Perak, 20 May 2025 – Edu@Innovate 2025 recognized the German-Malaysian Institute (GMI) with the Bronze Award in the Academics, Professionals, and Industry Players category during the event held on 19-20 May 2025 at Dewan Tuanku Canselor, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Perak.
Award-Winning Innovation
The i-SPARC: Competency Assessment Based on Artificial Intelligence project outperformed 114 competing entries in its category, standing out among 250 participants. This innovative standalone platform combines AI algorithms with competency frameworks to transform skills evaluation for education and industry.

Led by Dr. Ahmad Hafiz bin Mohd Hashim (Research Leader), alongside Ts. Dr. Nazarul Abidin bin Ismail and Ms. Noraida binti Abdullah, the project received backing from GMI Research Management Centre (RMC) and Artificial Intelligence Research and Innovations (AIRIS).
Funded under the Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) Research and Innovation Fund and coordinated by the MARA Innovation & Creative Technology Division (BITK), the project underscores MARA’s commitment to advancing impactful Research & Development & Innovation (R&D&I) in line with the Malaysian government’s push for AI adoption in education and research.
Gratitude & Future Impact
GMI extends its deepest appreciation to MARA for its unwavering support, which enables groundbreaking project like i-SPARC to thrive. Such collaborations are pivotal in advancing technological innovation, nurturing talent, and strengthening Malaysia’s education ecosystem, particularly across the MARA Educational Institutions (IPMa) network.