POLYCC Institutions Must Foster AI Culture On Campus – Zambry

SHAH ALAM, Sept 14 (Bernama) -- The leadership of all Polytechnic and Community College (POLYCC) institutions has been urged to remain proactive in shaping and fostering an artificial intelligence (AI) culture on campus.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said this culture was not merely about using applications, but also involved leveraging technology to create more efficient, faster and more effective ways of working.

He said institutional leadership must drive this change and provide opportunities for staff and students to adapt to new technologies such as Agentic AI.

"This effort is in line with the POLYCC agenda as Professional and Technical Education (PTE) institutions that always remain relevant to current developments.

"I view these institutions not merely as technology users, but as being capable of exploring, adapting and leveraging it to strengthen learning and produce graduates ready for the future of work," he said.

His speech was read out by Polytechnic and Community College Education Department (JPPKK) director-general Dr Shamsuri Abdullah at the launching ceremony of the POLYCC Agentic AI League 2026 and the POLYCC AI Buddy platform at the Selangor International Trade Centre (STIC) here today.

Zambry said the success of the AI agenda was also measured by the ability to improve the quality of learning and the employability of local graduates.

"We want Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to always move in tandem with technological developments, and even be brave enough to stay ahead of these changes.

"If today we learn to use AI, tomorrow we must be able to create value through it, in addition to being brave enough to change, being ready to learn, and having the spirit to continuously explore," he said.

He said POLYCC was trusted to produce a generation ready to shape its own future and hoped that AI integration programmes would not stop as mere events, but instead develop into a culture.

Meanwhile, Shamsuri said the gamification-based competition, which ran from July to Aug 31, highlighted Agentic AI, a new generation of AI capable of planning, making decisions and executing autonomous actions to solve tasks in real-world challenges. Gamification involves applying game elements to learning methods.

"The initiative serves as a platform to build and strengthen AI talent among the POLYCC community in line with the needs of the future digital workforce.

"This concurrently supports efforts to produce TVET talent that is adaptive, innovative and prepared for technological developments as well as the needs of the digital world," he said.

Politeknik Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin (PTSS) in Arau, Perlis was crowned champion, followed by Politeknik Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin (PSMZA) in Dungun, Terengganu in second place, while third place went to Politeknik Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah (POLIMAS) in Jitra, Kedah.

The competition, which gathered 3,118 POLYCC students and lecturers from across the country, also received recognition from the Malaysia Book of Records for The Largest Participation in an Agentic AI Competition.

-- BERNAMA