UUM TO MAKE HISTORY, MOUNTS EVEREST BASE CAMP EXPEDITION FOR 40TH ANNIVERSARY

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 (Bernama) -- Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) is set to make history with a group of students and staff embarking on an expedition to Everest Base Camp as part of the university's 40th-anniversary celebration.

UUM Vice-Chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Fo'ad Sakdan said the expedition, involving four students and four accompanying officers, will begin their climb on Dec 14.

“We chose Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, as a symbol of UUM's capabilities.

"It also reflects the university's aspiration to continue advancing as the best university in Malaysia in the future," he told reporters at the Launch Ceremony of the UUM Four Decades Expedition to Everest Base Camp here today.

The ceremony was officiated by the Tunku Mahkota of Kedah, Tunku Shazuddin Ariff Sultan Sallehuddin, who is also UUM’s Pro-Chancellor.

Elaborating further, Fo'ad said the team will document their journey using mobile journalism (MOJO) and video recordings to create creative content such as Virtual Reality (VR), short documentaries, a digital guide, a coffee table book, and a travel log about the climb.

Meanwhile, student representative Ihsan Sabri Kamaruddin said he and his teammates—Muhammad Syamim Mohd Hamdan, Muhammad Aidil Muhammad and Murfiqah Nurina Mohd Razali—have undergone intensive training since August.

The training included climbing mountains around Kedah to build physical endurance and receiving guidance from former national climber Azim Afif Ishak, who serves as the programme's advisor.

The student from the School of Creative Industry Management and Performing Arts said they are eager to utilise this opportunity to produce unique content that stands out from conventional climbing videos on the internet.

“We hope the VR content we produce will provide viewers with a more immersive and engaging experience,” he said.

-- BERNAMA