JOHOR BAHRU, Sep 23 – The International Innovation and Action Research Competition (i-iARC) 2026 brought together education practitioners from Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Nigeria and India at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor Bahru. Held in a hybrid format, the competition welcomed physical and online participation, providing an international platform for participants to showcase their work, exchange ideas and learn from one another.

Organised by the Educational Development and Training Unit (ELEVET), Faculty of Educational Sciences and Technology (FEST), the programme was led by Programme Director Dr. Najua Syuhada Ahmad Alhassora. Now in its third edition, i-iARC continued to encourage educators to explore educational challenges through systematic inquiry, creative thinking and practical solutions relevant to their teaching and learning contexts.

The programme was officially opened by the Dean of FEST, Prof. Dr. Noraffandy Yahaya. International participation also created opportunities to explore different educational perspectives across national and institutional contexts.

This year’s competition featured 160 entries across two categories: Action Research, with 79 entries, and Innovation, with 81 entries. Both categories gave participants opportunities to present their work, explain their approaches and share supporting evidence, highlighting how research and innovation could contribute to improvements in educational practice.

For participants attending physically, exhibition booths provided spaces to share projects with visitors and judges. These exchanges encouraged questions and discussions, allowing participants to reflect on their work and explore possibilities for further development and wider application.

The panel of judges comprised professionals from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise, including lecturers in research methodology and statistics, psychologists, counsellors, master trainers in action research and excellent teachers. Their academic knowledge and practical experience brought different perspectives to the assessment process.

This diversity supported the assessment of participants’ work from several angles, including research approaches, practical relevance, creativity and educational application. The judging sessions also allowed participants to explain the decisions behind their projects and respond to questions. Feedback from the judges offered input to help participants identify strengths and consider areas for improvement.

To recognise participants’ efforts and achievements, the competition offered Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards. Additional recognitions included the Best Poster Award, Best Presenter Award, Best of the Best Award and Best Booth Prize. These awards recognised different aspects of achievement, from communicating ideas to presenting project outcomes and exhibition displays.

The award presentation ceremony marked the culmination of the programme, celebrating the dedication invested in each project.

The programme was supported by strategic partners, the Johor Education Department (JPNJ) and the Johor State National Council of Counselling Teachers (MGKK Johor). Appreciation was also extended to the judges, organising committee and everyone who contributed to the event.

Through international participation, professional dialogue and shared learning, i-iARC 2026 celebrated educational ideas and achievements while encouraging continued research, innovation and collaboration across the education community.