KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 300 Malaysian digital leaders are expected to be trained by 2026 under the Digital Leadership Excellence (DLE) Programme – a collaborative initiative between Huawei Technologies (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd and the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
The programme, launched in response to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s call at the 2023 Malaysia ICT Summit, aims to bridge the gap between leadership and technology while strengthening Malaysia’s digital transformation agenda.
Huawei ASEAN Academy Vice-Chancellor Oliver Liu said the programme is designed to equip leaders with the essential knowledge and tools to drive digital transformation within their organisations while enhancing operational efficiencies and promoting sustainable growth across sectors.
“The name speaks for itself, recognising the critical role of leadership in driving digital transformation and technology excellence. The name of the programme was carefully chosen to reflect the core mission of empowering leaders across Government, Industry and Academia,” said Liu in a statement.
Commenting on similar initiatives in other countries, Liu said while comparable programmes exist in Singapore and Indonesia, the Malaysian version stands out due to its strong emphasis on both technical and strategic leadership capabilities.
“The inclusion of ‘Leadership’ and ‘Excellence’ is not merely a branding choice but a reflection of the programme’s core philosophy.
“Leadership is critical because digital transformation is not just about technology adoption — it requires visionary leaders who can drive change, foster innovation, and build agile, digitally enabled organisations.
“The programme aims at empowering participants to become visionary leaders capable of steering their organisations through the complexities of digital transformation,” he said.
According to Liu, excellence underscores the programme’s commitment, noting that the selected participants are already high-calibre professionals.
“It is designed to foster collaborative synergy by bringing together diverse skills and perspectives. By encouraging leaders to work cohesively and learn together, the programme aims to set industry benchmarks with confidence while maintaining a culture of continuous improvement and high standards in implementing digital initiatives.
“This deliberate focus, developed with support from MCMC Academy, shapes both the curriculum design and expected outcomes. It fosters cohesive collaboration among leaders, enhancing their knowledge and skills in emerging technologies to achieve shared goals and drive digital transformation,” he added.
Liu also elaborated on the curriculum, which integrates both digital transformation and leadership themes through a structured and immersive approach.
“The DLE Programme’s comprehensive curriculum was structured around thematic workshops and employed a hybrid learning approach for the first cohort, with 90 per cent in-person and 10 per cent online sessions.
“This structure ensured an immersive and interactive learning experience, enabling participants to engage deeply with industry experts and real-world applications,” he said.
He noted that closed-class training sessions covered key areas including Digital Leadership, 5G Connectivity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing, Big Data, Green Technology and Cybersecurity, with workshops held twice monthly.
Participants also undertook capstone projects focused on solving national digital challenges, proposing innovative solutions aligned with Malaysia’s digital agenda.
“At the end of the programme, participants presented their projects, which were subsequently published to contribute to the broader discourse on digital innovation,” Liu said.
A key highlight of the programme was a six-day immersive study visit to Shenzhen, China.
“Participants witnessed cutting-edge technologies from leading tech giants such as SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. (DJI) and BYD Company Limited. The visit also included an exclusive visit to Huawei’s Research and Development Campus in Dongguan, offering deep insights into transformational leadership and global best practices,” he said.
Liu said by integrating these elements, the DLE Programme provided participants not only with a robust understanding of digital technologies but also the opportunity to witness their real-world applications.
“This holistic approach provided both the theoretical approach as well as the practical applications of these theories in real-world success scenarios,” he added.
