AWS, Elitery expand CendekiAwan Malaysia programme with Asia Pacific University to advance student AI application development

• Initiative aims to build industry-ready AI talent through real-world application development
• Programme expands AI workforce readiness across technical and non-technical disciplines

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Elitery have expanded the CendekiAwan Malaysia programme with Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU), where 2,500 students across technical and non-technical disciplines completed a three-month generative AI development programme.

The 2026 phase marks a deeper expansion of the initiative. For the first time, students who demonstrated strong prototyping skills using AWS’s PartyRock app-building platform progressed to developing production-ready applications with Amazon Bedrock and Kiro.

The programme aims to help students move beyond AI experimentation into real-world application development using enterprise-grade AI tools and development environments.

AWS vice president of Global Data Center Operations Sergio M. Loureiro said the initiative reflects AWS’s broader commitment to developing AI-ready talent alongside digital infrastructure investments.

“In the first phase of CendekiAwan, Malaysian students showed they could build generative AI applications from scratch. In this second phase at APU, they progressed further by using Amazon Bedrock and Kiro to develop structured, production-ready applications addressing real-world challenges,” he added.

“That progression is what helps build a truly AI-ready workforce,” Sergio said.

Finalist projects were assessed based on innovation, prompt development quality, relevance and potential impact. The winning teams are:

• ‘GovTech’ (citizen services) and Social Impact: Team Viltrum with City Mind MY
• Smart Education: Team EC 1+1 with LangHub
• Financial Inclusion and SME Empowerment: Team Internelligence with SMEwise
• Digital Health: Team Mediguard with MediGuard
• Sustainable Environment and Climate: Team Whoopie with See You CO2

The latest phase builds on the first phase of CendekiAwan Malaysia, where more than 13,000 students across six universities developed generative AI applications using PartyRock.

Winning innovations from the earlier phase included Isihat+, a health-focused application, and CashSmart Campus, a personal finance tool designed to help students manage expenses and improve financial literacy.

To support continued learning, AWS is providing APU students with 12 months of AWS Skill Builder access alongside instructor-led training, hands-on labs and certification preparation.

Elitery has also trained approximately 50 lecturers and student leaders as “AI Champions” to help guide future student cohorts independently.

Elitery president director Kresna Adiprawira said the collaboration is focused on strengthening the connection between academia and industry needs while preparing students for AI-driven industries.

Meanwhile, APU chief innovation and enterprise officer Prof. Ir. EUR ING Dr. Vinesh Thiruchelvam said the programme gives students practical experience in building and deploying AI applications within a structured 12-week environment.

“The students who reached the finals using Amazon Bedrock and Kiro can now demonstrate not just concepts, but functional applications they built themselves,” he said.