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A team of Diploma in ICT with specialism in Data Informatics students from the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) has emerged as double gold winners at the Edu@Innovate 2025 competition.
Despite competing against Master’s and PhD-level participants, Bowie Chong Yu Shin, Cheang Zhi Lin, Ian Chin Jun Sheng, and Ritchie Boon Win Yew claimed both a Gold Award and the Best Gold Award for their innovative project, Ravana Reimagined: Malaysia’s Wayang Kulit Experience.
Held at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Perak, from 19-20 May 2025, Edu@Innovate 2025 was endorsed by the Ministry of Education Malaysia and featured alongside the National Seminar on the Future of Academic Programmes (SEPAKAD) and the Mini Festival of Ideas Putrajaya@Perak. The event brought together education innovators from around the world under the theme: "Empowering Humanity Amidst the Evolving Landscape of Innovation Challenges".
As the youngest participants in the highly competitive Higher Education Institutions (Public/Private) category, APU’s students made a powerful impression with their AI-driven cultural preservation project. Their achievement is particularly significant given the calibre of their competitors—postgraduate students from institutions across Malaysia.
Their award-winning innovation, Ravana Reimagined, blends technology and tradition through an AI-powered chatbot that reintroduces Maharaja Wana—the Kelantanese Wayang Kulit version of Ravana from the Ramayana. The chatbot features interactive storytelling, quizzes, a virtual museum, and colouring activities, all aimed at reigniting interest in this traditional art form among the younger generation.
“The audience fell silent in awe as the students received the overall Best Gold Award,” shared their mentor, Associate Professor Ts Dr Vinothini Kasinathan of the School of Computing (SoC), APU.
“This was recognition of their excellence across innovation, poster presentation, and pitching. Even VIPs on stage were visibly moved. A senior Ministry official personally congratulated the team and thanked APU for participating.”
The Spark Behind Ravana Reimagined
The project began when Dr Vino introduced the students to Wayang Kulit through images from the Malay Ethnology Museum. Intrigued, team leader Bowie Chong asked who the villain was in the story. Upon learning it was Ravana, she simply declared, “I want him.”
The students soon discovered the nuanced persona of Ravana, portrayed as a villain in Malaysian folklore but revered in Sri Lanka. This duality sparked the idea to create a platform that would both educate and celebrate cultural diversity.
During the Q&A session, when asked why the team chose such a theme, Bowie responded, “Because it’s a dying culture.” Her simple yet powerful answer left a lasting impact on the judges.
The team—Bowie, Cheang, Ian, and Ritchie—developed the chatbot as part of an assignment for their Introduction to AI module. What began as coursework evolved into a meaningful project that showcased how technology can preserve and promote cultural identity.
“We aimed to create something fun, interactive, and educational,” Bowie explained.
“This experience taught us teamwork, and communication, and helped us improve our presentation skills while deepening our appreciation for Wayang Kulit.”
Looking Ahead
Winning at Edu@Innovate 2025 has given the students not only national recognition but also valuable insights and motivation to continue innovating.
“We plan to enter more competitions, gather feedback, and keep improving our chatbot,” said Bowie. “The project has already exceeded our expectations, and we’re excited about its potential.”
