3rd iOBE Workshop @ UPNM Engineering

The third iOBE workshop for the Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia (UPNM) was conducted online on 17 September 2026. This half-day session, titled "Strengthening the iOBE Implementation" builds on the introductory seminar held in March 2025 and the full-day hands-on workshop in May 2025.

A key focus this time was a deeper exploration of the foundational mathematical formulations underlying the iOBE software — a topic the participants had been keen to understand further since the previous sessions. The workshop walked through how assessment marks are converted into course and programme outcomes through the AT-CO and AT-PO mapping matrices, and how the weightage and normalisation mechanisms work across different mapping styles.

The participants then moved into the hands-on segment, with successful implementation of the iOBE software in processing several data at the course and multiple-course levels, generating outcomes reports with box plots and population charts ready for use in their Course Assessment Reports.

A major highlight of this workshop was the introduction of an AI Analyst developed specifically to work with iOBE output data. The AI Analyst interprets and provides deep insights on course and student performance by triangulating across the different graphs and statistical outputs that iOBE produces. This represents a significant step forward in how iOBE data can be used — moving beyond visual inspection of charts towards AI-assisted analysis that can identify patterns, flag areas of concern, and suggest targeted improvements for CQI at both the course and programme levels.

Many thanks to the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, PM Dr Mohd Taufik, for the invitation, and to the Deputy Dean of Academic, PM Dr Ku Zarina, Mrs Hapsa, and Mrs Santy for coordinating and facilitating the workshop. This third session with FK UPNM marks a maturing partnership, with the faculty now well-positioned to integrate iOBE and its AI capabilities into their assessment and accreditation workflows.

This workshop marks the second contribution to the Malaysian tertiary academic community by the Centre for Academic Excellence (ÆXcel) of i-CATS UC.

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