Category Archives: Contributed

Business, Contributed

Ways AI Has Changed Digital Marketing In 2024

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This article is contributed by Dhawal Shah, Regional Managing Director and Co-founder of 2Stallions

The digital marketing industry in Malaysia continues to soar, with it raking in RM66.22 billion in the first half of 2024 alone, handily surpassing the full-year digital investment for 2023 of RM46.2 billion. This massive growth can be attributed to a wide range of factors; however, we must acknowledge that the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in not only this sector, but across all industries, has definitely been a major contributor. As a matter of fact, AI has boosted every single industry’s revenue by 10% to 35% globally.

Chatbot,With,Ai,(artificial,Intelligence),,Search,Engine,,Businessman,Using,Laptop
Source: 2Stalliions via Shutterstock

With this in mind, let’s take a deep dive into the 6 ways AI has transformed digital marketing in 2024, as well as why all digital marketers should adopt it fully before it’s too late.

Content, Products, And Brands: Specifically For You

AI has completely supercharged companies’ abilities to deliver hyper-personalised content to users. With the power to analyse data such as browsing habits, past purchases, and even real-time interactions to tailor content to individual preferences, marketers can create dynamic content that changes based on a user’s profile or real-time behaviour, enhancing engagement.

In addition, AI-powered recommendation engines — think the suggestions you get on Amazon or Netflix — have become the gold standard. These systems are perfect examples for marketers to be inspired by, in terms of how tracking customer preferences can be used to suggest products and services that match their interests.

Night view of Piccadilly Circus in London with bright billboards and a red double-decker bus.
Photo by Negative Space

Getting Your Brand To The Top AI has radically transformed search engine optimisation (SEO). With AI tools like Google’s BERT and MUM models, we can now get a clearer sense of what people are searching for and tailor content to match their intent more accurately. AI also powers natural language processing (NLP) tools and generation models like OpenAI’s GPT, making it possible to create more human and authentic content—at a much faster pace.

Automated content creation is another leap forward, with AI tools generating blog posts, ad copy, and even social media content. AI doesn’t just speed up the content creation process for this area though; it’s smart enough to analyse real-time data and tweak messaging for better engagement. Whether it’s blog posts, social media updates, or ad copy, AI helps make sure your content resonates with the right audience.

Your Campaigns Can Run Themselves

AI has completely transformed the way we manage campaigns, from increased efficiency to improved idea generation and more . Imagine having tools that not only target the right audience but also optimise everything in real-time—from bidding strategies to audience segmentation and

performance tracking. With AI, it’s now possible to automate many aspects of campaign management, ensuring your ads always perform at their best.

And it doesn’t stop there. AI is also changing how programmatic advertising works, automating the entire ad-buying process across multiple platforms through specially designed programmatic algorithms. This ensures that your ads are reaching the right people at the right moment, helping you get the most out of your marketing budget and further maximising your return-on-investment (ROI).

Talk Chatbot To Me

The rise of AI-powered chatbots in customer support has been one of the most interesting developments in the marketing sector. As of 2024, chatbots have become smarter (literally), and are capable of handling more complex queries through natural language understanding (NLU), the better to deliver faster, more accurate responses. This trend has led to improved user experiences, with bots providing 24/7 support, personalising responses based on customer history, and escalating issues to human agents only when necessary, such as in the case of Google’s Customer Engagement Suite.

Hands typing on a laptop displaying the ChatGPT interface, showcasing AI technology.
Photo by Matheus Bartelli

In industries like retail and e-commerce, these AI chatbots are a game-changer. They can cut response times and improve customer satisfaction, all while gathering data that helps businesses refine their future marketing strategies.

Future-Powered Targets

AI’s ability to sift through massive amounts of data has brought predictive analytics to a whole new level. By 2024, marketers can anticipate trends, customer behaviour, and buying patterns with stunning accuracy. These predictive models allow businesses to hit the sweet spot when customers are most likely to engage or purchase, making marketing even more effective.

