PUTRAJAYA — The Putrajaya Idea Festival (FOI) 2026 will return for its third edition from Nov 17 to 19 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC), bringing together academics, policymakers, industry players and the public to discuss Malaysia’s future direction amid rapid global changes.
Organised by the Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE), this year’s festival carries the theme “Malaysia’s Future: Shaping Technology, Empowering Humanity” and continues the initiative first held in 2024 and 2025 to bring ideas and higher education closer to the public, position Malaysia as a higher education and research hub, and promote a culture of knowledge as the foundation of national progress.
The festival will be officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, followed by the National Student Ideas Gathering, which will provide a platform for students to voice their views, present ideas and share their aspirations for the country’s direction and future.
FOI 2026 will also feature an international dimension, with the participation of higher education ministers from the Philippines, Bangladesh, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Türkiye and Timor-Leste. Several other ministers and deputy ministers will also participate as forum panellists and speakers in parallel sessions.
In line with its theme, the festival will address four strategic national questions involving the role of artificial intelligence (AI), efforts to attract and retain local talent, the role of higher education institutions in producing nation-builders by 2040, and the use of innovation to improve community well-being in response to an ageing population.
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More than 20 main programmes have been organised under three frameworks — Explore, Challenge and Translate — covering the Malaysia Idea Conference (SIM), IdeaPulse and various policy conferences and workshops.
These include the ASEAN Higher Education Leadership Forum (ASHELF), University Network for Research Collaboration (iUNRC), Environmental, Social and Governance Summit (ESG Summit), as well as an integrity roundtable in collaboration with Elsevier.
Other highlights include the Higher Education Minister’s Special Award for Innovative Curriculum Design and Delivery (AKRI), the Digital Innovation Creativepreneur Competition (DICE 4.0), the University Social Enterprise Competition (USEC) and the Malaysia Scopus Research Star Awards.
Visitors can also explore exhibitions and activities such as the Wall of Ideas, World of Tunnel, MOHE Pavilion, higher education institution industry and research exhibitions, Jom Masuk Universiti Mini Carnival, mobile services by University Teaching Hospitals, Ideas in Action: Edutainment & Innovation @ FOI, Ideatech: Innovation Showcase and a career carnival.
As a key outcome of the festival, the Malaysia Idea Booklet, containing at least 10 main agendas, will be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration and further action during the closing ceremony officiated by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Diraja Dr Zambry Abd Kadir.
The public is invited to attend FOI 2026 from 9 am to 6 pm daily between Nov 17 and 19 at PICC.
