A national platform for digital learning innovation in TVET.
A new CIAST competition for every TVET instructor in Malaysia who cares where this field is going. Bring your best teaching to the national stage, share it with the whole of Malaysia's TVET community, and let it teach students you will never meet.
CIAST's first national competition for digital teaching innovation.
MIPAC TVET 2026, short for Innovation in Methodology, Pedagogy and AI for Creative TVET, is the first edition of a new annual competition organised by CIAST. It is a national stage for TVET instructors from every sector, public and private, who want their best teaching to be seen, shared with the rest of Malaysia's TVET community, and used by other instructors for years after the awards ceremony is over.
Strong TVET teaching has been happening for years inside individual institutions. A lecturer builds an interactive module for one cohort. A trainer makes a short video that suddenly makes one technique click. An instructor wires an AI tool into a lesson plan and watches the energy in the room shift. Too often, the only people who see that work are the students in front of the instructor. Colleagues at other TVET institutions could have learned from it, taught it themselves, or adapted it for their own field, but never knew it existed.
MIPAC TVET 2026 is the structured platform that lets it travel. Instructors register projects under one of four categories, submit their work, and present it to a judging panel. Strong projects can be added to the CIAST digital PdP bank for other TVET institutions to adapt and use. They may also be considered for the MIPAC TVET Innovation Showcase, MyIPO protection, commercialisation pathways, and follow-on Training of Trainers programmes.
Five objectives that shape every decision.
Every category, judging call, and pathway available to a winning project traces back to five purposes. They are why the rules look the way they look, and why your reason for participating will line up with at least one of them.
- 01
Raise TVET instructors' competence in digital, AI, and modern pedagogy.
Digital tools, AI, and newer teaching approaches have become standard parts of how learners engage with material. The competition exists to grow the instructor side of that, to help TVET instructors integrate these tools and approaches more confidently into their teaching. Working on a project for MIPAC TVET is, in itself, a way to build that competence.
- 02
Create a culture of innovation, creativity, and best-practice sharing.
A culture of innovation and creativity does not appear from a single event. By running the competition every year and putting winning projects in front of the rest of the network, MIPAC TVET creates a yearly habit of sharing and learning between TVET institutions. The culture lives in what gets shared and adapted across editions, not just in any one of them.
- 03
Encourage teaching material that is more interactive, flexible, and learner-centred.
Teaching material that the learner can interact with, adapt to their own pace, and engage with on their own terms is the direction TVET is moving in. The competition encourages the development of that kind of material across all four categories, whether the format is an AI-assisted lesson, a short video, a future-classroom concept, or an immersive interactive aid.
- 04
Be a recognition platform for outstanding TVET instructors.
Excellent teaching often stays inside one classroom. It helps the students, but it never travels further. MIPAC TVET gives outstanding TVET instructors a national stage for digital teaching innovation, with recognition through the awards ceremony, certificates, trophies, Hall of Fame placement, the CIAST digital PdP bank, and potential selection for the MIPAC TVET Innovation Showcase. The point is not only to award good work. It is to make that work visible enough to travel.
- 05
Strengthen the TVET digitalisation agenda.
The strongest projects do not stop at the awards ceremony. CIAST considers them for expansion across Malaysia's TVET network, for adaptation to other institutions and other fields, and for commercialisation at the institutional or national level. Each strong project that goes through this pipeline is one more step in strengthening Malaysia's TVET digitalisation agenda.
Four categories, four ways to shape the future of TVET.
Each category is a different shape of teaching the competition wants to put in front of the country. Pick the one that fits the lesson you most want other instructors to learn from. Each category is judged on its own terms, against other projects in the same format, so the work gets read for what it actually is.
AI DigiTeach
16:9 · 3 to 5 min · YouTube formatCreative, interactive, high-impact teaching and learning video that integrates digital technology and AI in the development of teaching material. Submission is a recorded 3 to 5 minute teaching video built with AI assistance, with the AI tools used declared transparently as part of the entry. The category is about AI as a meaningful part of how the lesson is built and delivered.
