SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES

A total of 10 Information Systems students from Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia expressed their concerns by participating in the 'BaktiSiswa@ Felda Sungai Sayong' community service program organized by the Information Technology Club (ITC), Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FSKTM), Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM).

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) through the Sustainable Campus Office (SCO) continues to strengthen its commitment to environmental sustainability by organizing the "Recycling Day: From Campus, For Earth 2025" program on May 29th at the Open Hall, main campus. The program, sponsored by the UTHM Foundation, was held to instill recycling practices and increase civic awareness among campus residents and the surrounding community.

Waterscapes are seen as an effort to design a conducive campus environment. Artificial lakes are among the popular waterscape design elements, which are the best way to decorate the landscape on campus. They can not only add to the attractiveness, but also create an atmosphere of peace, tranquility and psychological balance among the campus community.

The construction industry in Malaysia is currently undergoing a significant transformation phase in line with the global digitalization trend. The combination of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 3D Scanning technologies has begun to be widely applied in this sector, not only as technical aids but as a catalyst for economic growth, environmental sustainability and social well-being. This approach is in line with the national aspirations under the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP) and Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 (SVP 2030), which emphasises the transformation of the construction sector towards a smarter and more sustainable one.

Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) created another piece of history when it successfully received international recognition as a UNESCO Ecohydrology Demonstration Site through certification from The UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (UNESCO-IHP). UTHM's Sustainable Stormwater Management project has been accepted as part of the Global Network of Ecohydrology Demonstration Sites, whose certification was approved on 1 October 2024.

Malaysia is currently on the verge of a dramatic urban transformation. The rapid urbanization process driven by the search for employment opportunities, education and infrastructure facilities has changed the landscape of social and economic growth in the country. However, behind this growth, there are major challenges that are increasingly felt, especially the rising cost of living. Recent data shows that the rate of migration to major cities is over 75%, accompanied by rising housing prices, rents and the cost of basic services, which is putting pressure on households, especially the young and middle-income families.