KUCHING – Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus’ Science, Technology, Research, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STREAM) Team has earned dual recognition at both university and international levels for its innovative work in bridging the educational divide in rural communities.
The interdisciplinary STREAM Team comprises academics from the university’s Faculty of Business, Design, and Arts (FBDA); Faculty of Engineering, Computing, and Science (FECS); and the School of Foundation Studies (SoFS).
The team received the Highly Commended recognition in the Vice-Chancellor’s Future-Focused Award category. This award celebrates Swinburne staff members across all campuses who demonstrate excellence and bring the university’s values to life.
The STREAM project delivers STEAM-focused, interactive learning to rural learners, bridging educational gaps. Focusing on indigenous-majority rural communities, the initiative has successfully engaged 1,930 students in Serian, Padawan, and Bau districts to date. The Swinburne Sarawak STREAM Team also organises ‘Train the Teachers’ workshops, empowering teachers and ensuring sustainable educational development in rural schools.
Another impactful research project by the team, ‘From STEM to STEAM to STREAM: Bridging Rural Sarawak’s Learning Divide’, was recently honoured with the Silver Award under the Community Engagement category at the Borneo International Technology Expo 2025 (Borneo InTEX25).
The STREAM team members from accounting and finance disciplines who participated in Borneo InTEX25, (from left) Ms Shella Georgina Beatrice, Ms Su Sueh Ing, Dr Yii Kwang Jing, and Dr Ling Chui Ching.
Reflecting on this dual achievement, project founder Ms Shella Georgina Beatrice said, “Our success is a testament to seven years of unwavering commitment, navigating challenges like the haze and COVID-19 pandemic. This achievement inspires us to continue empowering younger generations from rural areas to explore and pursue careers in STEM.”
Project co-leader Ms Su Sueh Ing said, “These two recognitions reflect the impact of our work with indigenous-majority rural communities across Sarawak, embodying Swinburne’s core values of being future-focused, innovative, impactful, and proactive.”
She also highlighted the team’s commitment to sustaining this momentum and creating a lasting positive impact on rural learners through STEAM education.
Swinburne is an Australian university based in Melbourne, Australia. Its Sarawak campus in Kuching is the only international, full-fledged branch campus of the university. It is known for providing quality Australian education and conducting research that creates social and economic impact, aligned with the needs of the community and industry.
For more information on Swinburne Sarawak, visit its website, Facebook page (@swinburnesarawak), Instagram page (@swinburnesarawak), LinkedIn page (Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus), X page (@Swinburne_Swk), TikTok page (@swinburnesarawak), YouTube channel (Swinburne Sarawak), or Xiaohongshu page (@SwinburneSwk).