KUALA LUMPUR: 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 announced that the expedition, involving four students and four accompanying officers, will commence their climb on December 14.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fo’ad emphasized that Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world, was chosen as a symbol of UUM’s capabilities and aspirations. “It also reflects the university’s aspiration to continue advancing as the best university in Malaysia in the future,” he stated at the Launch Ceremony of the UUM Four Decades Expedition to Everest Base Camp. The event was officiated by the Tunku Mahkota of Kedah, Tunku Shazuddin Ariff Sultan Sallehuddin, who also serves as UUM’s Pro-Chancellor.

Fo’ad elaborated that the team will document their journey using mobile journalism (MOJO) and video recordings to create
various forms of creative content. This includes 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 shared insights into the preparation for the expedition. He and his teammates-Muhammad Syamim Mohd Hamdan, Muhammad Aidil Muhammad, and Murfiqah Nurina Mohd Razali-have undergone intensive training since August. This training included climbing mountains around Kedah to build physical endurance, under the guidance of former national climber Azim Afif Ishak, who acts as the programme’s advisor.

Ihsan, a student from the School of Creative Industry Management and Performing Arts, expressed eagerness to leverage this opportunity to produce unique content that stands out from conventional climbing videos available online. He added, “We hope the VR content we produce will provide viewers with a more immersive and engaging experience.”