From predicting future purchases to knowing when a customer might unsubscribe, these insights can go a long way towards helping companies deliver personalised, timely offers that resonate with their audience, ultimately boosting marketing efficiency.

Visual and Voice Searches

Voice search is booming, and AI is at the heart of this shift. By 2024, over half of all internet searches are expected to be voice-based, thanks to AI-driven tools like Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. With conversational queries on the rise, businesses need to optimise their content to ensure they actively feature in voice search results.

AI is also revolutionising visual search. Tools like Google Lens now enable users to find products or information just by snapping a photo. This trend is pushing brands to rethink how they optimise their content, ensuring they’re ready for both voice and visual searches as they become even more integral to how people discover information.

Business, Contributed, Health

Transforming Healthcare in Asia Pacific: The Impact of Medical Devices

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This article is contributed by Bijay Singh, Global Head, Business Unit Healthcare at DKSH.

The Asia Pacific (APAC) region, home to 60% of the global population, is emerging as a key market for global medical device companies.[1] This shift is underscored by the potential of the APAC region, which encompasses a diverse array of cultures, languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and a healthcare market that has already surpassed Europe to become the second-largest market globally, right behind the United States.[2] Key drivers for this growth include rising income levels, an ageing population, and an increased prevalence of chronic diseases, all contributing to the heightened demand for medical devices.[3] However, the APAC region embodies a spectrum of healthcare systems, ranging from densely populated urban centres with state-of-the-art medical facilities to remote communities facing formidable barriers to access. These disparities in the healthcare space highlight the need for innovative solutions to transform the healthcare delivery system, addressing key issues such as access barriers and shortages of manpower and resources. This is where the crucial role of medical devices comes into play.

Population Dynamics across APAC

By 2050, the number of individuals aged 60 and above in the APAC region is projected to more than double, reaching a staggering 1.3 billion.[4]  This demographic trend brings with it a host of healthcare challenges, including an increased burden of age-related diseases and conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders.[5]

Woman measuring her blood pressure while consulting with doctor via telemedicine at home
Source: DKSH / A woman is measuring her blood pressure while consulting with a doctor via telemedicine video call on a laptop at home

Alongside an ageing population, there is a marked increase in the prevalence of chronic and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, which collectively contribute to 41 million deaths each year, representing approximately 74% of global mortality. [6] In APAC, NCD-related deaths are prominent, with some countries reporting rates as high as 90% of total fatalities.[7] The lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges, severely straining healthcare resources, disrupting routine care services, and revealing critical gaps in preparedness and response capabilities.[8] Healthcare facilities are grappling with issues like overcrowding, reduced physician-to-population ratios, limited medicine availability, and inadequate funding. Projections from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate an imminent global deficit by 2030, with Southeast Asia alone expected to account for 40% of this shortfall.[9] For instance, in 2023, Indonesia reported a deficit of 31,481 specialist doctors,[10] while the Philippines anticipates a 25-year timeline to achieve the ideal doctor-patient ratio.[11] These challenges are further compounded by factors such as rapid population growth, lifestyle shifts, urbanization, emigration of healthcare workers, and an ageing healthcare workforce.

Harmonising Healthcare with Medical Device Innovations

Amidst the growing demand for healthcare services, the medical devices sector stands as a burgeoning industry poised to reshape healthcare approaches. Analysts project that, by 2028, the Asian medical devices market will account for more than USD 156 billion in revenue.[12] The next frontier in healthcare innovation will involve an increased focus on the digitalisation of medical devices, thereby enhancing access, convenience, and patient-centred care.

