Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 102 ( 2013 ) 128 – 133

1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Professor Dr Mohd. Zaidi Omar, Associate Professor Dr Ruhizan Mohammad Yasin, Dr Roszilah Hamid, Dr Norngainy Mohd. Tawil, Associate Professor Dr Wan Kamal Mujani, Associate Professor Dr Effandi Zakaria.doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.10.723

ScienceDirect

6th International Forum on Engineering Education 2012 (IFEE 2012)

Sustainable Education and Entrepreneurship Triggers Innovation Culture in 3R

Shahrom Md Zaina*, Noor Ezlin Ahmad Basria, Nur Ajlaa Mahmooda, Hassan Basria, Mashitoh Yaacobb & Maisarah Ahmadc

aDepartment of Civil & Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment; bCentre for General Studies;

cBusiness Management Studies Centre, Faculty of Economics & Business; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600, Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract

3R stands for the concept of reduction, reuse and recycling. How can the 3R concept include the sustainability of educational innovation and entrepreneurship for students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)? This paper examines how the components of sustainability and entrepreneurship can present an advantage for higher education institutions by focusing on a case study of UKM’s operation of a recycling center that is fully run by students at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Problems and constraints in terms of operating the recycling center can be resolved with the involvement of the students and the support of UKM’s Development and Maintenance Department, which is responsible for solid waste management at UKM and can provide guidance in the form of entrepreneurial knowledge. The UKM recycling center began operating in May 2011 as a result of a research and strategic action grant (UKM-PTS-096-2010) and through research cooperation with Alam Flora Sdn Bhd. This context is consistent with the requirements of the National Accreditation Board for the achievement of learning outcomes for program sustainability and entrepreneurship education at the university. The students involved are from various educational disciplines through cooperation between the Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment and the Centre for General Studies UKM.

© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Mohd Zaidi Omar, Ruhizan Mohammad Yasin, Roszilah Hamid, Norngainy Mohd. Tawil, Kamaruzaman Yusoff, Mohamad Sattar Rasul. Keywords: sustainable; entrepreneurship; education; innovation; 3R.

1. Introduction

“Involve yourself in business activities because in it there are nine-tenths of livelihood”. This teaching in Islam demands that a worshipper should seek a blessed livelihood. According to Ab. Mumin [1], entrepreneurship or business is an optional field in Islam, especially in Islam’s early history. The Prophet Muhammad S.A.W was living proof that entrepreneurship is a

* Corresponding author. E-mail address: smz@eng.ukm.my

Available online at www.sciencedirect.com

© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Professor Dr Mohd. Zaidi Omar, Associate Professor Dr Ruhizan Mohammad Yasin, Dr Roszilah Hamid, Dr Norngainy Mohd. Tawil, Associate Professor Dr Wan Kamal Mujani, Associate Professor Dr Effandi Zakaria.

129 Shahrom Md Zain et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 102 ( 2013 ) 128 – 133

strategic career that must be appreciated by Muslims. Ab. Mumin’s [1] definition of entrepreneurship is the process of designing new things with effort and time. It involves financial, physical and social risks to gain monetary reward, satisfaction and freedom. Making a profit is not the main goal. Business has its own value: not only to gain money but also to allow Muslims to be close to Allah. The literature review of Mohd Nizho and Mohd Shukri [2] on business ethics from an Islamic perspective shows many verses in the Al Quran that address business ethics and laws to ensure that people involved in this area can avoid wickedness and can illuminate admirable qualities instead of fighting, strife, conflict, oppression and dissatisfaction in business.

Unemployment may not allow graduates to establish a good career in their respective fields, but it is the responsibility of graduates to avoid limiting the opportunities available to them. Graduates can discover opportunities in entrepreneurship without depending on job opportunities in their respective fields of study. Are graduates prepared with necessary entrepreneurship knowledge? The Ministry of Higher Education has given extra attention to entrepreneurship in higher learning as a catalyst for the National Transformation agenda by encouraging entrepreneurship education through formal or informal courses at higher education institutions, regardless of the field of study. Entrepreneurship complements innovation and is a transformative research process that produces innovative business activities that can increase profits and value. This process is wasted if innovation remains only innovation. Mohamed Khalid [3] said that establishing an entrepreneurship culture among younger generations through a national education system and religious studies is a prerequisite for Muslims to develop strength in economics and business.

