GELUGOR, Dec 13 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) students brought artificial intelligence, creativity and peer mentoring together at the Higher Education English Language Carnival 2025 (HE-ELCa 2025), a national initiative organised by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) and hosted by Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) at Dewan Tuanku Syed Putra here.
Held under the theme “The Future is AI: Innovative, Communicate & Sustain,” the carnival gathered participants from 20 public universities and four Government-Linked Universities (GLUs), positioning English language learning within an inclusive, technology-enabled and student-centred framework.
UTM was represented by a team of 16 members, comprising two instructors and 14 students, who participated both as learners and facilitators. The programme adopted a dual-level approach, enabling students with Malaysian University English Test (MUET) Band 3.5 and below to build confidence in using English, while students with MUET Band 4.0 and above took on mentoring roles, strengthening their communication, leadership and facilitation skills. The overarching goal of the initiative is to raise students’ English proficiency by at least one MUET band by the end of their studies.
A key highlight of UTM’s participation was its project “ZEP Quiz: Understand, Test, Master,” showcased under the Tech for Simplicity category. Designed as a virtual game-based learning tool, the project aims to enhance grammar literacy through interactive quizzes that encourage active learning in a relaxed, engaging environment.
In addition to the main project, the UTM team organised three interactive learning stations – Mastermind, Heads Up and Spelling Race – which attracted strong participation from visitors. The activities, structured around a stamp-collection challenge, successfully drew engagement from primary and secondary school students, university students and lecturers from institutions across the country.
One visiting student shared that the experience had reshaped their perception of learning English, saying that the interactive games sparked greater interest and made the learning process more enjoyable and accessible.
UTM’s innovative and collaborative approach was further recognised through its achievements at the carnival, securing both first and second place in the AI Formal vs. Funky Flip Challenge. The first prize was won by Putri Nurul Sabrina Farin Yuzrin from the Bachelor of Science (Industrial Chemistry) with Honours programme, while second place was awarded to Qasrina Abdul Latiff from the Bachelor of Science (Physics) with Honours programme. The team also clinched second place in the Word Search Game category, represented by the two winners alongside Nurul Liyana Abdullah from the Bachelor of Chemical Engineering with Honours programme.
The achievements reflect UTM’s continued commitment to innovative teaching and learning approaches that integrate technology, peer learning and creativity, while nurturing students who are confident communicators and active contributors in a rapidly evolving educational landscape.
