KUCHING — The Poliku Research & Innovation Exhibition (PRIEx) Session I 2026/2027 has provided a platform for students of Politeknik Kuching Sarawak to showcase innovative designs and research with potential for commercialisation.
Organised by the polytechnic’s Department of Commerce, the exhibition demonstrated students’ ability to translate academic theories into practical solutions to real-world problems, with projects covering various areas of innovation and research.
Chief Judge Dr Azlina Bujang, Head of the Centre of Studies at Universiti Teknologi MARA’s Institute of Continuing Education and Professional Studies, expressed her appreciation for the quality of the projects presented across several priority areas.
These included information technology (IT) and the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and marketing, environment and sustainability, as well as socially impactful research.
The IT and IoT projects featured user-friendly and cost-efficient designs aimed at improving operational efficiency, while AI-based projects demonstrated creative applications in budget management and product enhancement to meet current market demands.
Environment and sustainability projects focused on renewable energy and recycled materials in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), while socially impactful research explored solutions that could provide direct benefits to local communities.
To strengthen the commercialisation potential of the projects, the judging panel advised participants to conduct real-user validation, protect their intellectual property from the early stages, and carry out laboratory and market testing.
Dr Azlina said the judging process was not solely about identifying winners but also about assessing students’ learning process, willingness to experiment, ability to identify problems and capacity to turn ideas into impactful solutions.
“As judges, we do not merely look at who wins. More importantly, we look at the learning process, the courage to try, the ability to identify problems, and the ability to turn an idea into an impactful solution,” she said.
She urged the students not to stop at the competition stage but to continue developing their ideas beyond the exhibition.
The opening and judging session was also attended by Politeknik Kuching Sarawak’s Academic Deputy Director Ts Aidawati Mustapha, Deputy Director of Support (Academic) Mohd Saiful Fadli Maidin, Head of the Research and Innovation Unit Dasima Nen @ Shahinan, and Head of the Department of Commerce Melissa Audrey Adriana Liu Abdullah.
