The Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) spirit reached new heights as a four-member UTM alpinists took on Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe, rising 5,642 metres above sea level.
The team brought together two UTM alumni, Azim Afif, a Mount Everest summiteer and alumnus of the Faculty of Computing and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norhayati Abdullah, alumna of the Faculty of Civil Engineering (FKA), alongside Brad Harnain Shafiai, a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) candidate at the Azman Hashim International Business School (AHIBS) and Zareena Omar, Director of Business Development at UTM Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, School of Professional and Continuing Education (UTMSPACE).
The UTM team took on the mountain together, with two UTM alumni successfully reaching the summit at 5,642 metres above sea level, while the other two members demonstrated remarkable endurance by ascending to an impressive 5,300 metres above sea level.
Organised by Peak Journey, the expedition, which began in Tbilisi, Georgia, brought together 16 Malaysian mountaineers in an extraordinary challenge to conquer Mount Elbrus.
The UTM team undertook the expedition alongside fellow Malaysian climbers, including successful summiteers Datin Junaimasriya Othman, Claire George, Asmiah Md Ruslim and Wong Pui Sze.
Following their successful ascent, all Elbrus summiteers were honoured with a Medal of Achievement, which was presented by the Ambassador of Malaysia to the Russian Federation, Dato’ Cheong Loon Lai, at the Embassy of Malaysia in Moscow.
Beyond the numbers, the expedition embodied the spirit of perseverance, courage and determination, qualities that extend far beyond the classroom and professional workplace. Whether reaching the summit or pushing towards 5,300 metres, each member of the UTM alpinists demonstrated the same willingness to step beyond their comfort zone and challenge their limits.
At 5,642 metres, Elbrus is a formidable environment of snow, ice, steep terrain, thin air and rapidly changing mountain conditions.
Reaching such an altitude demands much more than physical strength. It requires tactical preparation, discipline, mental resilience, patience and the ability to remain calm when conditions become challenging.
The journey to the summit was not simply about taking one extraordinary step upward. It involved acclimatisation, endurance, careful preparation and adapting to the demanding high-altitude environment.
The expedition continued with several nights of acclimatisation at LEAPrus, one of Europe’s highest eco-hotels, where the UTM alpinists took time to adjust to the thin air and high-altitude surroundings before continuing their journey towards the summit.
Perched at 3,912 metres above sea level on the southern slope of Mount Elbrus, LEAPrus is a striking self-sufficient eco-hotel designed with futuristic, space-capsule-like structures.
The high-altitude retreat provided a comfortable base as they acclimatised to the demanding mountain environment.
As the expedition ventured higher into the Caucasus Mountains, safety remained a top priority. Peak Journey appointed Dr. Abhyu Ghimire as the expedition’s mountain doctor and medical lead.
With more than 11 years of experience serving on Mount Everest, Dr. Ghimire brought extensive expertise in altitude medicine, emergency response and expedition healthcare, providing invaluable guidance as the UTM team navigated the physical demands of climbing Mount Elbrus.
Standing at the summit of Mount Elbrus is a moment that few people will ever experience. Above the clouds, surrounded by the vast Caucasus landscape, the achievement represents the culmination of countless small decisions — to train, to prepare, to keep moving and, most importantly, to never give up.
For UTM alpinists, the moment carries an additional meaning. It is a reminder that the values developed through education can travel far beyond classrooms, laboratories and professional workplaces.
Excellence is not confined to a career. It is a mindset. The determination required to complete a demanding engineering project, the patience required to solve a complex problem and the resilience required to continue when circumstances become difficult are the same qualities that can carry a person up a mountain.
The Elbrus achievement beautifully reflects this broader dimension of the UTM alpinists and summiteers. It demonstrates that learning, courage and curiosity can take us places we once only imagined reaching.
For the current UTM students, the achievement offers an inspiring message: Dream beyond the obvious. Prepare for the difficult.
Mountains are often used as metaphors for ambition, but climbing one makes the metaphor very real. The summit may appear impossibly far away when viewed from the valley. Yet with preparation, perseverance and the right support, that distant summit can gradually become achievable. The same principle applies to education, research, innovation and life itself. Every great achievement begins with a first step.
The successful ascent of Mount Elbrus in July 2026 is therefore not merely a story about reaching 5,642 metres. It is a story about resilience, courage and pushing beyond comfort zones. Above all, it is a story about the UTM members who continue to carry the spirit of excellence far beyond the university gates.
From UTM to Elbrus, the journey reminds us that the highest peaks, whether in our careers, our ambitions or the mountains we choose to climb, are reached one determined step at a time.
Prepared by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Norhayati Abdullah, Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), UTM Kuala Lumpur
