KUCHING: A Multimedia Design student from Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak Campus has earned one of the five coveted Outstanding Awards at the Sarawak Youth Talent (SYT) 2025 TikTok Video Competition.
The competition, organised by Responsible Borneo (REBORN), carried the theme “Responsible Tourism and Sustainable Transformation” and attracted more than 100 entries, including submissions from member countries of the East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Federation (EATOF).
Swinburne Sarawak’s student Aisya Syahmina Zailani was named one of the five Outstanding Award winners for her video entry titled “Are You a Responsible Traveller?”, which placed her among the top five per cent of participants.
She also received a cash prize of RM1,500 during the award presentation ceremony held on Oct 11.
Aisya’s winning project was developed as part of the Digital Video Compositing unit in her Multimedia Design programme.
Her video explored the importance of sustainable and responsible travel, aligning closely with the competition’s core message.
“Creating a video that champions responsible tourism was truly rewarding, especially since the theme is so relevant to Sarawak
“Winning is fantastic, but the best part was seeing my university work has a real impact on a major public campaign. It showed me the power of design in promoting sustainability,” she said.
The judging process was carried out by a panel of 18 experts, including 10 international judges from eight countries such as Korea, Japan and the United Kingdom, ensuring a globally benchmarked evaluation.
The collaboration between Swinburne Sarawak and SYT was led by design lecturer Eunice Law, who strategically integrated the competition into two learning units – Digital Video Compositing and Typography for Print and Interactive Publication.
Law explained that the initiative provided students with authentic, hands-on industry experience by managing deliverables across three creative platforms – video, print and web – while meeting academic assessment standards.
“This collaboration with REBORN was a genuine test of professional capability.
“Our students weren’t just completing one assignment; they were managing three separate deliverables all while hitting assessment rubrics. This is the definition of authentic learning, giving them a portfolio that stands up to the demands of the real world,” she said.
The partnership was made possible through the support of various government agencies and international bodies, including the Ministry of Tourism, Creative Industry and Performing Arts and EATOF, alongside numerous industry collaborators.
