KUALA LUMPUR: The UM Mastery in Innovative Teaching (UM MINT) Colloquium and the International University Carnival on E-Learning (IUCEL) 2026 brought together 216 participants from 26 institutions to exchange ideas and innovative teaching practices.
Hosted by Universiti Malaya (UM) at Wyndham Grand Bangsar here on Thursday and Friday, the two-day programme brought together academic staff, researchers, instructional designers, educational technologists, e-learning practitioners and policymakers.
UM deputy vice-chancellor (Academic and International) Professor Dr Hasniza Zaman Huri said higher education is changing rapidly with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.
This made continuous innovation in teaching methods, assessment, student engagement and learning design increasingly important, she said.
"We need to rethink not only what we teach, but how we teach and how students learn."
Hasniza added that AI is a key focus of the event, but the challenge is balancing its use with students' ability to think independently.
"AI is our main agenda nowadays. But how do we balance AI and the cognitive thinking process in our students? I think that is the main issue we are discussing.
"We want to encourage the use of AI to enhance teaching and learning, but at the same time, we do not want our students to surrender their cognitive thinking process. That is the key point we are addressing."
She said educators could not avoid the technology and had to ensure it was used responsibly.
"We cannot run from AI. AI is, of course, embedded, but how do we govern its use responsibly? That is our key point here."
Hasniza said UM has an AI policy for teaching and learning. Students and lecturers could use AI, but they had to declare its use.
Sessions on AI and the future of teaching also explored how educators could move beyond content delivery to develop human capabilities.
The programme also featured human-centred e-learning and cybergogy, which Hasniza said went beyond using technology for its own sake.
Instead, it focused on supporting active, collaborative and personalised learning.
[[nid:1553407]]
She added that technology had to keep the younger generation engaged.
"Our technology should be able to enhance teaching and learning, especially for the new generation. We have to come up with something innovative and creative so that our students will be more attentive in class and more excited to attend lessons," she said.
UM MINT, themed "The Future of Teaching Mastery", focused on teaching excellence, reflective practice and the sharing of innovative approaches.
It included the Spark & Share Rapid Talks Colloquium, where educators presented practical approaches involving digital tools, innovative assessment strategies, evidence-based practices and lessons from classroom implementation.
Meanwhile, IUCEL 2026, themed "Redefining Cybergogy Beyond Algorithms", highlighted transformative e-learning, digital innovation and human-centred approaches to education.
IUCEL is an annual conference, with Universiti Malaya co-hosting the 2026 edition in collaboration with the Majlis Ketua-Ketua e-Pembelajaran IPTA Malaysia and the Higher Education Ministry . A key component was the Invention, Innovation and Design on E-Learning (IIDEL) Competition. Participants showcased original technology-enhanced learning innovations supporting inclusive, accessible, collaborative and sustainable digital education.
Hasniza said five main awards were presented. Two went to UM, while Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Taylor's University and Universiti Malaysia Perlis each received one.
The programme included keynote and plenary sessions, workshops, educational technology exhibitions, professional networking opportunities and the IUCEL Awards Ceremony.
Hasniza said the event strengthened connections among educators and gave them opportunities to explore new ideas and identify areas for collaboration.
It also encouraged them to translate those ideas into meaningful changes at their respective institutions.
Hasniza added that UM used new technologies showcased at the event to support its teaching and learning.
She said UM MINT would continue to provide a platform for academics to share, exchange and learn from innovative teaching and learning practices.
"Our aim is to build a continuing community of educators who reflect on their practice, experiment with new approaches and collectively shape the future of teaching and learning in higher education.
"UM MINT is more than a teaching colloquium. It is a UM platform to encourage educators to reflect, innovate and rethink how we teach in a rapidly changing world."
Hasniza said the event, together with IUCEL, brought teaching innovation and human-centred digital learning into one conversation.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd