Johor Bahru, Malaysia and Singapore, 20–22 October 2026 – ICDL Asia Digital Literacy Day 2026, organised by ICDL Asia and hosted by Sunway TES College Johor Bahru, Johor Skills Development Centre and Singapore Polytechnic, concluded successfully following three days of knowledge sharing, collaboration and discussions on digital literacy and workforce transformation.
Drawing more than 300 attendees from over 14 territories across the Asia Pacific region, the three-day conference, themed “Building an AI-Ready Society Through Digital Literacy,” provided a platform for academic leaders, industry experts and training providers to exchange insights on digital skills, emerging technologies and evolving learning trends across the region.
Distinguished guests in attendance included H.E. Orla Tunney, Ambassador of Ireland to Malaysia; H.E. Damien Cole, Ambassador of Ireland to Singapore and non-resident Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam; YBrs. Ir. Ts. Dr. Kamaruzaman bin Haji Md. Ali, Director General of the Department of Skills Development (JPK), Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia; Mr. Syed Yazrine Shahab, Head of the Southern Regional Digital Economy Office, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Malaysia; Mr. Damien O’Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of ICDL Foundation; Professor Teo Ee Sing, Managing Director of Sunway College and Founder of Sunway TES Sdn Bhd, Malaysia; Dr. Mohamad Anas Mohamad Annuar, Chief Executive Officer of Johor Skills Development Centre (JSkills), Malaysia; Mr. Loh Yew Chiong, Deputy Principal (Academic) of Singapore Polytechnic; and Ms. Tina Wu, Chief Executive Officer of ICDL Asia, Singapore, among other distinguished representatives.
Day 1 – Best Practices Sharing, Educators’ Showcase and Award Ceremony
The first day of the conference, held at Sunway TES College Johor Bahru on 20 October, highlighted the vital role of digital skills in education and the importance of cross-sector partnerships in achieving sustainable digital transformation. Sessions demonstrated how technology is accelerating progress across diverse sectors, with representatives from different countries in Asia sharing successful initiatives that are shaping the future of digital education.
Best Practices Sharing Session
Malaysia Best Practices – Ms. Fadzliaton binti Zainudin, Deputy Director (Policy, Planning and Research Sector), Educational Resources and Technology Division, Ministry of Education, Malaysia
Thailand Best Practices – Dr. Twarath Sutabutr, President, Office of Knowledge Management and Development (OKMD), Thailand
Thailand Best Practices – Mr. Somchai Prajaksoot, Managing Director, Digital Focus Co., Ltd., Thailand
Vietnam Best Practices – Mr. Minh Nguyen, Project Manager, EMG Education, Vietnam
Singapore Best Practices – Mr. Shyam Luke, Head of Subject, Assumption Pathway School, Ministry of Education, Singapore
Malaysia Best Practices – Prof. Teo Ee Sing, Managing Director, Sunway College and Founder, Sunway TES Sdn Bhd, Malaysia
Digital Educators’ Showcase
Another highlight of the day was the Digital Educators’ Showcase, which featured selected winners of the ICDL Asia Digital Educators’ Awards 2026 from Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. These award-winning educators shared their innovative pedagogical approaches and best practices for integrating ICT to enhance teaching, learning, and assessment. Their presentations demonstrated how digital tools can improve educational outcomes, support diverse learning needs, and elevate the overall quality of education.
Day 2 – Spotlight on Digital Skills in TVET
Held at the Johor Skills Development Centre (JSkills) in Pasir Gudang, Johor, Malaysia, on 21 October 2026, the second day of ICDL Asia Digital Literacy Day 2026 opened with remarks by Ms. Tina Wu, Chief Executive Officer of ICDL Asia, followed by a welcome address by Dr. Mohamad Anas Mohamad Annuar, Chief Executive Officer of Johor Skills Development Centre (JSkills). The programme continued with a special address by Syed Yazrine Shahab of the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and a keynote address by Dr. Kamaruzaman Md. Ali, Director General of the Department of Skills Development (JPK), Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia.
