Why Volunteering & Internships Matter at UMS

Volunteering and internship opportunities at UMS play a vital role in shaping students into well-rounded, future-ready graduates. Through these experiences, students develop strong leadership and teamwork skills as they navigate diverse real-world environments. They engage directly with communities across rural, coastal, urban, and indigenous settings, allowing them to understand local challenges while contributing meaningfully to society. Internships and industry placements provide valuable professional exposure, enabling students to apply their academic knowledge through hands-on training and research-based projects. These experiences also nurture empathy, responsibility, and global citizenship, as students participate in service-learning activities that promote social awareness and personal growth. Importantly, every volunteer effort and internship contributes to UMS’s broader SDG initiatives across education, health, environmental protection, and community well-being. Through these integrated opportunities, UMS ensures that each student is empowered to deepen their academic capabilities, enrich their personal development, and step forward as an impactful agent of change.

VOLUNTEERING AT UMS

Serve with Purpose. Lead with Heart.

UMS nurtures a vibrant volunteering culture through structured programmes that allow students to contribute to meaningful causes:

KESUWA, the UMS Student Volunteer Corps, is the university’s largest and most active volunteer movement, providing students with opportunities to contribute to humanitarian missions, campus sustainability efforts, community empowerment programmes, and disaster relief initiatives. Through environmental conservation and outreach activities, KESUWA volunteers gain practical, hands-on experience while advancing UMS’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive development.

The UMS Student Association and Club Programme serves as a leadership platform for students passionate about climate action and environmental stewardship. Ambassadors lead impactful initiatives including zero-waste campaigns, tree-planting and reforestation activities, coastal cleanups, ocean literacy outreach, and EcoCampus awareness programmes. Their collective actions strengthen UMS’s contributions to SDG 12, SDG 13, SDG 14, and SDG 15 through student-driven advocacy and on-ground environmental efforts.

Through Professor@School and various youth education outreach projects, UMS students volunteer as mentors, facilitators, and project leaders, especially in rural and underserved communities. They support STEM education, literacy and digital learning, and youth empowerment activities—helping bridge educational gaps while advancing SDG 4 (Quality Education) and uplifting young learners across Sabah.

UMS also engages actively in community and indigenous development programmes through collaborations with NGOs and local leaders. Students participate in clean water installation projects, food security and nutrition initiatives, cultural heritage preservation, and ecotourism development under the DaMaI programme and other living labs. These experiences allow students to build cultural sensitivity, apply community-based problem-solving skills, and make meaningful contributions to improving the well-being and resilience of local communities.

INTERNSHIPS AT UMS

Experience the Real World. Build Your Future.

UMS ensures students gain professional experience through high-quality internships that connect classroom learning with industry practice.

UMS provides diverse industry placement and professional training opportunities through partnerships with leading organisations across Malaysia and internationally. These internships span multiple disciplines—including engineering, computing, technology, business, finance, entrepreneurship, marine science, forestry, environmental conservation, food science, nutrition, health, tourism, hospitality, cultural heritage, psychology, education, and social work—ensuring that students gain real-world exposure relevant to their fields of study. Such experiences significantly enhance employability, strengthen industry readiness, and support a smooth transition into the workforce.

In addition to industry placements, UMS offers research-focused internships through its renowned Centres of Excellence and living labs. Students have the opportunity to intern with the Borneo Marine Research Institute (BMRI), the Institute for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ITBC), the Biotechnology Research Institute (BRI), and the Borneo Institute for Indigenous Studies (BorIIS), as well as various renewable energy, sustainability, and biodiversity research units. These research internships deepen scientific understanding, sharpen technical skills, and often inspire students to pursue postgraduate studies or careers in academia and research.

UMS also collaborates with prominent NGOs and community-based organisations to provide impactful internship experiences in conservation, education, health, and social development. Partners such as WWF-Malaysia, UNICEF Malaysia, Sabah Parks, and various local community groups offer students the chance to contribute to real-world projects that directly support sustainability and community well-being. Through these placements, students build a strong foundation in SDG-aligned service while gaining invaluable insights into grassroots development and civic responsibility.

Join Us — Start Your Journey Today

UMS encourages all students to explore the wide range of volunteering and internship opportunities available throughout the year. Whether you want to support communities, protect nature, or build your career, UMS provides the pathway.

Serve. Learn. Grow. Lead.
Your impact begins here at UMS.