Explore category
Short Video Instructor
9:16 · 30 to 60 sec · Social formatThe art of teaching at scroll speed. Land one idea, one demo, or one technique in under a minute using the vertical format learners already recognise. Submit a 30 to 60 second short for TikTok, Reels, YouTube Shorts, or similar platforms. This category rewards instructors who can compress a real piece of skill or knowledge into a format learners actually finish watching.
Explore category
Future Training Space Ideation
16:9 · 3 to 5 min · Pitch videoInnovative and creative ideas for the design of future training spaces and facilities (equipment, training rooms, furniture, smart classrooms) in the form of drawings and simulations, focused on futuristic and environmentally-conscious concepts. The category encourages the integration of newer technologies (AI, VR, AR, IoT) toward modern, more effective learning environments. Submission is a 3 to 5 minute pitch video of the concept.
Explore category
Immersive Digital Teaching Aid
Interactive · AR · up to 500 MBHands-on digital learning students explore themselves. Build the AR overlay, the interactive walkthrough, the working module the student opens on any device and learns by doing. Submission is an interactive digital teaching aid, the file or package, plus a short video that demonstrates the experience. The category rewards projects where the learner's interaction IS the lesson.
Explore categoryWho can enter, what's expected of the work.
MIPAC TVET 2026 is open to the whole of Malaysia's TVET teaching community. If you teach skills for a living, whether at a public skills institute, a polytechnic, a community college, a vocational college, or a private academy, this competition is yours to enter. The rules below cover who qualifies, how teams are formed, what the system expects of the submission itself, and the small set of people who cannot enter.
Who qualifies
- Open to all TVET instructors in Malaysia, at public and private training institutions and agencies alike.
- No age limit, upper or lower. The competition is for the work, not for a career stage.
- Full-time service required with the institution, permanent or contract, for the duration of the competition period.
Team composition
- Team size. Solo, two-person, or three-person teams are accepted. No larger teams.
- Multiple projects per account, one per person. One account can register more than one project, in different categories or the same one, each with its own team. Please note that each individual can ONLY be on one team, so you compete once per edition.
- No institutional cap. An institution can submit any number of projects across any combination of categories.
What the work has to be
- Original work. The project must be the participant's own creation. A project that has already won MIPAC TVET in a previous edition is not eligible to compete again, unless it carries significant improvements the participant can demonstrate.
- Focused scope. Entries must focus on a specific Work Activity or skill from the relevant NOSS. Priority goes to innovation that explains that Work Activity in depth, not coverage of a whole Competency Unit or module.
- NOSS details stated. Content must focus on only one (1) skill activity or concept within the National Occupational Skills Standard (NOSS). An entry that does not clearly state the NOSS Code, NOSS Title, Competency Unit, and Work Activity may be marked incomplete during the compliance check.
- No sensitive content. Submissions with politically, religiously, or culturally sensitive material are not accepted.
- Complete submissions only. Incomplete submissions may be rejected.
- No plagiarism. Detected plagiarism is grounds for disqualification.
- Properly sourced assets. Every asset used (audio, graphics, video, images, content) must be original or properly licensed, with original sources credited. Copyright infringement is grounds for disqualification.
- AI usage declared. AI use is allowed and encouraged, but the AI tools used to build the project (platforms, applications, generative models) must be declared as part of the submission. Use it transparently, ethically, and responsibly.
Who cannot enter
- Members of the secretariat.
- Members of the judging panel.
- Anyone directly involved in running the judging process for the edition they would enter.
The competition flow at a high level.
From the day registration opens to the awards ceremony in November. This is the competition-level view, the dates you plan your work against. Once you register and log in, the participant portal walks you through each step in detail with reminders, deadline tracking, and direct upload tooling for documents and video.
Registration & abstract
Register your project and submit the abstract through the MIPAC TVET system during the six-week registration window.
Screening
The secretariat reviews every submitted abstract against the eligibility rules.
Eligible projects announced
Projects that clear screening are notified and move on to full submission.
Full submission
Eligible projects upload the complete materials, including the poster, project report, and supporting documents.
