INTI and Malaysia Aviation Group Partner with University of Hertfordshire for 2025 Upcycling Hackathon
INTI International University and Colleges, in collaboration with Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) and the University of Hertfordshire, will host the 2025 Upcycling Hackathon. This initiative is designed to encourage students to innovate by converting aviation waste into market-ready products.
Hackathon Overview
The hackathon, titled “From Cabin to Commerce (C2C): Upcycling Aviation Materials into Market-Ready Products,” is set to engage students from several disciplines, including Marketing, Business Administration, Advertising and Digital Marketing, and Mass Communications at the University of Hertfordshire. A total of 80 students will form ten teams to compete for the top prize, which consists of five sponsored tickets to Langkawi.
Challenge of Aviation Waste
Airlines often encounter difficulties in managing discarded items such as seatbelts, luggage, and crew uniforms. By providing these materials to participating students, the hackathon aims to stimulate creative solutions for commonly discarded items. Eric Lee, Academic Dean of INTI International College Subang, remarked that the event allows students to explore how innovative ideas can lead to practical solutions and fosters collaboration to promote innovation and sustainability.
Industry Collaboration and Support
Representatives from MAG’s Group Sustainability Office will assist participants during the competition, sharing insights into industry standards and expectations. Noor Hazwan Noor Hazin, Senior Manager at MAG’s Group Sustainability Office, highlighted the significance of partnering with educational institutions to nurture creativity among students while advancing the industry’s sustainability objectives.
Creativity Under Constraints
Despite the challenges posed by limited time and resources, the competition environment has been noted to encourage energetic brainstorming among teams. Participants have proposed various inventive uses for materials, such as transforming retired luggage into pet carriers and repurposing crew handbags into winter gloves, thereby showcasing the potential of sustainability to fulfill consumer needs.
Successful Innovations
The team named MAGnitude achieved success with their products, the MAGkit and MAGpack. The MAGkit is a disaster survival sanitation kit created from repurposed crew leather bags and uniforms, while the MAGpack is a laptop backpack designed from suitcase tops with seatbelt straps.
Long-Term Benefits
The outcomes of the hackathon extend beyond the developed products; the engagement with industry representatives has equipped students with valuable business acumen and analytical skills vital for internships and future careers. This focus on aligning educational experiences with real-world challenges is a priority for INTI, underscoring the importance of producing responsible future leaders in the field.
(Original source: https://newinti.edu.my/inti-malaysia-aviation-group-and-university-of-hertfordshire-launch-2025-upcycling-hackathon/)
