Kuching, Sarawak – August 2025 – Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), through its Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology (FCSIT), in collaboration with the Chinese and Oriental Languages Information Processing Society (COLIPS), proudly hosted two prestigious global conferences — The 14th International Conference on Information Technology in Asia (CITA 2025) and The 29th International Conference on Asian Language Processing (IALP 2025).
Held concurrently at the Borneo Cultures Museum, Kuching, the joint event marks a milestone for Sarawak as a hub for digital innovation and linguistic research.
Driving Digital Futures with CITA 2025
CITA 2025, themed “Embracing Disruptive Technologies for a Transformative Digital Future”, showcased cutting-edge research in artificial intelligence, big data, cybersecurity, IoT, special education technologies, and more.
With 35 accepted papers out of 63 submissions across Malaysia, Philippines, Morocco, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, China, and USA, the conference reinforced its role as a premier platform for IT research and collaboration.
Distinguished speakers included Prof. Ts. Dr. Ali bin Selamat from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Prof. Dr. Patrick Then from Sarawak Artificial Intelligence Centre, and Mr. Muhammad Usman from Embedded LLM, Singapore.
The conferences were officiated by Dato Sri Roland Sagah Wee Inn, Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development Sararak, highlighting Sarawak’s vision of becoming a leader in the digital economy.
Preserving Languages with IALP 2025
Simultaneously, IALP 2025, themed “Bridging Cultural Diversities, Innovation in Asian Language Processing”, gathered 43 delegates from 10 countries including China, Japan, Singapore, Brazil, and Malaysia.
Organized in collaboration with the Chinese and Oriental Languages Information Processing Society (COLIPS) and co-sponsored by IEEE, the conference emphasized the role of Natural Language Processing (NLP) in preserving Asia’s rich linguistic heritage.
Key highlights included focus on language preservation, educational tools, and cultural heritage digitization, plenary by Mr. Khalil Nooh, CEO of Mesolitica, on Malaysia’s first localized large language model, and keynote by Prof. Wu Zhizheng, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, on speech and language processing.
A Historic Convergence in Sarawak
This joint hosting of CITA and IALP 2025 represents the first time both conferences were held together, underscoring UNIMAS’s pivotal role in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration between technology and linguistics.
The dual event not only showcased global expertise but also spotlighted Sarawak’s cultural richness and its commitment to digital and educational transformation.
Looking Ahead
With impactful discussions, international participation, and strong government support, both CITA 2025 and IALP 2025 concluded as resounding successes.
The outcomes set the stage for greater innovation, cross-cultural collaboration, and advancements in digital technology and Asian language processing — placing Sarawak on the global research map.
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