Young innovators from across Malaysia put their creativity and problem-solving skills into action at CIPTR1X National Level 2026, a hands-on STEM competition supported by Universiti Kuala Lumpur Malaysian Institute of Industrial Technology (UniKL MITEC) to nurture future-ready talent in emerging technologies.
Held from 11 to 13 September 2026 at MRSM Johor Bahru and UniKL MITEC, the programme brought together primary and secondary school students for practical challenges in robotics, drone technology, maker activities and Artificial Intelligence (AI), giving participants the opportunity to learn, experiment and compete in a real-world technology environment.
The national-level initiative was organised by Pusat Latihan Be STEM Ready and STEM Club, with UniKL MITEC as a key collaborator and MRSM Johor Bahru as a strategic partner.
Rather than focusing solely on competition, CIPTR1X was designed around a “Learn → Practise → Compete → Progress” approach, allowing students with little or no previous experience in robotics or drone technology to develop their skills before entering the competitive stage.
Participants underwent interactive training and practical sessions before applying what they had learned to challenges involving technologies such as drone combat systems, climbing robots and AI Game Jam projects.
“CIPTR1X is not just about winning medals; it’s about giving students the platform to turn their ideas into practical technology and master real-world problem-solving skills,” said Ts. Dr. Zirawani Baharum, STEM Coordinator at UniKL MITEC and Project Director of CIPTR1X 2026.
She was supported by Vice Project Director Nazneem Furzan Ain Roslan, alongside 15 UniKL staff committee members and 20 student volunteers who contributed to the implementation of the programme.
Beyond the competition, CIPTR1X also supports a longer-term ambition to strengthen Malaysia’s STEM talent ecosystem by creating connections between school-level learners and higher education pathways in technology, engineering and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The initiative included the development of a national student STEM database aimed at supporting future talent development while enabling continued engagement with young learners interested in emerging technologies.
CIPTR1X National Level 2026 supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education through inclusive and practical STEM learning; SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure through exposure to robotics, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals through collaboration between UniKL MITEC, Be STEM Ready, MRSM Johor Bahru and participating education communities.
