UMPSA excels at ISPE Singapore Hackathon 2025

SINGAPORE, 28 August 2025 - UMPSA students showcased their talent at the ISPE Singapore Hackathon 2025, held on 27-28 August at the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre, Singapore. 

A cross-border team that included Khuzairi Faizal and Ponnaresi Kalithasan, students of Bachelor of Manufacturing Engineering Technology (Pharmaceutical) With Honours, secured first place, winning a grand prize of SGD 1,000 alongside teammates from Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Adding to this achievement, Ponnaresi was named the Most Valuable Participant (MVP) of the Hackathon. 

This award comes with sponsorship to participate in the upcoming ISPE Hackathon & Annual Conference in North Carolina, USA, this October, a significant milestone for herself, FTKKP, and UMPSA.

Although in a different team, another student, Nur Fatimah Mustafa, also demonstrated commendable dedication, reflecting the resilience and growth mindset we encourage in all our students.

This success was made possible with the support of ISPE Malaysia and UMPSA, the invitation from ISPE Singapore Affiliate, and the guidance of industry partners REPASSA Ltd. (Thailand) and BWT Pharma & Biotech GmbH.

UMPSA is proud of this achievement, which highlights the potential of our students and sets a benchmark for future excellence

According to the Most Valuable Participant (MVP), Ponnaresi Kalithasan, she had an intense yet rewarding experience at the ISPE Singapore Hackathon 2025, held during the conference at Suntec Singapore. 

“The technical, pharma-focused challenge pushed me to think critically, while the presentation session strengthened my confidence. 

“I am truly grateful for the valuable insights shared by the judges and the support and opportunities provided by ISPE Malaysia, UMPSA, and ISPE Singapore,” she said. 

Meanwhile, Khuzairi Mohd Faizal was so grateful to ISPE and REPASSA for providing the platform and support at the Singapore Hackathon. 

“Winning was a proud moment, but the bigger win was the learning, collaboration, and industry insights gained,” he said. 

“The ISPE Singapore Hackathon 2025 gave us the chance to connect with industry players and peers from abroad,” he said. 

The Advisor for ISPE-UMPSA Student Chapter, Ts. Dr. Auni Hamimi Idris said, seeing our students take first place, and one of them named MVP, was a very proud moment that showed UMPSA is on the right track in nurturing quality graduates. 

By: Muhammad Nur Aqmal Nazri, Faculty of Chemical and Process Engineering Technology 
Edited by: Dr. Rozaimi Abu Samah, UMPSA Press