In recent years, we are already seeing more medical devices being used across the healthcare system:

  • Remote monitoring and telemedicine: Medical devices, including wearable sensors, smart watches, remote monitoring devices, and telemedicine platforms, empower healthcare providers to remotely monitor patients’ vital signs, health status, and treatment adherence. This allows caregivers to monitor multiple patients simultaneously despite manpower shortages. For instance, the Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitoring system, available in Singapore and Japan, allows for real-time monitoring, integrated with wearable sensors and a transmitter for the measurement of blood glucose values.
  • Point-of-care testing: Point-of-care testing devices offer rapid and convenient diagnostic capabilities outside of traditional laboratory settings. These devices can be particularly valuable in resource-limited settings or remote areas. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, multiple home-test kits were developed to allow the first round of testing at home. This also helped people adhere to the social distancing norms.
  • Self-management apps: Mobile health (mHealth) apps and devices empower patients to take an active role in managing their health and well-being. These apps enable users to track their exercise, diet, medication adherence, and vital signs, providing valuable insights into their health status and facilitating communication with healthcare providers.
  • Home-based care: Technological advancements have facilitated the development of home medical devices, and enhanced patient care convenience while reducing hospitalization expenses, promoting patient independence, and improving quality of life. Devices such as home infusion pumps, portable oxygen concentrators, and remote monitoring systems empower chronic patients to manage their health outside of traditional healthcare settings. DKSH’s service Home Pulse exemplifies this shift by delivering high-quality healthcare services directly to patients’ homes in Thailand. This approach has the potential to enhance the role of home-based medical devices, optimizing resource allocation and cutting overall healthcare costs for the future.

While the accelerated adoption of medical devices can transform the healthcare landscape, a critical challenge lies in enabling healthcare professionals (HCPs) to interpret collected data. This is a common industry issue, where a significant amount of data either falls through the cracks or becomes overwhelming, making it difficult to analyse and utilise effectively. Statistics paint a concerning picture, revealing that 97% of health data produced by hospitals remains unanalysed, and 46% of healthcare leaders view data management as a significant burden.[13] This translates to a vast reservoir of potentially life-saving insights remaining untapped. Hence, addressing the challenges of data interpretation will allow HCPs to unlock the true potential of medical devices and pave the way for personalised healthcare in APAC.

Collaborative Efforts to Propel Medical Devices Growth

In 2023, the region’s medical devices market reached a value of USD 111.93 billion, and projections suggest that it will further grow at a CAGR of 6.8% and reach USD 166.1 billion by 2029.[14] Driving this growth in APAC demands a collaborative approach involving government bodies, healthcare providers, academic institutions, and industry stakeholders.

Consulting doctor visit on mobile app at home.telemedicine
Source: DKSH / Consulting doctor visit via a mobile app at home i.e telemedicine

Regulatory developments play a pivotal role in strengthening the sector’s upward trajectory. Harmonising and streamlining regulatory frameworks are essential to facilitate faster approval and market entry of new medical devices. Regional agreements, like those within ASEAN[15] aim to establish consistent regulations, streamline approval processes, and enhance market access for medical devices across borders.[16] By aligning standards and regulations, regulatory bodies seek to create a more predictable and transparent environment for manufacturers, distributors, and healthcare providers.

Governments should incentivise research and development (R&D) through grants and tax benefits to stimulate local innovation of medical devices. Initiatives like Singapore’s National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC) and South Korea’s National Institute of Health (NIH) fund medical research and support clinical trials, often in collaboration with universities and healthcare companies, enabling efficient validation of new medical devices.[17] Training programs for healthcare professionals on the use of new devices are equally crucial to ensure their effective adoption and utilization. These efforts not only facilitate faster market entry but also ensure that innovations address specific healthcare needs in diverse APAC markets.

Additionally, healthcare distribution facilities are emerging as key growth drivers, streamlining supply chains and enhancing accessibility to medical devices across APAC. DKSH Healthcare’s OP1 in Taiwan, Asia’s largest automated healthcare distribution centre, utilizes advanced automation to expedite the distribution of healthcare solutions, including medical devices, across the region. Distribution centres such as this ensure efficient logistics and support timely delivery and inventory management, which is crucial for meeting healthcare demands in diverse markets. All in all, driving the medical devices sector forward in APAC involves a comprehensive approach to address regulatory, infrastructure, reimbursement, and training challenges while ensuring patient privacy, safety, and equity. Collaboration among healthcare stakeholders, technology developers, policymakers, and regulatory authorities is crucial to improving health outcomes. In this regard, DKSH Healthcare is committed to playing a vital role in this transformation by facilitating the distribution and adoption of innovative medical devices, empowering patients, optimizing resource allocation, and contributing to a healthier future for all in the region.

