Curtin Malaysia team advances to critical chip design stage in statewide IC competition

Miri, Sarawak – 19 May 2026 – A team of engineering students from Curtin University Malaysia (Curtin Malaysia) has reached a major milestone in the highly competitive Sarawak Microelectronics Design (SMD) Semiconductor Integrated Circuit (IC) Design Competition 2026, advancing to the crucial chip design phase of the programme.

The achievement places the Curtin Malaysia team among the promising young innovators contributing to the future of Sarawak’s growing semiconductor industry.

Supervised by team advisors Dr. Han Yi Chiew and Dr. Mohammed Sultan Ahmed Mohammed, the four-member student team is now entering a technically demanding stage that requires industry-level design precision and validation.

According to Dr. Mohammed Sultan, the next phase will challenge students to develop semiconductor designs that meet professional fabrication standards.

“Our students will undergo rigorous design reviews conducted by SMD specialists to ensure their work meets industry standards and is ready for eventual fabrication,” he said.

Recently, team members Ivan Chew Tong Zheng and Quek En Jian represented Curtin Malaysia at the SMD IC Design Competition 2026 (ICD26) Bootcamp, held from 13 to 17 April at the SMD Academy in Kota Samarahan.

The intensive five-day bootcamp brought together top university teams from across Sarawak in a collaborative environment focused on innovation, advanced semiconductor design practices, and real-world engineering problem-solving.

Participants engaged in immersive design thinking workshops, technical discussions, and hands-on sessions led by experienced semiconductor industry experts, gaining direct exposure to professional IC design workflows and current industry expectations.

For the Curtin Malaysia students, the bootcamp marked a significant step forward in their journey through one of the state’s most competitive industry-driven engineering programmes.

Dr. Han said participation in the competition reflects Curtin Malaysia’s commitment to producing industry-ready graduates equipped with both technical expertise and practical experience.

“The competition provides students with rare, end-to-end exposure to chip development, from initial concept and design validation to preparation for physical silicon, while reinforcing critical skills such as teamwork, innovation, and engineering discipline,” he said.

Curtin Malaysia congratulated the students and their advisors on reaching this important milestone and expressed confidence in the team’s continued progress in the competition.

The achievement further underscores the university’s role in nurturing high-impact engineering talent and supporting the development of Sarawak’s rapidly expanding semiconductor ecosystem.

For more information on Curtin Malaysia, visit curtin.edu.my or follow Curtin Malaysia on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn or TikTok.

Dr Mohammed Sultan (standing, 5th left) with Curtin Malaysia’s IC Design Competition team and fellow participants during the ICD26 Bootcamp.