#TECH: UTM emerges as 2nd runner-up at Asean data science competition

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian team of Oscar Fang Jack Ling and Quah Chun Meng from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia emerged as the second runner-up of the recently concluded virtual Asean Data Science Explorers (Asean DSE) 2020 competition organised by SAP SE and ASEAN Foundation.

Calling themselves Team Psyduck, the duo finished behind the team from RMIT University Vietnam which had emerged as the competition’s grand champion; while first runner-up was the Singaporean team comprising a collaboration between students from National University of Singapore and Yale-NUS College.

As part of the competition, the top 10 teams, representing the 10 Asean countries, presented various data-driven solutions to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the region.

The Malaysian duo’s project was focused on Digital Integration within the spheres of quality education, decent work and economic growth, together with sustainable cities and communities.

“Asean DSE was, without a doubt, an enriching learning experience from start to finish. We both got to learn and immerse ourselves in Asean’s development, issues and values,” said Ling.

“Besides picking up important 21st century digital skills, we also learnt about the importance of soft skills such as communication, pitching, critical thinking, and perseverance from our participation in the competition,” added Quah.

The duo also expressed their gratitude to their mentor, Associate Prof. Dr Yeong Che Fai, for guiding them throughout the competition, as well as the organisers for having hosted the competition virtually amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

“From the bottom of our hearts, we would like to thank the tireless organisers – from ASEAN Foundation and SAP – who had hosted such a wonderful event for the Asean youth community,” the duo said.

“The Asean DSE programme underpins the cultural diversity that SAP celebrates and embraces in the Asean region. Digital skills are essential for the workforce of today and the future. SAP Analytics Cloud aims to bridge the digital gap in ASEAN and empower youths to create more sustainable innovations to address socio-economic issues,” said SAP’s Southeast Asia chief financial officer Thomas Zipperle.

“Asean Foundation and SAP share the common objective of equipping youths with future-ready skills that will enable them to thrive in the new normal era and supporting the theme of Vietnam’s Asean Chairmanship, which is building a ‘Cohesive and Responsive Asean,” said Asean Foundation executive director Dr Yang Mee Eng.

In the lead up to the regional finals, the 10 teams competed in their respective home countries between August and September 2020. A total of 852 proposals were submitted for this year’s competition.

Source: NST