IPOH: The inaugural Neurodiversity Seminar and Forum organised recently by Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) in collaboration with PETRONAS Neurodiverse Centre of Excellence (NCoE) marked a significant step towards creating a more inclusive environment for neurodiverse individuals.
In a statement, UTP noted that the event aimed to raise awareness around the importance of neurodiversity.
“Through informative sessions and interactive forums, participants gained a deeper understanding of various neurodevelopmental conditions and their unique strengths,” it said.
UTP said by promoting inclusivity and dismantling misconceptions, the event sparked conversations around the need for a supportive ecosystem not only within academia like UTP but also in workplaces and society at large.
Meanwhile, UTP deputy vice-chancellor of student affairs Professor Dr Nor Hisham Hamid called for collective commitment towards building a world that embraces neurodiversity.
“Let’s commit ourselves to building a world where every individual, regardless of their neurocognitive differences, is valued, respected and given the opportunity to thrive,” he said.
He said UTP, through its Centre for Intelligent Signal and Imaging Research (CISIR), aspires to be at the forefront of the neurodiversity field committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all students and staff, regardless of neurocognitive differences.
The seminar also featured a panel discussion moderated by CISIR director Professor Tang Tong Boon and which involved representatives from UTP, PETRONAS, Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd (EY) and Alaminda Healthcare Berhad.
They deliberated on the importance of having an environment where neurodivergent individuals can authentically express themselves, leveraging their unique strengths to contribute meaningfully.
Alaminda Healthcare Berhad founder and director Dr Hazli Zakaria highlighted the exceptional ability of autistic individuals to hyper-focus and have high attention to detail, while individuals with dyslexia can demonstrate remarkable creative problem-solving skills.
In steering the neurodiversity movement in Malaysia, PETRONAS has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with EY to create greater awareness in Malaysia, promoting and facilitating organisational readiness in creating neurodiversity job opportunities.
This collaboration aims to strengthen Malaysia’s neurodiversity ecosystem to develop innovative solutions to unleash neurodivergent individuals’ potential and be part of the talent pool that can positively contribute towards economic growth.
Neurodiversity, a concept gaining global traction, challenges traditional perspectives of cognitive variations such as autism, dyslexia and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Rather than viewing these differences as deficits or dysfunctions, neurodiversity celebrates them as naturally occurring cognitive variations with distinctive strengths that have contributed to the evolution of technology and culture. – BERNAMA