Siti Hawa’s [4] research on entrepreneurship tendencies among engineering students in Higher Learning Institutions in Northern Peninsular Malaysia found that most of these students have a tendency toward entrepreneurship. If they receive support, encouragement and exposure, there is a greater possibility for them to become entrepreneurs after graduation. Nor Aishah Buang’s [5] research suggested the need for formal entrepreneurship education for UKM’s students, especially in the Engineering and Built Environment Faculty and the Education Faculty, and suggested that formal entrepreneurship education can encourage students from both faculties to consider a career in entrepreneurship. Beginning in 2011, first-year Engineering and Built Environment students at UKM were introduced to a two-credit entrepreneurship course in their second semester, which is known as The Basics of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is conducted by the Centre for Entrepreneurship and SME Development (CESMED). The components of innovation and creativity are prioritized in the engineering teaching and learning process. Unfortunately, no formal courses focus on innovation and creativity in the Engineering and Built Environment Faculty. A study was conducted by Afida Ayob et al [6] to assess the creativity of Electrical and Electronics Engineering students using the Torrance Test for Creative Thinking. The test was given to students who represented UKM in a national competition on robot design. The results indicated that more than half of the students had above-average levels of creativity. Research by Jaafar et al [7] on students’ creativity in solving problems such as mechanical engineering design projects showed that students failed to provide thoughtful and creative ideas for these projects. The lack of a formal course that teaches creativity may be a barrier for students to develop their cognitive levels of creativity.

Given the importance of innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable education, students should be involved in the process of teaching and learning at UKM and in research on UKM’s recycling center activities, encouraging them to combine components of sustainability and entrepreneurship with a focus on 3R innovation via UKM’s recycling center operations. The combination of research and teaching has benefits that will improve the teaching and learning process. The involvement of Alam Flora Sdn Bhd, Centre for Entrepreneurship and SMEs Development (CESMED), and the Department of Development & Maintenance UKM have been very helpful. This paper will discuss the combination of 3R innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship education. Papers that have examined sustainable education with a focus on environmental components in the teaching and learning process include [8-11] which can be used in the educational process. These studies do not involve students’ innovation and creativity but focus on improvements to the teaching and learning process for national educational transformation.

2. Innovation In Engineering Education

Few definitions of innovation have been provided. Innovation is the tendency toward new transformations or changes to produce something better than before; for example, to obtain effective costs, time savings and workforce reduction. Innovation and creativity have many benefits. Zaini’s (2010) book about the culture of innovation for new economic models defines cultural innovation as the willingness to change and to try new ideas to gain prosperity, peace, comfort and sustainability through creative solutions. He suggests that new ideas are part of creativity. Innovation leading to improvements and adaptations to the thought, idea or concept available to provide new added value that can be used, exploited, used as a basis and a more productive basis for the commercialization of products and services. What is engineering innovation? Ferguson et

130 Shahrom Md Zain et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 102 ( 2013 ) 128 – 133

al [12] have linked the behavior of innovative engineers with creative behavior, including problem-solving abilities, design and entrepreneurship. He also discusses the combination of extrinsic capabilities (skills, knowledge, personality, or character) and domain knowledge, experience and other extrinsic factors that can inspire engineers to create innovations for the benefit of society.

