Press Release

Perhimpunan Pelajar Indonesia di Hongaria (PPI Hungary) organized the1^st International Conference on Sustainability, Environment and Technology (IC-SET) on Friday, 23 August 2024, at ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.

IC-SET 2024 was a product of collaboration between PPIH, Doktoranduszok Országos Szövetsége (the National Association of Doctoral Students – DOSZ), Persatuan Pelajar Indonesia Dunia (PPID) and PPID International Symposium. The organizer’s goal was to spur “young researchers to explore, discuss, and advance knowledge in sustainability assessment, environment, and technology by encouraging greater international collaboration and understanding,” according to Chairman of IC-SET 2024 Agustiyara.

Additionally, IC-SET was also attended and opened by His Excellency A. H. Dimas Wahab, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Hungary. He was represented by Mr. Ifan Mahdiyat Sofiana, Minister Councilor for Socio-Cultural and Political Diplomacy.

Dr. Zoltán Dubéczi, Secretary General of the Hungarian Rectors’ Conference, expressed his appreciation for PPIH’s breakthrough activity. Dr. Imre Hamar, Vice Rector of International Affairs of ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, and Dr. Norbert Bencze, Presidential Commissioner of DOSZ, were also in attendance. Both actively worked with PPIH to make this conference possible.

Four keynote speakers delivered their remarks. First, Dr. Csaba Moldicz from Mathias of Corvinus Collegium Foundation, whose speech was entitled “Technological Competition in the World: Challenges and Future Directions”. Second, Dr. Siti Yulidhar Harunasari, M. Pd, Rector of LIA University, who spoke about “Integrating Technology for Sustainable Education”. Third, Dr. Dra. Paula Tjatoerwidya Aggarina, M. M., from Tarumanagara University, who discussed “The Role of Indonesian Private Universities in Realising Inclusive and Sustainable Education”. Last but not least, Mr. Haekal Al Asyari, LL. M, Chairman of PPIH 2024/2025 – his speech explored “The Crucial Role of Students in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals”.

IC-SET 2024 was attended by 40 speakers and 150 participants, both online and in-person, from several countries such as Indonesia, Hungary, Albania, Kosovo, Russia, Poland and India. The participants are scholars and researchers committed to addressing the critical challenges facing our world today and creating a sustainable future.

The multidisciplinary nature of the conference reflects the complexity of the issues and highlights the need for an integrated approach to sustainability challenges. This manifested in the participation of individuals from a diverse set of disciplines, including environmental science, agriculture, engineering, urban planning, policy, law, economics, and business.

Mr. Haekal added that the purpose of this conference is not only to collect academic papers and publish journals, but also to encourage young researchers to collaborate with partners. The success of this conference is the result of the hard work and dedication of many parties, including co-hosts and sponsors such as ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Tarumanagara University, LIA University, and the Indonesian Trade Promotion Centre / ITPC Budapest from the Ministry of Trade, Republic of Indonesia. IC-SET 2024 was also supported by the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia for Hungary, Youth Catalyst Foundation, stratsea, LLDIKTI Region III Jakarta and (Malaysian Student in Hungary (MASIH).

PPI Hongaria cordially invites you to attend the first International Conference on Sustainability, Environment and Technology (IC-SET 2024) which will be held by hybrid on:

Date:                     23rd of August 2024

Time:                    09.00 – 15.00 CET / 14.00 – 19.00 WIB

Venue:                  ELTE Faculty of Humanities, Budapest / Online via zoom meeting (link will be given after registration)

Registration: bit.ly/ICSET2024Participants

The conference will discuss timely issues on the intersection of technology, environment, and development in a decade of transformation from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

Keynote speakers include:

1.⁠ ⁠Dr. Csaba Boldicz, Head of the Center for International Economy and International Relations, Mathias Corvinus Collegium

Topic: “Technological Competition in the World: Challenges and Future Directions”

2.⁠ ⁠Dr. Siti Yulidhar Harunasari, M.Pd, Rector of Universitas LIA

Topic: “Integrating Technology for Sustainable Education”

3.⁠ Dr. Dra. Paula Tjatoerwidya Anggarina, M.M., Head of Public Relations, Universitas Tarumanagara

Topic: “The Role of Indonesian Private Universities in Realising Inclusive and Sustainable Education”

4.⁠ ⁠Haekal Al Asyari, S.H., LL.M., Chairman of PPI Hongaria 2024/2025

Topic: “Empowering Change: The Crucial Role of Students in Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals”

Moderators:

1.⁠ ⁠Rizvika Rahmita S. Ph.D. (Cand), DOSZ Ambassador of Indonesia, Doctoral School of Education, University of Szeged

2.⁠ ⁠⁠Asrul Ibrahim Nur Ph.D. (Cand), Gezá Marton Doctoral School of Legal Studies

This conference is free of charge. Participants will receive an e-certificate and refreshments (for in-person attendance).  

