EMBRACING EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EQ) THROUGH SULAM PROJECT AT SMA AL-ATTAS

PEKAN, 6 December 2025 – “EQ Connect: Express to relate” was a one-day event held as part of an initiative by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) to bring academic learning beyond the four walls of a classroom setting through SULAM. SULAM, better known as Service Learning Malaysia- University for Society, aims to integrate academic learning with community engagement, allowing students to apply theory to practice. Through hands-on projects and reflective activities, SULAM bridges the gap between classroom theory and real-world problems, fostering well-rounded, socially conscious graduates.

Although the SULAM project took several weeks and stages to prepare as part of a structured educational program, the one-day event with Form 3 SMA al-Attas, Pekan, was a success. This project was spearheaded by ULE3772 Interpersonal Effectiveness course coordinator, Mr Abdul Jalil bin Abdul Rahim along with Dr Ruhil Amal binti Azmuddin, who also teaches the course. This course is one of the many elective courses offered in the Centre for Modern Languages (CML), UMPSA, that teaches students how to function in a society. One of the many topics covered in this course is Emotional Intelligence, also known as EQ. Hence, each activity was carefully curated to achieve the objectives of the program.

With 28 students enrolled in the course who were appointed as the facilitators, the event kicked off with an introduction to EQ and how EQ is utilised daily. The ice-breaking session encouraged students to reflect on their school experiences—what makes them feel good or bad. This set the stage for a series of engaging activities such as the Emotion Compass, which promoted self-awareness and self-regulation. This allowed students to be more open and expressive. Another activity was a two-part Hackathon Challenge that encouraged students to innovate solutions against bullying.  Students prepared a 3-minute skit which was then performed at the end of the day. Tower Avengers, a team-based exercise, was conducted to strengthen social skills and communication, where students worked in groups to build strong structures by just using satay sticks and marshmallows. After lunch and prayers, Motivation Jar activity guided students to discover their personal 'why.' The session concluded with a reflective wrap-up and the creation of MY EQ Pledge Cards, where students committed to applying their new EQ skills in daily life.

Facilitator Muhammad Firdaus bin Mujeebur Rahman added “I think SULAM has provided a unique and hands-on platform for us students to translate academic concepts and topics into real-world solutions, proving that education is most powerful when shared with the community”. Through these interactive sessions, students not only developed interpersonal communication but also fostered a sense of responsibility and community spirit.

Embracing the initiative, another facilitator, Amirul Haqiem bin Zulkifli, said, “This project empowers students to break the cycle of abuse, driven by the motto: ‘The cycle ends here. We must be better.”

The event concluded with skit presentations by each group, which were prepared during the initial Hackathon Challenge activity, followed by a prize-giving ceremony and group photographs to commemorate the event.

This project would not have been a success without the support and involvement of all parties, including Strategic and Academic Development from the Academic and International Affairs Department, UMPSA, which funded the project. By supporting initiatives like this, UMPSA upholds the spirit of SULAM to provide students not only the experience to serve the community but to grow socially and responsibly.

Written by: Dr Ruhil Amal Azmuddin, Mr. Abdul Jalil Abdul Rahim, Khairunnisa binti Khairudin