Umar Hisham

  Week 10 Reflection: Measuring What Truly Matters 📊🌍 Date: 6 May 2025 Course: SCSH 1201 – Sustainable Development: Issues, Principles and Practices (Section 4) The session this week guided us back to an important, but commonly neglected, subject. In order to move toward sustainable development, we must start by measuring it properly. We were reminded this week about a basic and vital point that is easy to forget: How is it possible to measure the progress we make toward sustainable development? In reality, without sound and relevant data, all the goals, dreams, and positive intentions we have might fail to move beyond mere words. Sustainability is our endpoint, while indicators and indices help us keep track of our direction. Key Lessons and Takeaways 📝 1. Beyond GDP: The Rise of Alternative Indices We looked at several creative methods to evaluate well-being and sustainability, going well beyond only GDP. Human Development Index (HDI) is an index that considers human...

  Week 9 Reflection: Walking the Talk – IIUM as a Living Lab for Sustainability 🌿🏫 Date: 29 April 2025 Course: SCSH 1201 – Sustainable Development: Issues, Principles and Practices (Section 4) It was a refreshing change of pace from theory to practice, lecture to real-life observation. Instead of knowing about sustainability from books and slides, we became one with the living, breathing ecosystem that is IIUM Gombak Campus. Our task? And to see and reflect on how sustainable our own university really is, and to reimagine how a truly green, ethical, and spiritually mindful campus would look. Key Observations and Insights 📝 1. IIUM's Sustainable Infrastructure The range of green initiatives already in place honestly surprised me (in a good way). Solar energy panels that can sustainably power parts of campus. Reduction of landfill dependence through the introduction of food waste composting systems. Lower carbon footprint with e-bike sharing and UNiRide eco-transport. T...

  Week 8 Reflection: Building Peaceful Institutions and Global Partnerships 🌍🕊️ Date: 22 April 2025 Course: SCSH 1201 – Sustainable Development: Issues, Principles and Practices (Section 4) In this week’s lecture, we looked more in-depth at the roles institutions play in the attainment of sustainable development by focusing on the SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and the SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals). In a world shaped by conflict, inequality, and broken trust, the message was clear: Good governance is crucial to sustainability. We need institutions, global and local, that create the conditions for peace, cooperation and real progress. Key Lessons and Takeaways 📝 1. Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions (SDG 16) Sustainable development requires more than economic growth or environmental policy, as stated by Dr Suhaimi. Trustworthy institutions—that are inclusive, transparent, accountable, and just—are what it required. A few key goals of SDG 16 in...

  Week 7 Reflection: Barriers to Sustainable Development 🌍🚧 Date: 15 April 2025 Course: SCSH 1201 – Sustainable Development: Issues, Principles and Practices (Section 4) I came to expect that sometime between now and next week’s lecture, the real-world barriers that stopped sustainable development from being more than a buzzword will get brought into sharp focus. Last week, we spoke about solutions and progress, but this week, we were compelled to confront the incompatible, hardwired challenges that slow it all down. We literally unpacked the truth — that we are facing the barrier of economic inequality, broken institutions, exploitation of the environment, human greed and much more. And yet we also possess the means to change. Key Lessons and Takeaways 📝 1. Inequality: The Root of Unsustainability This was one of the most striking points: The richest 10% are 76% of the global wealth (Oxfam). It is unfair that this concentration of wealth actively blocks sustainability....

  Week 6 Reflection: Universities as Engines of Sustainability 🌱🎓 Date: 8 April 2025 Course: SCSH 1201 – Sustainable Development: Issues, Principles and Practices (Section 4) This week’s lecture tackled an adventurous and inspiring theme of the role of universities in sustainable development. As a student, this hit close to home. In one of the workshops, Dr. Suhaimi often tell us to study hard, aim for good grades, and graduate, but what he reminds us of is that our real mission is much larger, to grow into a person who can build a better, just, and sustainable world. First, we examined Islamic educational philosophy down to modern versions of higher education critiques that reveal universities as not just centres of knowledge, but as powerful change agents. Key Lessons and Takeaways 📝 1. Education with Soul: What Islamic Philosophy Says Returning to the ideas of Royal Prof. Syed Muhammad Naquib al-Attas, who taught that real education is more than facts and skills. Th...

Week 5 Reflection: Sejahtera —Sustainability With a Soul 🧠❤️🌱 Date: 1 April 2025 Course: SCSH 1201 – Sustainable Development: Issues, Principles and Practices (Section 4) The current lesson session expanded our understanding of Sejahtera as it continues to run throughout our discussions. We delved into Sejahtera this time not only as an additional concept but as the core localised philosophy which formed the essence of sustainable development and integrated both Malaysian cultural norms and spiritual and practical dimensions. 🇲🇾🌍 And honestly? Everything learned until now has become more connected to human experiences. More real. Key Lessons and Takeaways 📝 1. What Is Sejahtera ? Sejahtera extends beyond traditional interpretations of “peace” and “well-being” since it includes holistic aspects of spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical and social dimensions. Every dimension of self—spiritual, intellectual, emotional, physical, as well as social—is captured when we ...