Thank you and we look forward to meeting you!

#IC-SET2024 #PPIHongaria

PPI Hungary is Launching the 1st International Conference on Sustainability, Environment and Technology (IC-SET) 2024 in Budapest, 23 August 2024

The Indonesian Student Association in Hungary (PPIH) will be launching its first International Conference on Sustainability, Environment and Technology (IC-SET) on 23 August 2024.

We cordially invite students, academia, scholars, as well as our partners across the globe to submit and present their papers at the IC-SET 2024. All presented papers will be published in a book of abstract series. Upon the agreement of the authors, selected paper will also be published in Scopus-indexed and nationally accredited journals.

The theme of the conference goes beyond the parameters of sustainable development – speakers are expected to contribute to the discussion on Indonesia’s future and sustainability agenda in the global context.

Despite greater awareness on the subject matter, it is still important to examine sustainable development from various approaches as well as explore practical solutions to propel the agenda forward. A key issue is finding the intersection and interconnection between science and policy.

Against this background, IC-SET 2024 welcomes speakers from various disciplines and backgrounds from around the world. In particular, we invite young researchers, postgraduate and undergraduate students from all disciplines to present their research at IC-SET 2024 in Budapest.

The objectives of the conference are threefold.

1. First, to understand the challenges of adaptation of sustainability agenda and green technology.
2. Second, to gain deeper insights into sustainable agenda and green technology.
3.  Third, to discuss the linkages between science and policy in various disciplines and approaches.

Moreover, the growing number of Indonesian students in Europe provides the right momentum to build cooperation and partnership through various avenues. It is hoped that international conferences such as IC-SET could provide such platform that can connect Indonesian researchers with others from various countries. Therefore, to become a leading organisation in strengthening the capacity of human resources, science and technology, PPIH – in collaboration with Overseas Indonesian Student’s Association (PPI Dunia), Committee of International Symposium (SI) and Doktoranduszok Országos Szövetsége (DOSZ) – invites everyone to participate, network and exchange ideas at IC-SET 2024.

Sponsored Content

The Fly Lady

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

If such quote were to be spoken by just anyone, it may come across as being aspirational at best, or clichéd at worst.

Not when it was uttered by Yanni Xinyan, the co-founder and chief commercial officer of Entomal Biotech Sdn. Bhd., at the end of our interview. Referred to as “the Fly Lady” in certain circles, Yanni exuded a jovial warmth, eager to share how her company has contributed to the sustainability agenda in Malaysia.

Entomal is a biotechnology company that uses insects to achieve a circular economy in Malaysia. Tech start-ups often get underestimated by the public, who are buyers of their products, or dismissed by investors, whose financial injection they look for.

But when a company has notable accolades under their belt, one immediately knows that the company truly means business. To date, Entomal has bagged many awards and acknowledgements, such as being named the Grand Winner of Petronas Future Tech 3.0 (the only winner from Malaysia) or one of the Global Top 50 Deep Tech Startup at Slingshot 2023, held in Singapore (beating out over 4700 other companies worldwide).

The team at stratsea.com spoke to Yanni in mid-May to discover more about Entomal. This piece is the result.

Maggots and Flies

Entomal’s story began against the backdrop of a grim reality. In Malaysia, over 17,000 tons of food waste gets dumped into landfills on daily basis. As a whole, gas emitted from this decaying, organic materials is responsible for 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions, making it the world’s third largest contributor if it was a country, right behind the United States and China. 

Managing organic waste is not as straightforward a task at it seems to be. There are existing technologies that can assist with composting, but these machines consume lots of energy (electricity) and, thus, would emit more carbon emission in the process. 

All these constitute the main puzzle that Entomal tries to solve: how to process all this waste without increasing carbon emission at the same time. It is abundantly clear that whatever the solution is, it has to be natural, i.e., does not consume much energy.

Enter Hermetia illucens or black soldier fly (BSF), Entomal’s sustainable, organic solution to Malaysia’s mounting food waste problem.

