MK FMHS academic secures gold award and first prize at iNVENTX 2024

Dr Kaur Kirandeep Kulwant, an academic from M. Kandiah Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (MK FMHS), achieved the distinguished Gold Award and First Prize in the Education and Social Science category at iNVENTX 2024, held on 20 October 2024 at Multimedia University (MMU) TM Digital Academy.

Dr Kaur and her team’s project, titled Metaverse Engineering Lab (MEL), was recognised for their pioneering work in educational technology. They received a cash prize and an e-certificate for their achievement. Their project was one of the top 290 submissions and showcased the Metaverse’s potential to transform higher education in Malaysia, paving the way for a future expansion into medical education.

Dr Kaur

The project, “Metaverse Engineering Lab (MEL)”, was developed in collaboration with Dr Manjit Singh Sidhu and Ms Sara Mousakhani from Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN). The team selected the Metaverse platform as a futuristic tool for education, recognising its growing use in higher education across developed countries. The Metaverse Engineering Lab was presented through a combination of a digital poster, a video presentation, and an on-site pitch on 18th October 2024. Dr Kaur said, “Our goal was to be pioneers in evaluating the feasibility and effectiveness of the Metaverse in Malaysia’s educational sector. This award is a meaningful recognition of our research efforts, motivating us to develop further and extend this technology to benefit medical education.”

The iNVENTX 2024 exhibition, organised by MMU, brought together inventors, researchers, and professionals from around the globe to present cutting-edge projects across categories like Computing & Informatics, Engineering & Industrial Design, Digital Creative & Cinematic Arts, Education & Social Science, and Sustainable Development Goals. Originally known as RICES, iNVENTX has since expanded to include participants from various institutions, offering a valuable platform for networking and potential commercialisation of innovative projects. This hybrid event aimed to drive economic growth and societal impact, encouraging collaboration among academia, industry, and government stakeholders worldwide.

The judging criteria at iNVENTX focused on the project’s novelty, applicability, creativity, potential for commercial use, and the quality of knowledge transfer. The “Metaverse Engineering Lab (MEL)” project was particularly lauded for its innovativeness, high impact on education, and readiness for application in real-world learning scenarios. The team’s victory was not only a personal achievement for Dr Kaur but also an acknowledgement of UTAR’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of educational technology to benefit society.

Dr Kaur’s achievement is a significant milestone, reinforcing UTAR’s dedication to fostering groundbreaking research that addresses modern educational challenges through digital transformation.