Empowering Youth Leadership and Regional Action for a Sustainable Southeast Asia
On Thursday, May 15, 2025, a colloquium spotlighting Malaysia and Singapore’s sustainable development journeys was held in collaboration with Universiti Malaya, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), InvestKL, and the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Ridge View Residential College. Through presentations, panel sharing, and breakout group discussion, participants explored how each organization contributes to Singapore and Malaysia’s sustainable development journeys, with a deeper focus on the role of education, partnerships, and innovation in their efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The colloquium began with a series of insightful presentations, starting with Universiti Malaya. Professor Dr. Yvonne Lim Ai Lian, Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), introduced the university’s internationalization strategy, emphasizing the diverse opportunities available for international students at Malaysia’s premier public university. She also spotlighted Universiti Malaya’s key research clusters, including well-being and happiness, and highlighted the institution’s commitment to sustainability, such as various initiatives driven by the Universiti Malaya Sustainable Development Centre (UMSDC) and effective utilization of the SDSN Net Zero Campus Guide into campus sustainability planning and operations.
Following this, Kannan Reghunathan Nair, Asia-Pacific Networks Manager at the SDSN, shared the SDSN’s pivotal role in accelerating progress toward the SDGs. His presentation underscored the strength of the SDSN’s global network of over 2,000+ knowledge-generating institutions and the importance of partnerships in catalyzing SDG implementation. He also introduced key SDSN resources — including the Sustainable Development Report and SDG Index & Dashboards — as tools for tracking country-level progress on the SDGs and empowering young leaders in SDG advocacy.
Mr. Muizzudin Mohd Farid, Manager of Investor Development for Asia and Oceania, at InvestKL, then presented on the agency’s mission to attract global companies to Greater Kuala Lumpur. He outlined InvestKL’s efforts to align foreign investments with long-term sustainability goals and foster responsible economic growth in the region.
The session concluded with a presentation by Dr. Eunice Ng, a fellow at NUS’s Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), demonstrating how the college actively contributes to advancing the SDGs through student engagement, green practices, and community outreach.
Following the presentation, there was a panel discussion that centered on critically examining the role of culture as the fourth pillar of sustainable development, alongside economic growth, social inclusion, and environmental conservation. The panel, moderated by two RVRC students, featured Associate Professor Dr. Zeeda Fatimah Mohamad, Director of UMSDC; Sherlina Kaur, Education Manager at the SDSN’s SDG Academy; and Cheng Puay Lim, an RVRC fellow.
Drawing from the session, it was agreed that localizing the SDGs is important and must be done by considering cultural contexts and community-specific conditions. Dr. Zeeda shared that “At UM, we have a Living Lab project to provide ideas and solutions for campus sustainability, especially on water bodies conservation and water consumption reduction.”
On economic growth and sustainability in Malaysia and Singapore, Lim stressed, “It really is a crucial time for regional cooperation, especially as ASEAN, to allow for collective economic growth.” He hinted at the geopolitical and cultural influences Malaysia and Singapore share as neighboring countries.
Kaur expanded on education for sustainable development, specifically on the need to make it locally relevant and its key role in shaping the next generation of sustainability leaders, especially youth. “Developing the right sustainability mindset is the goal here. It must be in every decision-making process daily, big or small, because only then will we be ensuring the best outcomes for people.”
In the afternoon, a breakout session was held to foster deeper engagement between Universiti Malaya and RVRC students. Mixed discussion tables comprising students from both institutions explored key themes related to SDG implementation through guided prompts. Conversations focused on national strengths, unique challenges, and the role of key stakeholders in advancing the SDGs within local contexts, encouraging students to draw on their lived experiences and perspectives.
The colloquium not only highlighted the shared commitment of Malaysia and Singapore toward achieving the SDGs but also fostered meaningful cross-border dialogue and collaboration among students, educators, and practitioners, demonstrating the power of partnerships, education, and cultural context in driving sustainable development forward.
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