Yanni believed in the “superpower” of BSF. In their larval phase (which lasts from a week to two), the insects consume a lot of organic materials to grow. The larvae grow fast and do not require special handling, making them an efficient economic resource to break down waste and attractive economically.

This also sets them apart from the housefly maggots, mealworms or the larvae of other insects which take longer to mature and have lower economic value downstream. Unlike them, BSF larvae are also high in protein with a similar nutritional profile to fishmeal, making it a great alternative to animal feed. With the high protein content, it can also provide high economic value if converted into edible food for pets and humans.

The magic does not stop there. Fully grown, BSF life purposes are simply to drink (sucking in moistures from air) and to mate. The flies do not have a “mouth” per se – they do not eat anymore because they have consumed enough food to last their entire life during larval stage. Hence, with the absence of a “mouth” and without eating, the flies do not carry pathogens the way houseflies do.

Entomal’s core tasks are simple. They only need to provide organic waste for the larvae to consume and create an optimum environment for the adult flies to mate and reproduce. No rocket science is involved, including genetic modification of the flies.

However, insects are insects – one naturally wonders if Entomal faces societal rejection simply because they employ insects, which some consider to be vectors of disease.

Surprisingly, Entomal has not encountered such displeasure before. Yanni claimed that during exhibitions, crowds are drawn to Entomal’s booth out of curiosity for the company’s out-of-the-box solution. She admitted that Entomal engages in a lot of educational and awareness activities to promote the solution, especially since curiosity does not necessarily translate into willingness to adopt Entomal’s solution. So far, however, consumers are open to its insect-based solution, while Entomal simply needs to demonstrate its economic value to businesses and investors.

Half-laughing, Yanni stated that the only major hesitation in people’s reaction is when they are asked to eat the larvae. Our editor Sham Ismail has tasted it – he said it tastes like dried shrimp.

High Economic Value The company’s solution manifests in the form of Entomal Mobile Bio-Conversion System (EMBC), shipping containers that house its BSF larvae and waste management technologies. This is where organic waste is fed to larvae, stored in what Yanni called “high-rise apartment for the larvae.” The larvae will completely consume the waste within a week, leaving behind frass (excrement) which can be converted into organic fertilizer.

EMBCs are currently available in several spots. Contrary to one’s guess, EMBCs are a more common find around business establishments rather than housing areas. Most of Entomal’s clients today are hotels such as Le Meridien and Hyatt, which understandably produce huge amount of organic waste daily. EMBCs can also be found on the grounds of Taylor’s University, Sunway Lagoon, the Shah Alam City Council, NGOs such as YWCA and schools, among others.

Yanni also teased about upcoming projects in northern Malaysia involving more hotels, in the Borneo part of Malaysia, as well as along the border of Malaysia and Singapore. With the amount of food waste produced every day, it seems that Entomal will never lack of any demand, provided they can penetrate the market.

But what happens to the grown larvae? This is also where Entomal’s circular economy comes into picture.

Some, indeed, are raised further to become adult flies, which will then mate and lay eggs. For the rest, Entomal has successfully conjured more magic, one that proves the company exists beyond the singular dimension of waste management.

Taking advantage of their high-protein content, dried larvae are mixed with other nutrition sources to become pet food. “Tera Diet” is Entomal’s product in this sector, labeled as ASEAN’s number one insect protein formula for cat food. Its products are advertised as beneficial for cats not only in terms of its nutrition, but also how they promote easy digestion and improve skin and hair health, all while reducing carbon footprint in the manufacturing process.

Tera Diet’s products are now available online, sold at affordable price.

The options are even more diverse for human consumption. While the dried larvae themselves are edible, Entomal has partnered with students of Taylor’s University to produce different types of food that cater to different tastebuds.

The first one is “Bugkwa” (a play on bak kwa, common Chinese snack), which traditional source of protein (meat) has been replaced with BSF larvae. Similarly, “Crave Salami Crisps” with nasi lemak flavor also source its protein from the larvae.

Both products only came about last year and are yet to be commercialized. Despite this, Entomal is keen to continue partnering with these bright and innovative students to empower the new era of alternative protein.

Certainly, there is an ample opportunity for Entomal to expand its FnB wing, and it seems they have only just begun to knock on the door that opens to various possibilities. A running gag on the Internet is that men, especially gym-goers, would eat anything that contains the word “protein”. We do not see why Entomal should not consider targeting the fitness industry next, especially if what they sell is protein.

