KUCHING: The Sarawak Space Challenge (SSC) is set to expand its statewide reach this year with the addition of Bintulu as a new physical hackathon venue and 50 school roadshows aimed at inspiring more young Sarawakians to explore science, technology and innovation.
Education, Innovation and Talent Development Minister Datuk Seri Roland Sagah Wee Inn said the initiative reflects the state’s commitment to nurturing future talent capable of competing on the global stage.
“Education is key to transforming Sarawak into a high income nation.
“Through programmes such as the SSC, we ensure our youth are well prepared to compete globally,” he said when launching the fifth edition of the programme at Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak here today (Jul 15).
Sagah said the ministry plans to organise 50 school roadshows across Sarawak this year, including possible outreach to remote areas such as Bario, to ensure more young people have the opportunity to participate.
He said this year’s hackathon will be held on Nov 14 and 15 at four simultaneous physical venues in Kuching, Sibu, Miri and, for the first time, Bintulu.
This year’s edition will feature four physical hackathon venues, up from three last year with the addition of Bintulu.
Participants at the four locations will have access to world class facilities, mentorship from industry experts and direct feedback from judges while collaborating with peers throughout the 48 hour hackathon.
Sagah also welcomed OCI TerraSus and Pustaka Negeri Sarawak as new collaborators, saying their involvement would help bring the programme to more communities across the state.
The SSC is Sarawak’s local hub for the NASA International Space Apps Challenge, the world’s largest hackathon that challenges participants to develop solutions for real world issues using NASA’s open data.
Organised by MEITD with Realfun Academy and SOL Digital as local delivery partners, the programme is open to Sarawakians aged 13 and above, with no coding experience required.
Outstanding local teams may be selected to compete at the global level.
Since its introduction in 2021, the initiative has attracted more than 18,000 participants and is expected to draw another 6,500 this year, with representatives from 21 schools attending the launch ceremony.