The day also featured the session “Spotlight on Digital Skills in TVET – Success Stories of Digital Transformation in TVET,” bringing together speakers from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines to share insights and experiences in advancing digital skills and transformation across the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) ecosystem.
Ts. Suriani binti Ngatiman – Assistant Director (TVET Specialisation Training Development Unit), Coaching Development and Industry Relations Sector, Technical and Vocational Education and Training Division, Ministry of Education, Malaysia
Mr. Chia Chow Leong – Centre Director, Cluster Industry Engagement Centre, Singapore Polytechnic, Singapore
Ms. Benjawan Pokpong – Director, Bureau of Cooperation, Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Ministry of Education, Thailand
Engr. Allan Godfrey Sagun – Head of School (School of Technology), Treston International College, Philippines
Ms. Nor Asmah binti Daud – Director (Southern Region), Department of Skills Development (JPK), Ministry of Human Resources, Malaysia
Day 3 – Digital Skills for Industry Transformation
The Day 3 conference took place on 22 October 2026 at the Singapore Polytechnic, with an opening address by Ms. Tina Wu, Chief Executive Officer of ICDL Asia, followed by a welcome address by Loh Yew Chiong, Deputy Principal (Academic) of Singapore Polytechnic, a special address by H.E. Damien Cole, Ambassador of Ireland to Singapore, and keynote from Mr. Damien O’Sullivan, Chief Executive Officer of the ICDL Foundation.
Experts’ Sharing Session on Key Digital Trends in Industry
The programme continued with expert-sharing sessions featuring six speakers who explored emerging digital trends across industries, featuring industry leaders and digital transformation experts sharing insights on emerging digital trends, AI adoption and the evolving digital landscape across diverse sectors.
Mr. Brian Choong Wai Seng, Vice President II, Sector Head, MyMAHIR Sector Development, TalentCorp (an agency under the Ministry of Human Resources), Malaysia
Mr. Phiriyaphong Chaengchenwet – Director, Bureau of Enterprise Promotion and Professional Qualification System Training at Thailand Professional Qualification Institute, Thailand
Dr. Suksun Ratavessanun – First Vice President (Human Resources), Sukhumvit Asset Management (a subsidiary of Bank of Thailand), Thailand
Ms. Jane Han – Regional Solution Architect, Ant Digital Technologies (the technology commercialisation arm of Ant Group), Singapore
Mr. Alvin Tan – Director of Business Development & Academic Programmes for Asia Pacific, Siemens Digital Industries Software, Singapore
Mr. Budiman Bujang – Deputy Chief Digital Officer, AI Strategy, Enterprise Transformation & Digital Innovation Leader, JCorp, Malaysia
Mr. Stephen Yee – Director, BDO Digital Advisory, Singapore
Celebrating Achievements with ICDL Asia Award Ceremonies
In conjunction with the Digital Literacy Day 2026, ICDL Asia also celebrated outstanding students, educators, employers and partners through the Digital Challenge Awards, Digital Educators’ Awards, Digital Employers’ Awards and ICDL Asia Partner Awards. The awards recognised excellence in digital skills, innovative use of ICT in education, workforce development and contributions to advancing digital literacy across the Asia Pacific region. (Click on the link attached to each award to view the list of awardees and learn more about the award.)
in conclusion, ICDL Asia Digital Literacy Day 2026 brought together stakeholders across Johor, Malaysia, and Singapore to foster meaningful dialogue, share insights and strengthen collaboration in advancing digital skills development and innovation. Made possible by our host institutions including Sunway TES College Johor Bahru, Johor Skills Development Centre and Singapore Polytechnic and supporting partners Enterprise Ireland, Siemens and Skillsbox, the three-day conference laid a strong foundation for continued regional collaboration towards building a digitally competent and AI-ready society.