I Want to Fly with You

Students of Taylor’s University are among the target of youth engagements that Entomal has undertaken so far. The company also actively visits schools and universities, often at the invitation of student’s organization there, to give a presentation about their solution. Speeches are delivered while exhibitions are shown, giving students opportunities to experience Entomal’s process themselves.

On a larger scale, Entomal has also partnerships with companies in Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia Singapore and South Korea, all while eyeing for more opportunities for partnership. Yanni stated that Entomal is open to collaboration in the spheres of research and development as well as joint ventures, even as it is looking to scale up its BSF-based solution in Malaysia. Yanni believed there is a potential in China’s market, considering the colossal amount of waste produced there daily.

Yanni also did not seem too concerned about competition at this point. Entomal’s novel approach and unique business model keep it distant from other waste management and FnB companies. Others specialize only in either, unlike Entomal’s circular economy method. In Yanni’s own words, “we want to manage waste and then sell it (the output) back to Malaysia.”

Malaysia is obviously the cornerstone of Entomal’s operation due to various factors. Like some other countries in the region, Malaysia’s climate is friendly for BSF cultivation. The country also produces an abundance of food and agricultural waste, and, with Entomal’s technology, Yanni believed that her company can be a leading player in this industry, not only domestically but also regionally.

The challenge is to find the right timing, focus and investors to scale up.

As indicated above, Entomal engages in a lot of awareness campaigns to educate the public and potential investors of its values. To grow further, Entomal needs to find stakeholders that believe in its vision of circular economy and are willing to invest in this type of service.

Moreover, while Entomal continues to gain traction nation-wide (that lengthy list of awards on its website is a testament), there remains some uncertainty over licensing and land use for its business. Though the company has obtained support from Department of Veterinary Services to engage in waste management, it is still difficult to find a piece of land that has been designated for such activity.

For example, it cannot simply claim lands that have been flagged for agriculture because Entomal is not an agricultural company. The problem magnifies because the waste management sector remains small, thus limiting policy makers’ awareness of their potential, which in turn restricts opportunities for companies such as Entomal. 

The onus is evidently on the government to acknowledge the full potential and value of Entomal. In the meantime, the company needs to engage in more awareness campaigns.

Turning Flies into Gold

Environmental sustainability may be Entomal’s core philosophy, but this does not stop the company from treating mountains of waste as gold mines. Entomal is, and never has been, a not-for-profit enterprise – it is a social enterprise that focus on generating revenue.

“We are a very ‘Chinamen’ company,” chuckled Yanni.

When capitalism is directed responsibly, what you get is enterprises such as Entomal. The company aims to become a full solution provider, solving Malaysia’s waste problem before adding value to its society.

Love of Malaysia was also palpable during our chat with Yanni. The Fly Lady obviously adored her country – she did not want to get hung up over the country’s ongoing problems, instead focusing her energy on avenues to help Malaysia and its people. She truly embraced the quote that opens this piece and seemed greatly inspired by Vaclav Smil’s How the World Really Works, a book about the impacts of climate crisis and food waste.

It appears that Entomal is an amalgamation of many driving forces that, in other instances, may be at odds with each other. Idealism, capitalism, nationalism and activism – all of these mix and jive with each other well under Entomal, to the benefit of the country.

Still, one may be driven to conjecture if this whole thing is realistic. To many, the idea of growing insects as a source of income and to pay bills may seem a little farfetched. It may not be alchemy, but oftentimes people’s imagination is rather narrow. Yanni was amused. “Yes, yes. (The bill) has to be paid,” she said laughing. “We are all getting paid these days.”

Introduction

Malaysia is one of 93 countries that have pledged to undertake the United Nation’s Agenda 2030. This agenda entails 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) that are classified into three dimensions, namely 1) to cultivate economic growth, 2) provide social inclusion, and 3) provide environmental protection. Like other pledgees, Malaysia’s education system and its institutions from pre-school to tertiary level play a pivotal role in instilling the spirit of Sustainable Development (SD) in its citizens to protect the biosphere and wellbeing of mankind from any destruction and disruption due to current global developments. Due to education’s potential to drive individual and societal transformation, the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is implemented in Malaysia’s education system via its two blueprints – Malaysian Education Blueprint (Pre-School to Secondary) and Malaysian Higher Education Blueprint (Tertiary). Briefly, the Malaysian Education Blueprint, currently in the last of the three phases, aims to enhance the quality and equality of education. The objectives and goals of this blueprint are aligned with SDG 2030: high-quality education. This is continued in the Malaysian Higher Education Blueprint which promotes student excellence by addressing fundamental system performance challenges, including quality and efficiency, as well as worldwide developments that alter the Malaysia’s Higher Education. With slightly less than a decade to achieve SDG 2030, it is thus timely to evaluate these blueprints.

