholarships for locals renewed PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia will continue to benefit from 40 full scholarships a year for its students to study in Hungary, following the renewal of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the Stipendium Hungaricum programme for the 2026 to 2028 period. Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir said the MoU was signed following a courtesy visit by Hungarian Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Sandor Sipos to the ministry on Friday to further enhance bilateral academic cooperation between both countries. “The collaboration will see 40 scholarships offered annually to Malaysian citizens to pursue Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) studies in Hungary. “The comprehensive scholarship package covers full tuition fees, living allowances, accommodation and health insurance, ensuring students’ welfare is fully taken care of throughout their studies.” Zambry said the international scholarship programme remained the top choice among local students, recording an extraordinary response of 350 applications for 40 places offered in the previous academic session. – Bernama Over 90% of Sabah teaching posts filled KOTA KINABALU: A total of 98.22% of the teaching posts in Sabah have now been filled, ensuring the smooth operation of schools in the state, said state Education, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk James Ratib. He said of the total, 86.75% are Sabahans, in line with the state government’s aspiration to empower local talent and build the strength of the education workforce from within the state. “The development reflects the effectiveness of policy coordination as well as the continued commitment between the state government and the Education Service Commission in ensuring that the need for teaching staff is consistently met with sufficient and quality personnel,” he said in a statement. James on Friday received a courtesy call from a commission delegation led by its chairman Datuk Adzman Talib. The visit aimed to strengthen strategic cooperation in the development of the state’s education sector. – Bernama

universities need to strengthen the study of colonialism in its full historical depth and contemporary relevance, says Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir. In a Facebook post, he concurred with International Islamic University Malaysia Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation professor Datuk Dr Ahmad Murad Merican on the need to enhance the teaching of colonial history in universities, NIBONG TEBAL: A team of 10 students from Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) is set to take Malaysian innovation to new heights as they prepare to compete in the International Rocket Engineering Competition (IREC) 2026 in Midland, Texas in the United States from June 15 to June 20. Known as WAU Rocketry USM, the team will represent Malaysia alongside another team from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia at one of the world’s largest intercollegiate rocketry competitions, which brings together students from around the world to design, build and launch rockets. Team leader P. Vymarleena Avriel, 23, told Bernama that their Apex-1 rocket is designed to ascend 10,000 feet into the air, competing in the Commercial Off The Shelf category. Unlike large-scale launch vehicles developed by agencies such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or SpaceX, she explained that the Apex-1 is a high-powered sounding rocket, a more compact system suitable for academic engineering competitions, yet still demanding rigorous design, simulation and testing. “I would say with my team and our current progress from the technical and engineering side, I am confident and hoping to get at least a top-five result, but we could achieve more.” As the only female member of the team, Vymarleena said the journey to IREC has taken nearly a year, beginning with an online application process that required detailed computer aided design, simulations and Achievements of USM team reflect national tech progress: Academic

Vymarleena said financial constraints remain a significant obstacle, adding that the team has reached out to sponsors, government agencies and industry players to secure partial funding. – BERNAMAPIC

prevailing academic and intellectual validation must be questioned, as overreliance on metrics risks creating a homogenised system in which knowledge is standardised, perspectives are filtered and local epistemologies are marginalised. He also said universities must become producers of knowledge rooted in local realities and intellectual traditions, rather than consumers of global hierarchies. – Bernama standards deadlines without needing reminders, I think this speaks for itself how disciplined they are in this particular endeavour.” Chang, a USM School of Aerospace Engineering lecturer, said the team’s achievement showcases the capabilities of Malaysian students and demonstrates that the country is able to compete with leading universities globally, reflecting national progress in technology. He also highlighted growing interest in aerospace among students, with increasing enrolment and industry opportunities, including more than 300 aerospace-related companies nationwide. Besides Vymarleena, the other team members are Lim Wiky, 25; Danish Irfan Saiful Nizam, 21; R. Krishna Baniel, 22; Aizad Aizal Abdul Aziz, 22; K. Aditteya, 22, Muhammad Hafiz Hakimy Gazali, 22; Muhammad Farhat Mohd Sharipa, 22; M. Saravanan, 22, and S. Loganraj, 22.

technology, economics and geopolitics remains unequal, and without understanding colonial legacies, graduates risk becoming technically skilled but intellectually dependent, unable to question the systems they work in. He also said while colonial legacies must be revisited, caution is needed against romanticising post-colonial discourse, adding that current realities point to a reconfiguration of control rather than genuine liberation. one of our biggest challenges, not just for the rocket components but also for travel.” She said due to regulatory restrictions in Malaysia, the rocket would be assembled locally, disassembled for transport and reassembled in the US, where the motor is classified under strict regulations and will be integrated before launch. Meanwhile, project supervisor Dr Chang Wei Shyang commended the team’s discipline and progress, adding that participation in competitions such as IREC offers value beyond academics. “We won seventh place in 2022 and competed again in 2023, but unfortunately were unable to send teams after that due to financial issues and challenges to actually get students into the team. “However, the new batch really have the fire to continue. The rocket is almost ready and (they) consistently meet

particularly journalism schools. “This is not merely about revisiting the past. It is about (allowing) our students to understand how hegemonic structures continue to shape the present global order. “What we are witnessing today is not a departure from history, but its continuation in which power is exercised through new instruments, yet rooted in the same logic of domination.” He added that in today’s age of power, influence through media, “Most of us are third-year students with packed schedules, so we work overnight and spend long hours in the lab. Even during semester breaks, we stayed on campus to continue building the rocket.” She also said beyond technical hurdles, financial constraints remain a significant obstacle, adding that the team has actively reached out to sponsors, government agencies and industry players to secure partial funding while continuing efforts to cover remaining costs. “As a student team, funding is technical reports. She added the competition involves multiple evaluation phases, including the preliminary design report, critical design review and the flight readiness review, before teams are cleared for launch. She said balancing academic commitments with the project has been one of the team’s biggest challenges. that

Varsities must strengthen colonialism studies: Minister KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Zambry said