On April 13, the YES Task Force hosted its Q1 2026 Joint Quarterly Meeting (JQM), drawing 75 participants, including student section representatives, advisors, and IEM standing committee and council members. The meeting served as a platform for five selected universities (Asia Pacific University, Monash University Malaysia, Sunway University, Curtin University Malaysia, and University Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah (UMPSA)) to present their achievements and discuss challenges.
Meeting Overview
The meeting began with opening remarks from the YES Chairman, Mr Lim Yiren, who encouraged student sections to utilize the opportunity to showcase their progress. Mr. Desmond Kan, the Director of the Task Force, emphasized the critical need for student leaders to adopt a proactive mindset to effectively serve their students and elevate their teams.
Student Section Achievements
Presentations highlighted significant growth in student membership and an average of 12 events hosted throughout the year.
- Sunway University: Despite being recently founded, the section hosted 14 events, with a focus on committee upskilling, engineering showcases, and graduate employment.
- UMPSA: This section highlighted successful collaborations with industry partners, the UTHM Student Section, and the YES Pahang Branch.
Key Challenges and Action Points
Student sections identified challenges in securing funding from sponsors and a lack of industrial collaborations. They requested assistance in connecting with industry players and other student sections to foster greater collaboration.
A critical finding from the Q&A session was the lack of awareness among student sections regarding the procedure to secure funding facilities provided by IEM, despite previous dissemination efforts. This highlights an urgent need for IEM and YES to jointly revise and improve outreach efforts to ensure better exposure and accessibility for students applying for funding.
Follow-up Breakout Sessions
The main session was followed by breakout meetings where student sections convened with their respective YES branches. Task Force members hosted these rooms to observe and understand specific problems. Discussions included upcoming plans, new ideas inspired by the presentations, and quick solutions for immediate challenges.
The Q1 2026 Joint Quarterly Meeting successfully fostered essential dialogue and collaboration between student leaders and IEM representatives. By identifying key gaps in funding awareness and industrial engagement, the YES Task Force and YES Branches have reaffirmed their commitment to providing targeted support and improving communication channels. Moving forward, these concerted efforts will ensure that student sections are better equipped to overcome challenges and continue their growth as proactive engineering leaders.