[1]https://asiapacific.unfpa.org/en/populationtrends#:~:text=The%20Asia%20and%20the%20Pacific,Developing%20States%20in%20the%20Pacific

[2]https://insights.omnia-health.com/management/navigating-growth-apac-regions-medical-device-landscape

[3]https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/medical-health-screening-services-market

[4]https://asiapacific.unfpa.org/en/populationtrends#:~:text=The%20Asia%20and%20the%20Pacific,Developing%20States%20in%20the%20Pacific.

[5]https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-01251-0

[6]https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases

[7]https://devpolicy.org/ncds-in-asia-and-the-pacific-recent-findings-and-key-challenges-20221116/#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20WHO%20report,also%20in%20the%20top%20ten.

[8]https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9354133/

[9]https://journals.lww.com/wsep/fulltext/2021/10001/implementing_a_decade_of_strengthening_the_health.15.aspx

[10]https://www.integrity-indonesia.com/blog/2023/10/10/overcoming-medical-workforce-shortages-opportunities-and-challenges-for-foreign-doctors-in-indonesia/#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20report%20from,serving%20a%20population%20of%20277%2C432%2C36

[11]https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/11/13/2311040/ideal-patient-doctor-ratio-seen-25-years-lawmaker

[12]https://www.statista.com/outlook/hmo/medical-technology/medical-devices/asia#revenue

[13]https://apacmed.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/APACMed-Power-Promise-of-Health-Data-Value_August-2023-2.pdf

[14] https://www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/apac-medical-devices-market

[15] https://www.aseanbriefing.com/news/aseans-free-trade-agreements-an-overview/

[16] https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ASEAN-Guidelines-for-Harmonisation-of-Standards-2022-Version.pdf

[17] https://www.nih.go.kr/eng/  

Business, Contributed

Why Your Business Needs An Effective Sustainability Strategy

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This article is contributed by Varinderjit Singh, General Manager, Lenovo Malaysia

It’s vital that we look after the planet for future generations, but that’s not the only reason to implement a sustainability strategy within your organisation. Cutting emissions, embracing the circular economy, and helping to keep already efficient devices running for longer makes sense from a financial point of view as well, and can even help your organisation attract the best employees.

Of course, putting people and the planet first should top your considerations, and an effective sustainability strategy can help limit our impact on climate change, reducing waste, conserving resources, and protecting delicate ecosystems.

How legislation is helping to drive change

Legislation around ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and sustainability is beginning to shape industries in Malaysia, with governments adopting increasingly rigorous targets.

According to Deloitte[1], the transition to a lower carbon and more sustainable society is reshaping the economy, creating new opportunities, and altering the cost of doing business. The implications are stark, the organisation explains. “Failing to become more sustainable will make companies vulnerable to the loss of revenue and reputation, as well as to litigation and regulatory penalties.”

It’s clear that simply ignoring sustainability is not an option for organisations in the long run, but there are also opportunities and benefits for businesses that implement a sustainability strategy sooner rather than later.

An effective sustainability strategy could also help you be more cost-effective

For starters, there’s potential to be more cost-effective. Scalable “as-a-service” solutions such as Lenovo TruScale can help your business simplify the procurement, deployment and management of reliable IT equipment, taking a flexible and cost-efficient approach to new levels of demand.

Lenovo Why Your Biz Byline

Embracing the latest energy-efficient devices can help your business manage CO2 emissions and power consumption, potentially saving on operating costs, while also helping you to tackle challenges such as growing your business, simplifying security, and general maintenance. An example is Lenovo’s ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 operating on Windows 11 Pro. Seize the moment with the security to thrive anywhere and the performance to meet your boldest goals. Windows 11 Pro devices are easy to use and manage, with AI-enhanced efficiency and compatibility with existing technology including mission-critical apps and hardware.