Innovation in engineering education has proven to be successful through the commercialization stage. Students from the Electrical and Electronic Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, UKM who have demonstrated their innovative development of green technology and power conservation through the use of intelligent systems are able to obtain copyright protection and commercialization. Liebenberg and Mathews [13] examined first-year engineering courses at the University of Pretoria, South Africa, which were redeveloped to incorporate innovation and entrepreneurship. Courses in design, building and innovation require students to solve problems effectively in a group, to consider the need for copyright for the project and to prepare a business plan. The students also engage in competition at the university level and the national level. These students’ work has been successfully patented and has led to the development of small-scale companies. Radharamanan and Juang [14] emphasized the need for entrepreneurship and innovation in engineering education at the Mercer University School of Engineering in the United States through a tabletop design project involving retrofitting the CNC Lathe. Duval-Couetil et al [15] reported on a survey of 501 senior engineering students from three universities who had attended the Capstone design courses entrepreneurship program. They found that more than two-thirds of these students choose careers in large and medium-sized companies after graduation, and the same amount of students feel that entrepreneurship education provides more opportunities and career choices. Students who have taken one or more entrepreneurship courses have higher levels of entrepreneurial ability. Thus, entrepreneurship courses through formal or informal engineering education can provide a wide range of career choices for graduating students.

How can the process of teaching and learning about innovation be achieved, and what methods can be used? Sandberg and Ohman [16] discuss a framework for learning model innovation (theoretical and practical) that includes the main components of product development innovation/ideas/business; information; marketing finance/consulting/contracts and copyright protection. These authors suggest that learning occurs through experience; students need to experience these situations to produce creative innovations that arise from these problems.

Zaini’s (2010) examination of the question of sustainable key innovations in the September 2009 edition of the Harvard Business Review argued that sustainability is a universal need not only to ensure that the environment is protected but also to allow more stable economic growth for human needs. Indicators of success include data and statistical economic reports as well as the ability to create culture, values and an environmentally friendly society. Environmental sustainability should be included in engineering education on innovation. Zaini (2009) examined the RM1 billion transactions related to solid waste, focusing on the high cost necessary to manage this waste. He suggested that it is appropriate to classify solid waste as a source so that potential resources can be evaluated and used depending on the nature and amount of the content. Providing engineering, science innovation and entrepreneurship to these sources can reduce management costs. The Law of Solid Waste Management and Public Cleansing is expected to be implemented in September 2012 to provide for entrepreneurial innovation recycling.

3. Entrepreneurship Innovation And 3r Sustainability: Ukm’s Recycling Center

Many new ideas can be triggered through the platform at hand, driven by the desire and need for research that can be utilized by all. An array of problems arising from recycling activities require innovative and creative solutions that involve various areas of research (Figure 1).

131 Shahrom Md Zain et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 102 ( 2013 ) 128 – 133

Fig. 1: Innovative solutions to recycling problems

The problems of UKM’s Recycling Center operations help students understand how participation can help and how the

teaching and learning process can continue as normal. Figure 2 shows the combination of innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship that is beneficial to research and teaching at UKM. The initial phases of this project are the establishment of a company and the improvement of the recycling center’s management through the involvement of students.

A company known as Megagreen Solutions has been established by five master’s students from the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment UKM who are involved in solid waste management research projects and educational research on 3R entrepreneurial activities in UKM’s Recycling Centre. Mentors to these students include five lecturers from the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, the Centre for General Studies and the Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development (Lestari). Furthermore, the Centre for Entrepreneurship and SME Development (CESMED) and the Department of Development & Maintenance UKM have offered their full cooperation for the success of this entrepreneurial project. These groups of students have produced a business plan, created a marketing strategy and produced research on 3R business opportunities. Their business strategy involves not only the sale of recyclables but also additional opportunities by providing a sustainable consultation service and sustainability education training modules for schools. The management of UKM’s Recycling Center was initiated by these groups of students in January 2012, and the number of customers and recyclables has increased since then.