Evaluation
The judging panel scores every eligible project across two stages.
Winners announced
Results are published once scoring and secretariat review are complete.
Awards ceremony
MIPAC TVET 2026 winners are recognised at the awards ceremony.
How the judging works.
The work that comes through this competition deserves to be read carefully. A panel of TVET experts scores each eligible project across two stages, document evaluation and project presentation evaluation, using a five-level scale of Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Adequate, and Poor. The exact criteria and their weights are set per category by the MIPAC TVET evaluation committee, so judging fits the format of the work. The panel's decision is final.
The scoring rubric
Every criterion is scored on the same five levels, Poor to Excellent, so the panel stays consistent. What each level means is defined per criterion, and set per category by the evaluation committee. The example below shows how the scale reads for a single criterion.
What happens to your project after it's submitted.
For strong projects, the awards ceremony is not the end of the journey. The Competition Guidelines set out the rights CIAST holds over submitted material and the pathways a winning project may be selected for. Read this section before submitting if intellectual property treatment matters to you.
Use rights granted to CIAST
By participating, you grant CIAST the right to use, display, publish, adapt, or commercialise submission material for purposes of education, promotion, research, and TVET development. This applies to all submitted material, including documents, video, design, digital content, and project output.
Intellectual property protection
CIAST may assist with or manage intellectual property protection, including MyIPO registration, for projects with potential, subject to the organiser's discretion and the consent of the relevant parties. Any registration must credit the rightful creators, contributors, and owners of the innovation.
Pathways for winning projects
Strong projects can be added to the CIAST digital teaching bank, featured at the MIPAC TVET Innovation Showcase at institutional, national, or international level, deposited into the innovation repository, or published as documentation. They may also be shared with TVET institutions nationwide and considered for commercialisation pathways.
Training of Trainers (TOT)
CIAST may select winning projects for follow-on Training of Trainers programmes. The technique gets taught to other TVET instructors so the innovation spreads beyond the original participant's classroom.
Everything else worth asking.
These are the practical questions that usually appear once an instructor starts preparing a project. If the answer is not here, the MIPAC TVET secretariat on the Contact page can help.
Joining and team setup
Who can join MIPAC TVET 2026?
Any TVET instructor in Malaysia serving full-time at their training institution, public or private, permanent or contract, can enter. No age limit. The only exclusions are members of the secretariat, members of the judging panel, and anyone else directly involved in running the judging process.
Can I take part in more than one project?
No. Each person may compete in only one project per edition. You can be a member of a single team, in a single category, and that is your one entry. This is separate from managing the account, one account holder may create and manage several projects, but as a competitor you can join only one. So if you set up entries for others, you still appear on the team of just one project yourself.
Is there an entry fee?
No. MIPAC TVET 2026 is free for all eligible instructors.
Can I enter as a team, and how big?
Yes. A team can have one, two, or three instructors. Solo participation is fine.
Can one account register more than one project?
Yes. One account can register more than one project, in different categories or in the same category. Each project carries its own team and competes independently. Each person, though, can be on only one team per edition, so you cannot join more than one project yourself.
Can my institution submit more than one project?
Yes, with no cap. An institution can submit any number of projects across any combination of categories.
Submission and format
What exactly do I submit?
Core materials include a PDF project report up to 100 MB covering methodology, AI-tool declarations, learning outcomes, and supporting evidence, plus a project video in the category's required format. Some categories also require or allow posters, prototypes, source files, platform links, or other supporting documents. The application form captures your applicant details, institution, project title, chosen category, and any category-specific materials and supporting documents.
My file is bigger than the upload limit. What now?
Submit a public Google Drive link instead. The link must be set to general access so the judging panel can open it without permission requests. A locked Drive link counts as an incomplete submission and will not be processed.
Does the work need to be brand new, or can it be something I already use in class?
Yes. Material you have already used in class can still be entered, as long as it is your own original work.
Can a project that has entered another competition take part in this one?
A project that has entered other innovation competitions is allowed. However, a project that has already won MIPAC TVET in a previous edition is not eligible to compete again, unless it carries significant improvements that the participant can demonstrate. The organiser has the final say on eligibility.
