DHI launches #DigiInventors Challenge in Malaysia with new pilots in Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur
Scottish innovation programme expands internationally to inspire the next generation of digital innovators, with its Sarawak pilot supporting the launch of the new Sarawak Science Centre.
The Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI) is expanding its flagship #DigiInventors Challenge internationally with the launch of two new pilot programmes in Malaysia, bringing the initiative to secondary school students in Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur.
The expansion marks an exciting new chapter for the Scotland-based programme, with Sarawak at the heart of the international pilot and the #DigiInventors Challenge contributing to activities surrounding the launch of the new Sarawak Science Centre.
The #DigiInventors Challenge 2026 Secondary School Edition Sarawak is delivered by the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, Scotland, in partnership with the British High Commission Kuala Lumpur, the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC), BrightSparX, the University of Technology Sarawak, Sarawak Science Centre
Schools participating in the 2026 BrightSparX Challenge are being invited to take part, giving young people in Sarawak an opportunity to develop creative digital solutions to real-world challenges affecting health, wellbeing and communities.
The initiative will introduce students to areas including digital health, Artificial Intelligence (AI), emerging technologies, sustainable innovation, entrepreneurship and design thinking. Through challenge-based learning, participants will develop ideas while building skills in creativity, research, teamwork, problem-solving, communication and pitching.
The programme also aims to strengthen connections between Scotland and Malaysia, bringing together schools, universities, government, innovation organisations and industry around a shared ambition to develop future-ready skills and inspire young people to become the innovators of tomorrow.
Professor George Crooks OBE, CEO of the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre, said:
“Having the opportunity to share the benefits that participation in the #DigiInventors Challenge has brought to school students across Scotland with their counterparts in Sarawak and in Kuala Lumpur is the next step in building a truly global initiative. Being able to demonstrate that getting involved in the creation of digital solutions to address healthcare challenges that are relevant to their own peer group can provoke an interest that can lead to participants choosing to explore the possibility of a future career in digital technology development or in healthcare itself.
Working in teams and learning how to take an idea from concept through to a workable solution creates many different learning opportunities that span science, technology and business skills and demonstrate the importance of team working, communication and interpersonal skills whilst still having fun. This would not have been possible without the assistance of our partners the British High Commission Kuala Lumpur, the Ministry of Education, Innovation and Talent Development, Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC), BrightSparX, the University of Technology Sarawak and Sarawak Science Centre”.
Ts. Dr. Peter Morin Nissom, General Manager of the Sarawak Research and Development Council (SRDC), said:
“Sarawakian ingenuity meets Scottish innovation: creating digital solutions for better health and care. Through the #DigiInventors Challenge, we are giving young people the opportunity to apply their creativity, ideas and digital skills to real-world challenges, while building valuable international connections between Sarawak and Scotland.”
Connecting young innovators with Glasgow 2026
The Malaysian pilots will also create a direct connection between young people in Malaysia and Scotland through a special collaboration with the All In Glasgow 2026 programme.
Students will have the opportunity to respond to an official challenge set by the Glasgow 2026 team, using one of the Commonwealth Youth Games Malta 2027 sports as inspiration to develop a sustainable digital solution that can improve the mental, social and/or physical wellbeing of young people.
The challenge will encourage students to explore how technology, creativity and innovation can respond to real-world needs while connecting them to the values of inclusion, participation and community impact associated with the Commonwealth sporting movement.
Extending the pilot to Kuala Lumpur
Alongside the Sarawak programme, DHI is launching a second #DigiInventors pilot in Kuala Lumpur, supported by the British High Commission Kuala Lumpur and Heriot-Watt University Malaysia.
Ten selected secondary schools in Kuala Lumpur are being invited to participate, with teams having the opportunity to progress to a two-day #DigiInventors bootcamp at Heriot-Watt University Malaysia.
Together, the Sarawak and Kuala Lumpur pilots will explore how the #DigiInventors model can be adapted and delivered internationally, while creating new connections between young people, educators and innovation ecosystems in Scotland and Malaysia.
Originally developed in Scotland, the #DigiInventors Challenge uses real-world challenges to introduce young people to digital health and care, innovation, entrepreneurship and design-led problem-solving. Participants are supported to identify a problem, research the needs of their intended users, develop a digital solution and communicate their idea through a team pitch.
The Malaysian expansion builds on DHI's ambition to inspire more young people to see themselves as innovators and demonstrate how international collaboration can help equip the next generation with the skills, confidence and curiosity needed to address future health and wellbeing challenges.
Further information:
#DigiInventors Challenge – Sarawak:
#DigiInventors Challenge – Kuala Lumpur:
