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Guided by its Digital Transformation Vision since 2019, the Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) has emerged as a trailblazer in technological advancement within Malaysia’s higher education landscape.
The university’s unwavering pursuit of innovation recently culminated in an outstanding achievement — First Place at the 2025 Asia Pacific IPv6 & Net 5.5G Innovation Competition, organised by the APAC IPv6 Council, a regional chapter of the global IPv6 Forum.
The winning project, aptly titled “APU IPv6-Enabled Smart Campus Network”, exemplifies how universities can harness the latest networking and connectivity technologies to enhance academic excellence, operational efficiency, and student experience.
Officially announced on 1 October 2025, the victory positions APU as a national role model for higher education institutions seeking to implement IPv6, digital identity management, and smart campus automation.
A Vision Realised Through Collaboration and Innovation
The project was the brainchild of Professor Ir EUR ING Dr Vinesh Thiruchelvam, APU’s Chief Innovation & Enterprise Officer (CIEO), and Mr Rasodin Ramuddin Hamzah, Manager of Technology & Infrastructure. Together, they envisioned a campus network that was not only robust and scalable but also intelligent and future-ready.
Submitted on 15 July 2025, their report documented a journey that spanned nearly a decade — from the initial deployment of 5G and IPv6 elements in 2017 to the full-scale implementation of APU’s Smart Campus Infrastructure by 2025.
The project demonstrated end-to-end design, testing, and engineering, complemented by in-house maintenance and continuous innovation.
The APAC IPv6 Council validated APU’s network transformation through rigorous evaluation, affirming its technical excellence and leadership in adopting next-generation network technologies.
Building Malaysia’s Future-Ready Smart Campus
Prof Vinesh shared that APU’s transformation was driven by the need for secure, scalable, and intelligent connectivity across its multiple campuses and accommodation facilities.
“APU has embarked on a strategic initiative to transform our multi-building campus into a future-ready smart campus network that fully supports IPv6, automation, cybersecurity, and intelligent services,” he said.
The university’s IPv6 Smart Campus Transformation Project, launched in 2020, incorporated a range of forward-thinking initiatives, including:
- End-to-end dual-stack IPv4/IPv6 deployment to ensure seamless transition and compatibility.
- Unified identity-based access and segmentation for secure and personalised user experiences.
- AI-powered cybersecurity monitoring to safeguard campus-wide digital ecosystems.
- Real-time wireless attendance tracking and IPv6 transit integration to improve operational efficiency.
- Smart classroom automation utilising IPv6-connected IoT devices to enhance learning engagement.
- A gigabit-class backbone infrastructure supporting high-speed connectivity across all teaching, learning, and research environments.
“These efforts align with both national and global initiatives to modernise education infrastructure, enhance network efficiency, and enable intelligent campus services through 5G and IPv6 technologies,” added Prof Vinesh.
Empowering the APU Community Through Technology
The Smart Campus project now supports more than 10,000 concurrent endpoints, integrating academic and operational platforms into a unified ecosystem that enhances the digital experience for students, faculty, and staff alike.
Beyond connectivity, the initiative reinforces APU’s holistic approach to education — one that merges technology with human potential.
Mr Rasodin emphasised that the transformation went beyond infrastructure, “Our goal was to create a living, learning ecosystem that adapts to users’ needs. With IPv6, we have not only future-proofed our network but also built a platform that supports innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability for years to come.”
A Model for the Nation’s Digital Future
APU’s success story represents more than a technical achievement — it marks a national milestone in Malaysia’s digital education journey. The university’s smart campus ecosystem now:
- Serves as a national reference model for higher education institutions pursuing IPv6, digital identity management, and automation.
- Supports Malaysia’s MyDIGITAL blueprint and IPv6 adoption strategy, proving that large-scale IPv6 deployment can be achieved effectively within the education sector.
- Promotes intelligent infrastructure and digital security as essential enablers of Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) readiness.
These outcomes underline APU’s pivotal role in advancing Malaysia’s digital transformation agenda, setting a precedent for collaboration between academia, industry, and government.
Celebrating Teamwork and Vision
In congratulating the team, Mr Gurpardeep Singh, Chief Operating Officer of APU, commended the collaborative effort that drove the project’s success, “This victory is a reflection of APU’s collective strength — a synergy of academic brilliance, operational excellence, and an unrelenting drive to innovate. Our staff, both academic and operational, have demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and vision in bringing digital transformation to life. This win reinforces APU’s standing as a leader in shaping Malaysia’s smart education landscape.”
Leading the Way Forward
With this achievement, APU continues to reaffirm its position as Malaysia’s most technologically advanced private university, paving the way for others to follow. The institution’s ongoing investments in digital transformation, sustainability, and innovation ensure that it remains at the forefront of education in the digital age — empowering future generations to learn, connect, and thrive in an intelligent campus environment.