Fig. 2: The benefits of innovation, sustainability and entrepreneurship in UKM’s recycling center

To provide exposure and experience in solid waste management to undergraduate students, the authors, together with the zero waste research groups and the Megagreen solution, have developed UKM’s Recycling Center operational program for Year 1 students from various faculties who have taken the general university self-development course, ZT1062. The involvement of students in this course is one of the initiatives to promote UKM’s Recycling Center and is part of the first

UKM’S RECYCLING CENTER (RESEARCH AND EDUCATION)

INNOVATION

• Management efficiency • Engineering design (increase

recycling values) • Effective awareness program • Teaching & learning method

SUSTAINABILITY

• Environmental preservation through solid waste management toward zero waste

• Sustainability education

• Sustainable behavior • Sustainable culture

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

• Increase income • Knowledge of

entrepreneurship • Experience as an

entrepreneur • Soft skills (leadership and

MA

NA

GE

ME

NT

WO

RK

ER

S

ST

OR

AG

E

SO

RT

ING

EC

ON

OM

IC

VA

LU

E

TR

AN

SP

OR

T

CO

NT

AIN

ER

PU

BL

ICIT

Y

AW

AR

EN

ES

S

KN

OW

LE

DG

E

132 Shahrom Md Zain et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 102 ( 2013 ) 128 – 133

phase of the entrepreneurial project by students at UKM’s Recycling Center. This course meets the requirements for teaching students communication and concern for the environment. Students in ZT1062 use creativity and innovation when they attend workshops and carnivals, present activity reports and perform activities in the following areas:

• Survey: To what extent do UKM’s communities know about UKM’s Recycling Centre operation and its involvement in recycling activities?

• Marketing: Find ways to effectively promote and publicize UKM’s Recycling Centre.

• UKM offices paper collection: Collect papers produced by the offices. Students record the quantities, collection types, locations, dates and problems arising from this collection.

• Attending environmental awareness workshops: students creatively present the results of their activities.

• Zero-waste carnival and better green runs provide opportunities to publicize UKM’s Recycling Center.

• “Cherish the Environment Bestowed by the Creator” workshop helps students to be thankful and appreciate the nature given by God.

A review suggests that the involvement of residential students must also be considered in recycling activities. Therefore, efforts are underway to locate a mini recycling center in the residential colleges. The results of programs conducted by students have shown improvements in the quantity of recyclables and the number of customers. The average percentage of recyclables has increased from 2.15% in 2011 to 6.08% in May 2012, and the average number of customers sending recyclables has increased from 5 people per week to 10 people per week. This is an early indication of the effectiveness of UKM’s Recycling Centre in terms of the quantity of collections and operating times (Monday to Wednesday, 9:30 am to 5:30 pm).

4. Conclusion

Entrepreneurship education allows students to diversify their career choices in a number of ways, including engineering. Innovation, sustainability and 3R entrepreneurship through the operations of UKM’s Recycling Center are the initial phases of the effort to provide opportunities and space for entrepreneurship and sustainability education for UKM’s students.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to express appreciation to UKM, which provided grants UKM-PTS-096-2010 and PTS-2012-096 to conduct research on the recycling activities at UKM. Appreciation is also extended to the Department of Development & Maintenance UKM, which has cooperated in research on the UKM Zero-Waste Campus effort.

References

[1] Ab. Mumin Ab Ghani. Penerapan Budaya Keusahawanan Dalam Masyarakat Islam. Seminar keusahawanan Islam peringkat kebangsaan 2005.

Universiti Malaya. 2005.

[2] Mohd Nizho Abdul Rahman & Mohd Shukri Hanapi. Etika Perniagaan dari Perspektif al-Quran: Satu Tinjauan. Seminar Keusahawanan Islam II

Peringkat Kebangsaan. Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur. 2008.

[3] Mohamed Khalid Nordin. Memantapkan Budaya Keusahawanan Di Kalangan Generasi Baru Melalui Sistem Pendidikan Nasional Dan Pengajian

Agama: Gagasan dan Cabaran Merealisasikannya. Kongres Ekonomi Islam Ketiga (KEI-3), 12-15 Januari 2009, Dewan Merdeka, PWTC, Kuala Lumpur.

2009.

[4] Siti Hawa Mohamed Idris. Kecenderungan Keusahawanan Di Kalangan Pelajar Bidang Kejuruteraan Di Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Awam Di Kawasan

Utara Semenanjung Malaysia. Tesis Sarjana Sains Pengurusan. Kolej Perniagaan, Universiti Utara Malaysia. 2009.

