Varsity students bag awards at international events in California
Malaysian young digital talents secured international honours at championships held at Anaheim in California, United States.
They took part in the 2026 Adobe Certified Professional (ACP) World Championship and the Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) World Championship.
Competing against national champions from more than 60 countries, Team Malaysia delivered one of its strongest performances to date in the ACP championship, bringing home a World 3rd Place, World 4th Place and People’s Choice Award.
Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) student Muhammad Fawwaz Haiqal Mohd Fuaad took third place in the ACP World Championship, receiving the Bronze Medal of Achievement, a certificate and a US$2,000 (RM8,180) cash prize.
Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Sarawak student Muhammad Nafiz Asyraaf Mohd Nazrin won fourth place and the People’s Choice Award, taking home US$1,000 (RM4,090), a commemorative trophy and a certificate.
Organised by Certiport, a Pearson VUE business, the annual events are regarded as the premier global student competitions for Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft Office technologies, challenging participants to solve real-world creative and productivity problems under international judging standards.
In a press statement, Acestar Sdn Bhd group chief executive officer Natalie Sit said the achievements demonstrated that Malaysian students were capable of competing on an equal footing with the world’s finest talents.
The company had sponsored Muhammad Fawwaz Haiqal’s participation in the championship.
“Winning multiple international awards is a proud moment for Malaysia, but what makes me even prouder is seeing our students prove that Malaysian talent can compete with anyone in the world,” said Sit, who is also founder of Creative Cloud Community.
“These achievements reflect not only the dedication of the students, but also the unwavering support of educators, institutions and industry partners who have invested in developing future-ready digital skills.”
She hoped the success would inspire more young Malaysians to believe they belonged on the global stage.
“With passion, continuous learning and internationally recognised certifications, our students can compete globally regardless of where they come from.”
National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (Finas) chief executive officer Datuk Azmir Saifuddin Mutalib said the results highlighted the strength and potential of the country’s young creative and digital talents.
“These achievements are a source of great pride for Malaysia.
“Their success highlights the importance of developing creativity and technical skills from an early age.
“As Malaysia’s creative economy continues to grow, we must give our young talents the opportunities and support they need to develop and compete on the global stage,” he said.
