UTS students sharpen leadership skills through Empowering Young Voices 2026

SIBU: Leadership and communication skills took centre stage as University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) students stepped into the role of mentors and facilitators for 100 students from SMK Agama during ‘Empowering Young Voices 2026’.

Organised by the School of Foundation Studies (SFS), UTS, the recent one-day programme provided UTS students with a practical setting to put their public-speaking, leadership, communication and facilitation skills into action.

Held at the Business Management Room, Block 13, UTS, the programme went beyond classroom learning by placing UTS students directly in charge of guiding participants, managing activities and encouraging group participation.

According to a press release from UTS on Wednesday (Sept. 23), throughout the programme, student facilitators were tasked with explaining instructions, leading discussions, managing groups and responding to different situations – responsibilities that tested their ability to communicate clearly and lead with confidence.

The programme also provided SMK Agama students with an avenue to strengthen their confidence, critical thinking, creativity, communication and teamwork through a series of interactive speaking-based challenges.

The session opened with a public-speaking workshop conducted by SFS lecturer, Dr Sharifah Norliza Wan Junaidi, focusing on techniques to organise ideas, communicate effectively and deliver presentations with confidence.

“The participants were then divided into 10 groups for three main activities designed to put their communication skills to the test.

“In the Survival Kit Presentation Challenge, participants had to select five useful items for a given emergency situation before presenting their proposed survival plans,” she said.

“The ‘Sell the Useless’ challenge took a more creative approach, requiring groups to turn ordinary objects into imaginative products and pitch them through persuasive sales presentations.”

The programme concluded with an ‘Amazing Race’ featuring five communication-based stations, where participants were tested on vocabulary, listening, pronunciation, storytelling and teamwork.

While the activities were designed for the SMK Agama students, UTS facilitators were equally immersed in the learning process.

Their responsibilities required them to motivate younger participants, adapt their communication to different audiences, solve problems and create a positive learning environment – providing experience that cannot be fully replicated through classroom exercises alone.

The programme was led by organising chairperson and SFS lecturer, Shahira Johan, with support from Dr Sharifah, Nur Fatehah Nazry Nelly, Nur Syafiqah Ayum and Jacyntha Eleanor Damien.

The closing ceremony was attended by SMK Agama’s principal, Rosnah Mahamud, who presented the Best Male Speaker and Best Female Speaker awards.

Awards were also given to the most-voted group in the product-pitch activity and the overall winning groups, while teachers, lecturers and UTS student facilitators were recognised for their contributions.

The programme also marked the third consecutive year of collaboration between SMK Agama and SFS, UTS, reflecting both institutions’ continued emphasis on student development, experiential learning and community engagement.

Through ‘Empowering Young Voices 2026’, the collaboration created a two-way learning experience – giving school students a platform to develop their confidence and communication abilities while allowing UTS students to gain practical leadership and facilitation experience that could support their future academic and career development.