Tan Sri Chan (fourth from right) unveils the STEAM @ TAR UMT event poster during the announcement ceremony. Accompanying him are (leftmost onwards) Pn Saidah binti Muhamed, Penolong Pengarah, Unit Pembangunan Bakat Murid, Sektor Pembangunan Murid, JPWPKL, Assoc Prof Dr Chook Ka Joo, Vice President of TAR UMT, En Muhamad Tarmizi bin Muhammad Nor, Ketua Penolong Pengarah, Unit Pembangunan Bakat Murid, Sektor Pembangunan Murid, JPWPKL, Prof Dato’ Indera Ir Dr Lee, (rightmost onwards) Ts Nik Naharudin bin Mohd Nasir, Director, Digital Talent and Entrepreneurship Digital Adoption, Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), Assoc Prof Ir Dr Goh Kam Meng, Programme Leader of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology (FOET) of TAR UMT and Vice Organising Chairperson of STEAM @ TAR UMT, and Assoc Prof Ts Dr Lim Li Li, Dean of FOET and Organising Chairperson of STEAM @ TAR UMT.
TAR UMT is excited to announce the inaugural STEAM @ TAR UMT – a large-scale educational festival on Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM), happening on 13 – 15 November 2026.
The announcement was made by Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy, Chairman of the Board of Governors of TAR UMT, in a press conference held on 10 June 2026.
“The future will require talents who can connect technical knowledge with creativity, human values, and practical application. Many of the challenges - including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, smart cities, sustainability, food security, and future technologies - require interdisciplinary thinking, hence the importance of STEAM education and the reason why TAR UMT is organising this festival. This initiative is also in line with the Government’s strategic shift from STEM to STEAM, as outlined in the Malaysia Education and Higher Education Blueprints (2026 – 2035),” Tan Sri Chan said in his opening speech.
The three-day event in November 2026 will be held at various locations in TAR UMT Arena at its Kuala Lumpur campus, featuring a variety of activities such as exhibitions, technology showcases, talks, forums, hands-on workshops, and several competitions.
To kick things off, the STEAMVerse Contest 2026 will commence on 11 June 2026. This contest is a poster and prototype competition for students to present innovative STEAM solutions to real-world challenges, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). It is open to primary, secondary, Form 6 and international school students.
Prof Dato’ Indera Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei, President of TAR UMT, is looking forward to welcoming everyone to STEAM @ TAR UMT later this year to experience the exciting potential of pursuing a future in STEAM.
“It is a common perception that a study and career pathway in science, technology, or engineering is difficult. Many are also unaware of the importance of arts in enhancing STEM’s strengths. This event aims to help students discover the many interesting aspects of STEM and how arts can boost imagination, empathy, and design sense with STEM skills. We hope that by exposing them to emerging technologies, innovations, and future career pathways, students will set their goal to pursue tertiary education and subsequently a future career in STEAM,” said Prof Dato’ Indera Ir Dr Lee.
STEAM @ TAR UMT is organised by TAR UMT, in collaboration with Jabatan Pendidikan Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (JPWPKL) under the Ministry of Education. The festival aims to attract at least 10,000 visitors, especially students from the primary, secondary, and international schools, as well as Form 6 students.
For more information and updates about STEAM @ TAR UMT, please visit the official website at https://steamtarumt.com/.
