KUALA LUMPUR: UOB Malaysia held the grand finale of its UOB My Digital Space (MDS) Digital Innovation Challenge, marking the culmination of the bank's flagship digital education initiative launched in Malaysia this year.
The programme reflects UOB Malaysia's commitment to developing future-ready talent by equipping young people with the digital, artificial intelligence (AI) and innovation skills needed to thrive in an increasingly technology-driven world.
Since its launch, the programme has reached more than 13,000 students across the nation through a combination of online learning and in-person workshops.
Through a series of interactive learning modules, students aged 10 to 16 developed capabilities in digital literacy, AI, creative thinking, design thinking and innovation.
Beyond technical competencies, the programme also encourages students to build critical thinking, collaboration and adaptability skills that are important in the future workforce.
UOB Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Ng Wei Wei said, “The future of Malaysia's economy will be shaped by the next generation of innovators, creators and problem-solvers.
“Through UOB My Digital Space, we are equipping young people with the skills and confidence to thrive in an increasingly digital world.
“The ideas showcased through the challenge demonstrate what students can achieve when they are empowered to apply technology and AI to solve real-world problems.”
Ng added: “As a bank that has been here for 75 years in Malaysia, we remain committed to investing in future talent, supporting the country's digital ambitions in line with the Malaysia Digital 2030 agenda and helping build a more resilient and future-ready Asean.”
Building on these learnings, UOB Malaysia organised the UOB MDS Digital Innovation Challenge to provide students with a platform to apply their knowledge by developing and pitching innovative digital solutions to real-world challenges.
As part of the UOB MDS Digital Innovation Challenge, students were tasked with developing creative digital or AI-enabled solutions to address real-world challenges.
Entries were evaluated based on innovation, technology application, feasibility and potential impact. The strongest submissions were shortlisted to compete in the final.
Following a live pitching and judging session at the grand finale, team ‘innov8 Crew’ from SK Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur won the primary school category with its AI-enabled platform that promotes the sharing and reuse of school items to reduce waste and support learning accessibility.
Meanwhile team ‘Triple Trouble’ from SMK Lutong, Sarawak took top honours in the secondary school category for its AI-powered mobile application that helps detect driver fatigue and improve road safety. Their solutions were recognised for their innovation, practicality and potential to create a positive impact within the community.
The programme, which is approved by the Education Ministry and supported by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), is delivered in partnership with Virtualtech Frontier.
UOB MDS is UOB’s flagship digital education programme and is being implemented at various stages across the bank’s seven core markets in Asean and Greater China, namely Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China. In 2025, the programme reached more than 50,000 beneficiaries across South-East Asia, underscoring UOB's commitment to Building the Future of Asean by investing in the next generation of confident and digitally ready talent.
