UMK NAMED SECOND PLACE WINNER OF THE SPECIAL AWARD BY THE MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR CURRICULUM DESIGN AND INNOVATIVE DELIVERY (AKRI) 2025 FOR THE PROJECT ON PROGRAMMING SKILLS THROUGH MINECRAFT-BASED IMMERSIVE LEARNING

Putrajaya, 5 November 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Kelantan (UMK) made history when it was named Second Place Winner in the Virtual Immersive Learning Experience category of the Special Award by the Minister of Higher Education for Curriculum Design and Innovative Delivery (AKRI) 2025.

The award was won by lecturers from the Faculty of Bioengineering and Technology (FBKT), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Azwadi Sulaiman and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mohamad Najmi Masri, through their project titled Enhancing Python Programming Skills Through Immersive Learning Based on Minecraft.

They brought home a prize consisting of RM5,000 in cash, a trophy, and a certificate of appreciation, presented during the Festival of Ideas Putrajaya (FOI) 2025.

The award ceremony was officiated by the Minister of Higher Education, YB Dato’ Seri Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, who presented the award to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Azwadi, witnessed by UMK Vice-Chancellor, Dato’ Prof. Ir. Dr. Arham Abdullah, at the Everly Hotel, Putrajaya, last night.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Education, YB Datuk Ts. Mustapha Sakmud, Director-General of Higher Education, Datuk Prof. Dr. Azlinda Azman, and UMK Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic and International), Prof. Dr. Huzili Hussin.

Prof. Dr. Huzili stated that this recognition highlights the transformative approach in innovative teaching, fostering meaningful learning among students. He congratulated the entire team and all those involved in making the project a success, noting its significant value to the university.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Azwadi, the project uses Minecraft Education Edition and the Python Island library to make computer programming learning more fun, interactive, and meaningful.

He explained that traditional methods such as written tests often place too much emphasis on memorizing syntax without truly helping students understand how to solve problems through code.

“Conventional learning methods are among the factors that cause students to lose interest and struggle to apply what they have learned in real situations.
In addition, instructors face difficulties in assessing how students solve problems, since paper-based tests do not show step-by-step thinking or creativity involved,” he said.

He added that another challenge is the diverse backgrounds and skill levels of students, making a “one-size-fits-all” approach less effective.

“Some learn quickly, while others need more time, and traditional methods often do not provide room for this flexibility.
Furthermore, technical issues such as limited lab equipment or tight schedules make it difficult to implement practical projects in class,” he explained.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Azwadi emphasized that this new learning approach overcomes those problems by giving students the opportunity to explore coding through game-based activities.

“With this method, students can play and write code in Minecraft, learning to use variables and conditional statements in Python.
They will complete missions, overcome challenges, and finish mini-projects while collecting evidence such as screenshots, code snippets, and personal reflections.
This helps instructors better understand each student’s progress, while students enjoy a more active learning experience, building real-world skills and self-confidence,” he said.