A Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP) student has demonstrated how technical expertise, global exposure, and adaptability can come together to create meaningful learning experiences beyond the classroom.
Che Wan Iqbal 'Aqil Bin Che Wan Zuhaini, a final-year Mechanical Engineering student, was selected as one of only two Malaysians to receive the prestigious fully funded DAAD University Summer Course (HSK 2026) scholarship, enabling him to spend four weeks at Bielefeld University in Germany.
The programme combined advanced technical language studies with hands-on mechatronics and robotics training, providing participants with opportunities to strengthen both their engineering knowledge and cross-cultural communication skills. At the university's Center for Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC), Aqil worked on programming and robotics projects, including the development of an Arduino Nano-based interactive robot equipped with sensing capabilities.
Alongside the technical components, participants underwent intensive German language training focused on engineering and mechatronics concepts, preparing them to communicate complex technical ideas in an international environment.
Aqil completed the programme with the highest possible grade, sehr gut (very good), achieving 76 out of 80 in the final technical German examination. His performance also earned him the opportunity to represent his class in the programme's final presentation, where he delivered a live demonstration and technical explanation of the robotics project entirely in German before fellow participants and university lecturers.
For Aqil, the experience was about more than academic achievement. It was an opportunity to apply engineering knowledge in a global setting, collaborate with peers from different countries, and develop the confidence to communicate across cultures and disciplines. His cohort included students from Malaysia, Turkey, and Romania, reflecting the programme's international character.
The achievement reflects UTP's commitment to producing graduates who are technically competent, globally minded, and ready to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world. Through opportunities such as international mobility programmes, students are empowered to broaden their perspectives, embrace new challenges, and develop the skills needed to create impact wherever their journeys take them
