From Algeria to UNIMAS: An inspiring journey

By Alexson Ngaoh Bin Amet

From the exciting lectures of Algeria to the peaceful pathways of Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Mustapha Amine Sadif’s academic path has been an astonishing adventure, bringing its way through the complicated fields of electrical and electronics engineering.

In the face of a worldwide pandemic, Mustapha’s determined effort and a fortunate chance brought him to the front of cutting-edge research, where he is pushing the limits of drone technology in extreme environments.

Let us reveal the story of Mustapha’s life-changing journey from the edge of academics to the centre of research in UNIMAS.

Mustapha does his research in his lab even during weekends.

Mustapha’s research: A drone that will be a real-world problem solution.

Mustapha, the first Algerian Amazigh student, went to a peaceful place in Sarawak and enrolled in UNIMAS. His story here in UNIMAS is exciting, and it is quite an exploration of different cultures and his determination in pursuing his academic goals.

Mustapha enriches the university’s community with his cultural viewpoint. Amazigh refers to the indigenous people of North Africa, known for their exciting past stories, unique language, and lively culture. The Amazigh background and UNIMAS combine in Mustapha’s story, creating a cultural bridge. His background shows the university’s dedication to creating a friendly atmosphere for students worldwide and the variety of backgrounds that contribute to its lively university life. As proof of UNIMAS’ commitment to cultural diversity in the pursuit of academic achievement, Mustapha is an outstanding example of this.

Mustapha embarked on his academic journey in 2014 when he felt an urge to enter the electrical and electronics engineering field in Algeria. He developed a deep passion for the dynamic field of electronics and innovation as he became fully engaged in its complexities and interests. Mustapha is attracted to this field due to its compelling nature, as it represents an area of no limits where technology and creativity link in yet-to-be-discovered areas.

A picture during mid-semester break: Mustapha with his drone.

A night scene in Algeria.

Exploring this sector, especially the fascinating world of robots, became an exciting adventure with each new journey. Exciting opportunities to design, develop, and discover the secrets of autonomous machines piqued his interest. A thirst for knowledge and a passion for exploring new areas drove Mustapha on a path that eventually led him beyond his studies.

It was fate that led Mustapha to UNIMAS. His journey there had yet to be well planned. Instead, it happened due to a sequence of fortunate situations which brought him closer to Sarawak. Not only that, his chosen area, electrical and electronics engineering, requires a high level of adaptability and creativity, and the unpredictability of his academic journey reflects that.

Even though the world recently faced the most significant global epidemic, Mustapha was determined to study overseas. Despite the overwhelming difficulties he faced worldwide, he embarked on a mission to look into possibilities for learning in different parts of the world. Mustapha reached out to many countries, sending applications to places like Peninsular Malaysia, Spain, Turkey, Germany, and Japan, which offer exciting new opportunities.

His journey did not start as smoothly as he had hoped, though. A world full of unpredictability awaited him. Once-simple plans went in surprising directions. Despite these problems, Mustapha’s academic path was changed by a lucky event. As luck would have it, a friend who had been through a university institution in Peninsular Malaysia was also on the academic path.

UNIMAS, which Mustapha had not heard of before, was brought to his attention during their talk. Through the difficulties, a realisation came from a friend’s suggestion. Mustapha changed his path and headed towards the unexpected promise of UNIMAS. He did this with newfound hope and a bit of luck. His decision was not just a change from what was expected but a leap into the unknown. It was an unplanned but exciting start to a period of academic and personal study that would shape the next part of Mustapha’s fantastic journey.

Mustapha’s trip to Malaysia began with some joy and some doubt. When he got to Sarawak, the fact that they spoke Bahasa Melayu made things challenging.

In those early years, UNIMAS became more than just a university; it became a friendly community. The language barrier, which was worrisome at first, was a chance for him to grow. Mustapha’s journey wasn’t just about learning electrical and electronics engineering; it became a story about being strong and flexible.

As the language problems improved, Mustapha turned his attention to his research. His electrical and electronics engineering work, especially in drones, led the way in new ideas. His journey in UNIMAS is more than just getting past language barriers; it’s about embracing the language of education, curiosity, and resolve spoken by everyone.

Mustapha is more than a student in UNIMAS; he’s a student who is exploring new areas and is pursuing a master’s degree in electrical and electronics engineering. His path is full of inventive goals and currently, he is interested in robotics, especially in drones, which use algorithms to guide quadcopters through extreme environments like mangroves — imagine drones smoothly flying through dense mangrove ecosystems, which must be hard.

Mustapha’s study aims to change how we move through these places by giving us valuable tools. Beyond university, Mustapha wants to make a real difference in the world. He aims to make it easier for drones to fly in difficult places, not just testing facilities.

His work shows how study and new ideas can change the possibilities in robotics. His aim is also to save forests from the threat of fire since, nowadays, forests are disappearing, and by inventing this drone, we can take a first step to help solve the problem.

Mustapha is excited about two possible future paths. He is considering getting a PhD to learn more about his research or going directly to the industry. His passion is in mechatronics since he loves robots and the idea of exploring a lot of things while doing research in a significant way. It’s up to Mustapha to choose the options that fit his interests and give him a great topic to learn more about.

Mustapha, in his closing remarks during the interview, expressed gratitude for Sarawak’s comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, highlighting his positive experiences. He emphasised the suitability of the environment for students, indicating its potential to foster a productive and enriching educational journey.

“Please go to Sarawak if you like a quiet environment.” He encourages future international students to explore the unique lifestyle that Sarawak has to offer.

• This article was written by a student from the Strategic Communication Programme at the Faculty of Education, Language and Communication, UNIMAS.