Does my project have to cover a whole module?
No. One topic, one skill activity, or one concept from the NOSS. The competition explicitly rewards depth on one thing over coverage of many things.
Does my entry have to state specific NOSS details?
Yes. The content must focus on a single skill activity or concept within the National Occupational Skills Standard (NOSS). An entry that does not clearly state the NOSS Code, NOSS Title, Competency Unit, and Work Activity may be marked incomplete during the compliance check.
When does registration close?
Registration and abstract submission close on 4 September 2026. After screening, eligible projects have a separate window from 15 to 18 September to upload the full submission materials (poster, report, supporting documents). Plan your timeline with a buffer for both windows.
AI usage and originality
Can I use AI tools while building my project?
Yes. AI use is explicitly allowed in the development of submission material. The rule is that AI use must be ethical, transparent, and responsible, under Section 14 of the official Competition Guidelines. AI DigiTeach is the category specifically about AI integration in teaching, but AI tooling is allowed in any category as long as it is declared.
Do I have to declare which AI tools I used?
Yes. Participants must declare what AI was used in building the project, including the platforms, applications, and tools. The declaration is part of the submission, not an optional extra. Failure to declare AI use that the organiser later identifies is grounds for disqualification.
Will the organiser check for AI-generated content?
The organiser reserves the right to run plagiarism checks and verify AI-generated content across all submissions. Misuse of AI, false AI declarations, or hidden third-party content are grounds for disqualification.
Judging and results
How is my project scored?
The Competition Guidelines name eight criteria. They are design content, originality and creativity, project video, impact and usability, potential for widespread use, project report, compliance with mandatory specifications, and pitching. Each criterion uses a five-level scale (Excellent, Good, Satisfactory, Adequate, Poor). The per-criterion scoring breakdown is set per category by the MIPAC TVET evaluation committee and is documented in each category's own Competition Guidelines.
What happens during the project presentation evaluation session?
Your team presents the project to the judging panel online during the presentation window (5 to 16 October 2026). Slides, the project video, or a short live demonstration are all allowed. You will be notified of the time slot and the session link in the participant portal closer to the date.
Can I appeal a judging decision?
No. The judging panel's decision is final. The rubric, weighting, and scoring process are designed to make the result fair and consistent across the whole panel, and the outcome stands.
When and where do I see my result?
Inside the MIPAC TVET participant portal, on 16 October 2026. Participants see the outcome for their own project in the portal. Public recognition happens at the MIPAC TVET 2026 awards ceremony in November 2026.
Will the public see my scores?
No. Numerical scores stay inside the judging system. Participants see their own project outcome in the portal. The public results page may show published standings, ranks, and award tiers, but not the underlying scores.
Rights, IP, and what's next
What rights does CIAST hold over what I submit?
By participating, all material submitted is subject to use rights by the organiser. CIAST has the right to use, display, publish, adapt, or commercialise submission material for purposes of education, promotion, research, and TVET development. CIAST may also pursue intellectual property protection, including MyIPO registration, for projects with potential, at the organiser's discretion. See Section 6.11 and Section 6.12 of the official Competition Guidelines.
What if I use third-party assets in my project?
You are responsible for making sure every asset you use, such as an audio track, graphic, video, image, or content source, is either yours or properly licensed, and that original sources are credited. Copyright infringement leads to disqualification.
What happens to winning projects after the competition?
Strong projects can be added to the CIAST digital teaching bank, featured at the MIPAC TVET Innovation Showcase at institutional, national, or international level, deposited into the innovation repository, or published as documentation. They may also be shared with other TVET institutions and considered for MyIPO registration or commercialisation pathways. Some are picked up for follow-on Training of Trainers (TOT) programmes that spread the technique to other lecturers.
What can disqualify a project?
Plagiarism, copyright violations, false information, undeclared AI use, and misuse of AI are named grounds for disqualification. Incomplete submissions may be rejected instead of processed. Sensitive content is not allowed. The organiser reserves the right to cancel participation if any issue is discovered later, including after results have been published.