en.malanginspirasi.com – The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Brawijaya (FISIP UB), in collaboration with the Hunter Innovation and Science Hub Incorporated (HISH), Australia, and the Malang City Education and Culture Department (Disdikbud Kota Malang), hosted the Teacher Orientation and Practical EV Solar Car Challenge Workshop.
The initiative aims to introduce Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education to elementary school students through hands-on experience in designing, assembling, and testing miniature solar-powered vehicles.
The workshop was held on Thursday, October 15, 2026, in Meeting Room 7.2, Building C, FISIP Universitas Brawijaya, Malang.
Involving 25 teachers from public and private elementary schools across Malang City, the event forms part of an international collaborative program between HISH Australia and UB with Assoc. Prof. Maulina Pia Wulandari, Ph.D. as the representative, alongside Universitas Lambung Mangkurat and Universitas Tadulako.
The project is titled “Enhancing Indonesia-Australia Relations through Schools Solar Car Challenge.”
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A grant from the Australia–Indonesia Institute, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australian Government funded this initiative.
Beyond fostering children’s interest in science and technology, the program places a strong emphasis on promoting young girls’ participation in STEM fields.
Assoc. Prof. Maulina Pia Wulandari, Ph.D., Head of the Malang City EV Solar Car Challenge Organizing Committee, stated that the workshop serves as an initial phase to prepare teachers to mentor students ahead of the solar car competition, which is scheduled for January 2027.
With the support of the Malang City Education and Culture Department, 25 public and private elementary schools have been selected to participate.
Each school will field two teams: one female student team and one male student team.
Consequently, the competition is slated to feature 50 teams in total, comprising 25 female and 25 male teams.
According to Pia, the program not only introduces renewable energy technologies but also provides equal opportunities for both female and male students to cultivate creativity, problem-solving skills, and a keen interest in engineering.
Throughout the workshop, participating teachers received technical briefings on the competition rules, engaged in practical hands-on assembly of miniature solar-powered cars, and conducted vehicle test runs on a designated track.
The aim of the practical experience is to enable teachers to effectively guide their students in designing and developing solar cars for the upcoming competition.
The initiative represents an inter-institutional collaboration between HISH Australia and its Indonesian university partners.
Alongside Malang City through Universitas Brawijaya, the project also engages elementary and junior high school students in Banjarmasin through Universitas Lambung Mangkurat, and in Palu through Universitas Tadulako.
Emeritus Prof. Tim Roberts, President of HISH and Project Director of the Australia–Indonesia Schools Solar Car Challenge, serves as one of the main catalysts behind this partnership.
He remarked that the program brings an Australian-developed hands-on science education methodology into the Indonesian school environment.
In his opening remarks, the Vice Dean for General Affairs, Finance, and Resources at FISIP UB, Assoc. Prof. M. Lukman Hakim, expressed FISIP UB’s full support for the project, emphasizing its importance in nurturing the aspirations and future of the nation’s youth.
For FISIP UB, involvement in this program reflects a concrete contribution toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).
Meanwhile, the Head of Disdikbud Kota Malang, Suwarjana, expressed strong enthusiasm and endorsement for the initiative, noting its novelty and rarity in Malang City.
He emphasized that the project goes beyond technical training in solar car assembly, serving to inspire children to envision future aspirations in science and technology.
Through this initiative, Pia expressed hope that teachers will serve as agents of change, fostering children’s enthusiasm for science and technology from an early age through experiential learning.
