KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Faculty of Applied and Creative Arts (FACA), Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), continues to strengthen its long-standing collaboration with the Kampung Peros community through the implementation of the Service Learning Malaysia (SULAM) Kampung Peros 2.0 project.
SULAM FACA UNIMAS coordinator, Candida Jau Emang, said the project is a continuation of cooperation established since 2024, and also conducted in 2025, reflecting a sustained partnership built on trust, mutual respect and shared learning between the university and the community.
She expressed her appreciation to the Kampung Peros community for their willingness to spend time with students and lecturers despite daily commitments, as well as for the warm reception, cooperation and support extended throughout the project.
“On behalf of FACA, we truly value the openness of the Kampung Peros community, who see our students not merely as visitors, but as learning partners and collaborators,” she said in her address during the project presentation session at Pusat Islam Tun Abang Salahuddin (PITAS), UNIMAS here on Wednesday.
Candida explained that SULAM, or Service Learning Malaysia, is not merely a field-based activity but a learning approach that integrates academic knowledge, practical skills and community values.
Under the Kampung Peros 2.0 project, students were encouraged to learn alongside the community, listen to local perspectives and construct narratives based on the real-life experiences of residents.
The project involved three programmes under FACA; Cinematography, Art and Design Technology, and Fine Arts working together through a cross-disciplinary approach.
Key project outputs included the production of creative content and social media promotional materials for the community, the creation of community murals as expressions of local identity and heritage, as well as short documentary films developed using a participatory documentary approach.
She noted that this approach positions the community not as passive subjects, but as storytellers of their own heritage and lived experiences.
From the community’s perspective, the project contributes to increasing the visibility of Kampung Peros and strengthening pride in local cultural identity.
For students, the experience provides authentic learning opportunities that cultivate ethical communication skills, cultural sensitivity and professional responsibility when engaging with real communities.
“The value of SULAM lies not only in learning for oneself, but in learning that gives meaning to others and to the community,” she said.
During the session, students presented their project outcomes to the Kampung Peros community and invited guests.
Candida described the presentation as a process of knowledge transfer rather than a purely academic assessment, with learning outcomes returned to the community as key collaborators in the project.
With the SULAM project officially concluded on the same day, she expressed hope that the collaboration between FACA UNIMAS and Kampung Peros would continue and serve as a model for university-community partnerships that could be expanded to other villages in the future.
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