Malaysia’s ESD Focused on Environment, Limited Emphasis on Social and Economic Dimensions

The concepts of sustainability and SD should be introduced as early as pre-school level particularly when the early years of children’s lives are critical in their development. Recognizing this importance, Malaysia’s pre-school children as young as 5-6 years old are exposed to the fundamental idea of sustainability as part of Malaysia’s National Pre-school Curriculum Standard. In addition to learning about sustainability during lessons on the protection and preservation of environment, they will be involved in environmental sustainability activities such as planting plants around their school grounds planting trees around their school compound. The social and economic dimensions of sustainability are not introduced at the pre-school level in Malaysia.

At the primary school level, according to the National Primary School Curriculum Standard, ESD is embedded across the subjects to expose students to the importance of sustainability issues. Subjects such as Science and Design and Technology introduce them to the concept of sustainability not only theoretically but also to develop their psychomotor skills. Students practice the 3R concept (Recycle, Reduce and Reuse) by applying this concept in their projects in fulfillment of their subjects. Like the pre-school level, ESD is limited to the environmental dimension.

In the National Secondary School Curriculum Standard, the fundamental idea of sustainability and SD are embedded in various subjects; again confined towards the environment. Further confining ESD is the standalone subject entitled “Fundamental of Sustainability” being offered only to upper secondary levels – Form 4 and Form 5- students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). This subject aims to develop students in striving for Green Technologies. Noteworthily, secondary school is an appropriate level to introduce the goals of SDG 2030 since these adolescent students will begin to think about potential careers to pursue.

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), through its ESD, play a critical role in developing proper values, behaviors and characters in their students towards sustainability. This next generation of professionals will not only be vital in achieving SDG 2030 but also ensuring its continuity. Therefore, ESD in the higher education institutions should empower their students to make responsible decisions and actions on issues related to SD. Key to achieving this is a strong commitment by Malaysian HEIs in implementing the agendas of SDG 2030. Through the author’s examination of the Programme Standard of Malaysian Qualification Agency for each undergraduate programme offered in Malaysian HEIs, all programmes have prioritized for their students to possess the appropriate knowledge, skills and values towards sustainability. Additionally, there are also impactful initiatives towards achieving the agendas of SDG 2030 that are carried out by Malaysian HEIs. Notably, University Malaya and Universiti Sains Malaysia were part of the Top 100 universities in the world committed towards the 17 goals of SDG 2030. Unfortunately, as with the other education levels, the social and economic dimension may still be lacking. In a study on engineering undergraduates in one of the HEIs in Malaysia, the author found that the undergraduates have not developed the appropriate attitude and perception on social and economy sustainability issues. This clearly shows that ESD in the investigated institution failed to prepare the students on the two dimensions – social and economic- that are important in realizing SDG 2030. In Malaysia, the notion of SD is much focused to the environmental dimension, with little emphasis has been given in the context of social and economic dimension. The social and economic components of sustainability have received little attention in Malaysian education owing to a lack of knowledge of the holistic meaning of sustainability. Sustainability has been interpreted in a confined environmental context only due to the educators and other stakeholders who crafted the ESD curriculum themselves having limited exposure to the true meaning of sustainability and sustainable development. The method of thinking that limiting the elements of sustainability to environmental factors is also due to the cultural setting of Malaysians who prioritized environmental issues in the context of SD.

Conclusion

Despite the three dimensions of SDGs being equally important, there seems to be a sole emphasis on the environmental dimension at all levels. Gender equality, sustainable economic actions, reducing poverty in society, and other critical areas of social and economic sustainability must be imprinted into students through viable and assertive ESD curriculum in order to provide a comprehensive sustainability philosophy to all Malaysian students. Therefore, all relevant parties involved in developing the ESD curriculum must now take swift and significant steps to focus on the dimensions of sustainability that have been overlooked. Bringing the pillars of sustainability together not only allows for the establishment of a sustainable and progressive nation, but it also allows for the improvement of racial harmony in multi-ethnic societies by encouraging students to emphasize on poverty eradication and the pursuit of equality in the nation. This may develop stronger relationships between people of diverse race and religious backgrounds who are working to achieve economic and social equality in society in line with the overall aim of SDG 2030.