ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT ABUBAKAR RUFA'I AHMAD, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
Albukhary International University | Alor Setar, Malaysia | Advancing SDG 4 & UNAI 2
" My passion lies in reviving the Madrasah as a hub where faith, knowledge, and modern skills converge. I do this work because I believe education should empower, not limit, and every learner deserves the chance to thrive in today’s world. The Millennium Fellowship excites me because it offers a platform to strengthen this vision collaboratively, refine my leadership, and align my project with the UNAI principles and SDGs. Through this journey, I am eager to transform ideas into impact, ensuring that Madrasah education speaks to both tradition and the future. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Inspiring Minds: Future-Ready
Inspiring Minds: Future-Ready is the name of our project. Our project integrates financial literacy and digital literacy to empower young people with the skills necessary to thrive in a rapidly changing world. From August to December 2025, we will focus on two key groups: university students and marginalized youth in Malaysia.
At Albukhary International University, we will deliver a financial literacy program designed to strengthen students’ capacity to make informed decisions about budgeting, saving, and financial planning as they prepare for life beyond graduation. Our goal is to reach at least 150 students through a series of structured workshops and mentorship sessions, enabling them to develop sustainable financial habits and greater confidence in their future preparedness.
Beyond our campus, we will extend our efforts to marginalized communities in Malaysia by offering digital literacy training to about 100 young people. This component will cover essential 21st-century skills such as coding, programming, and the responsible use of AI tools. Through at least four interactive workshops and follow-up mentorship sessions, participants will gain practical knowledge that can open pathways to education, employment, and entrepreneurship.
By combining financial literacy with digital literacy, this project aims to foster resilience, opportunity, and inclusion, equipping young people to navigate adulthood and the digital economy with confidence and purpose.
About the Millennium Fellow
Abubakar Ahmad Rufa’i is a recent graduate in Computer Science, specializing in Data Science, from Albukhary International University, Malaysia. Originally from Nigeria, his academic journey reflects resilience, determination, and an unwavering passion for using technology as a force for good. While deeply engaged with the fields of machine learning, natural language processing, and deep learning, Abubakar has also developed a strong calling towards education. This unique blend of interests has inspired his plan to pursue a master’s degree in education, where he aims to bridge the gap between computing and pedagogy.
His proposed master’s research, "The Role of Digital Learning Platforms in Reducing Educational Inequality in Low-Income Communities," exemplifies this vision, leveraging his computing expertise to address pressing challenges in access to quality education. Abubakar aspires to contribute to building inclusive, technology-driven learning solutions that empower disadvantaged communities and reduce global educational inequality. Guided by curiosity, purpose, and a commitment to impact, he envisions a future where education and technology intersect to create meaningful opportunities for all.
