SERDANG, 24 April – Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), through the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, organised the International Data Science Challenge 2026 (IDSC2026), an international competition focusing on the application of mathematics and data science to enhance the quality of healthcare.

Held entirely online, IDSC2026 emphasised the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) to explore innovative solutions in healthcare, particularly through the development of clinical AI solutions.

The competition was also supported through strategic collaborations with local and international institutions, including Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Mulawarman and Universitas Brawijaya.

A total of 189 teams comprising 605 participants from five countries and 62 institutions took part in the competition, reflecting the growing engagement of the academic community in data science and artificial intelligence.

To further strengthen participants’ capabilities, the organisers also conducted a Data Science and Machine Learning Workshop and a Presentation Skills Workshop, aimed at enhancing participants’ technical and project presentation skills.

Of the 129 projects successfully submitted using the PhysioNet biomedical dataset, the top 10 teams advanced to the final round to present their respective clinical artificial intelligence solutions.

The Bioinformers team from Universiti Malaya emerged as the overall winner, while GAMA BCI from Universitas Gadjah Mada secured second place.

Third place was awarded to MultiU, a collaborative team comprising participants from Universiti Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Universiti Putra Malaysia.

Overall, IDSC2026 served as an important platform for developing talent in data science while strengthening academic networks among local and international institutions.

The competition also provided opportunities to explore data-driven and artificial intelligence-based innovations with the potential to contribute to the development of new solutions in healthcare.

Date of Input: 24/08/2026 | Updated: 24/08/2026 | norlida_mn