[5] Nor Aishah Buang Kajian Keperluan Pendidikan Keusahawanan Secara Formal Dalam Kalangan Pelajar Fakulti Kejuruteraan dan Alam Bina dan

Fakulti Pendidikan, UKM. www.ukm.my/p3k/images/sppb08/d/7.pdf, 2009.

133 Shahrom Md Zain et al. / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 102 ( 2013 ) 128 – 133

[6] Afida Ayob, Aini Hussain & Mohd Marzuki Mustaffa. Penilaian kreativiti dalam kejuruteraan elektrik. Prosiding Kongres Pengajaran &

Pembelajaran UKM2011. 17 – 20 Disember 2011. Penang. 2011.

[7] Jaafar Sahari, Ahmad Kamal Ariffin Mohd Ihsan, Shahrir Abdullah, Shahrum Abdullah, Mohd Zaidi Omar, Dzuraidah Abd Wahab & Norhamidi

Mohamad. Kreativiti Pelajar Dalam Penyelesaian Masalah – Kes Reka Bentuk Kejuruteraan Mekanik. Seminar Pendidikan Kejuruteraan Kongres

Pengajaran dan Alam Bina (PeKA ’09). 2009,97-101.

[8] Shahrom Md Zain, Noor Ezlin Ahmad Basri, Fatihah Suja, Othman Jaafar & Hassan Basri. Pendidikan alam sekitar: Bagaimana usaha-usaha

dilakukan dalam proses pengajaran dan pembelajaran. Seminar Pendidikan Kejuruteraan & Alam Bina (PEKA 2008). (26-28 Disember 2008, Taiping Perak).

2008.

[9] Shahrom Md Zain, Wan Hamidon Wan Badaruzzaman, Rahmah Elfitri, Azami Zaharim, Nuraini Khatimin, Noor Ezlin Ahmad Basri & Fatihah Suja’.

Pendidikan Lestari: Kaji Selidik Dalam Proses Pengajaran Dan Pembelajaran di Fakulti Kejuruteraan & Alam Bina UKM. PEKA 09, 13-15 December 2009

Langkawi. 2009.

[10] Shahrom Md Zain, Noor Ezlin Ahmad Basri, Hassan Basri, Rahmah Elfithri, Maisarah Ahmad, Bernard Ng, Fatihah Suja, Sarifah Yaakub & Ismi

Azura Istear Khan. Modal insan minda lestari. Kongres Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran UKM 2010, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Bangi. 2010.

[11] Shahrom Md Zain, Noor Ezlin Ahmad Basri, Hassan Basri, Rahmah Elfithri, Azimin Samsul Mohd Tazilan, Maisarah Ahmad, Bernard Nga , Fatihah

Suja, Sarifah Yaakub, Ismi Azura Istear Khan. The enhancement of sustainable humanitarian mind model by UKM Lestari program. Procedia Social and

Behavioural Sciences - Kongres Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran UKM 2010. 18 ,2011, 666-673.

[12] Ferguson, D.M & Ohland, M.W. What is Engineering Innovativeness? International Journal Of Engineering Education. 2012, 28 (2): 253-262.

[13] Liebenberg, L & Mathews, E. H. Integrating innovation skills in an introductory engineering design-build course. International Journal Of

Technology And Design Education. 2012, 22 (1): 93-113.

[14] Radharamanan, R & Juang, JN. Innovation and entrepreneurship in engineering education at MUSE. Journal of The Chinese Institute of Engineers.

2012, 35 (1): 25-36.

[15] Duval-Couetil, N, Reed-Rhoads, T & Haghghi, S. Engineering Students and Entrepreneurship Education: Involvement, Attitudes and Outcomes.

International Journal Of Engineering Education. 2012, 28 (2): 425-435.

[16] Sandberg, K.W & Ohman, G. Learning in innovation development. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Science,s 28,2011,379 – 383.