Illuminating Minds: Taylor’s University Triumphs at e-ConDev 2025 with Immersive and Transformative Learning Excellence

Taylor’s University proudly celebrates remarkable achievements at the International e-Content Development Competition 2025 (e-ConDev 2025), organised by Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM). The competition brought together innovators in digital education from across the region, recognising excellence in the design and development of technology-enhanced learning. Taylor’s emerged as a standout participant, with the Department of Psychology under the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Media and Communication receiving multiple top honours for their pioneering approaches to immersive and experiential learning.

e-ConDev 2025 featured four competition categories, namely Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), Micro-Credential Module (MC Module), Open Educational Resources (OER) and Product Pitching, with the aim of elevating the quality of e-content in higher education, nurturing innovation and sharing best practices in teaching and learning.

The Department of Psychology’s stellar performance demonstrated its commitment to redefining psychology education through creativity and technology. Among the major wins was VRxMind: The Immersive Pathway to Psychotherapy Competence by Ms. Faeza Hasnan and Dr. Lim Hooi Shan, which garnered both a Special Award (Second Place) and a Gold Award. The project integrates AI-driven therapy simulations with virtual reality, preparing students to apply psychotherapy techniques confidently in real-world settings. Dr. Sam Jeng Mun’s Think. Practice. Master: The CBT OSCE Experience and Mr. Allistair Adam Anak Nelson’s C.R.I.T.I.C.A.L.: Clinical Reasoning through Interactive Teamwork and Immersive Case-Based Active Learning also earned Gold Awards for revolutionising therapeutic training and fostering collaboration through gamified learning.

Another Gold Award was presented to Mr. Mohd Akif Farhan Ahmad Basri for MIRA NEURO, a virtual reality simulation offering learners the perspective of neurodivergent individuals to deepen empathy and understanding of neurodiversity. Silver Awards were conferred to Dr. Hue Chi Yin for Stimulating Memory and Attention through Interactive Music Learning, which enhances cognitive skills through music-based exercises, and to Dr. Lim Hooi Shan and Dr. Sam Jeng Mun for Psych Centre Take Over, an initiative transforming practicum into a leadership journey by allowing students to manage HEART Psychological Services. HEART refers to Healing, Educating, Assessing, Relating, and Thriving, respectively.

From the School of Media and Communication, Dr. Ong Ai Ling was honoured with a Silver Award for Beyond Books: An Experiential E-Content Model from Living Libraries, developed under Taylor’s Active Ageing Impact Lab. The project transforms real-life stories into reusable educational content through the Human Library model, where “living books” share personal narratives that foster empathy, intercultural understanding and reflective learning among students.

Together, these accomplishments affirm Taylor’s University’s leadership in academic innovation and excellence. By integrating artificial intelligence, immersive technologies and human-centred learning approaches, Taylor’s continues to shape future-ready education that empowers learners with the creativity, empathy and critical thinking skills needed to thrive in an evolving global landscape.