There’s also scope to offset emissions when you do purchase new IT equipment, thanks to solutions such as Lenovo’s CO2 Offset Services. This service estimates the carbon emissions across the average lifecycle of the device from manufacturing to shipping, typical use, and end-of-life, and supports a variety of climate action projects.

Just because you buy new devices doesn’t necessarily mean your old equipment will end up in landfill. We do everything we can at Lenovo to ensure older devices get a second lease of life, and our Asset Recovery Service (ARS) is designed to maximise the reuse, recycling, and/or environmental disposal of replaced and end-of-life products, parts, and waste. And with Lenovo’s recently launched Certified Refurbished PCs, you have the option to buy quality refurbished IT equipment and support the circular economy.

Keep older energy-efficient technology running for longer

Naturally, there are plenty of organisations that don’t need to overhaul their tech stack. If your equipment is already energy efficient and performs well, your tech provider can also help you to keep your devices running for longer, doing your bit when it comes to reducing waste and conserving resources.

Solutions such as Lenovo Premier Support Plus come with Accidental Damage Protection (ADP)[2] as standard, which can make a big difference when it comes to device longevity and saving money. Compared to the cost of most common repairs or system replacements, for example, you could save between 50%-93%[3] with ADP, which could be the difference between keeping an old laptop for another couple of years or having to replace it immediately.

Attracting top talent

Social and regulatory requirements aside, embracing sustainability can also enhance your company’s reputation. This can play a key role in helping you to attract and retain the best talent.

According to a survey from IBM[4], 71% of employees and employment seekers say that environmentally sustainable companies are more attractive employers. More than two-thirds of the full potential workforce[5] are more likely to apply for and accept jobs with environmentally and socially responsible organisations, and nearly half surveyed would accept a lower salary to work for such organisations.

The potential to grow your business

An effective sustainability strategy isn’t just appealing to potential employees – it’s becoming increasingly important to society at large. Consumers also care about sustainability, and your strategy could be the difference between customers picking your business or opting for a competitor.

Deloitte explains[6] that a third (34%) of consumers stated their trust in brands would be improved if the brand was recognised as an ethical/sustainable provider by an independent third party. A similar proportion (32%) claimed that their trust in brands would be improved if the company had a transparent, accountable, and socially and environmentally responsible supply chain.

All of these factors add weight to the already critical importance of a sustainability strategy, not only because it makes sense to limit our impact on the planet, but because it also makes justifiable business sense.

It’s inevitable that you’ll need to embrace sustainability at some point if you want your business to thrive in the long term, so why not look at ways you can get ahead of your competition as part of the journey?

[1] Deloitte – Sustainability Regulation Outlook 2024

[2] Dependent on market, parts, and hardware availability.

[3] Based on Lenovo internal data from NA, EMEA, and AP regions and cost of system board, LCD, and hard drive repairs on ThinkPad from April 2022 to April 2023.

[4] IBM – Sustainability at a turning point

[5] Full potential workforce refers to survey respondents who are employed full-time or part-time, unemployed but currently seeking employment, or a full-time student or apprentice.

[6] Deloitte – The Sustainable Consumer, 2023

Business, Contributed

Cloud, Connectivity, AI, Security: What SMBs Need From Technology

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Small and medium businesses are different from their larger competitors because the chief strategist in many SMBs is often still the owner or the founder.

The challenge for SMB owners is therefore often to understand the technological trends that might apply to their business. This can be complicated, in part because the rate of change in technology is high.

Yet many of these technology areas, such as access to mobile devices and the growth of cloud services, have special relevance to SMBs. Integrating technology should therefore be a central part of any SMB strategy, rather than an option, even for very small companies. The technology is needed to meet customer demands for better experiences, to ensure that businesses and customers can transact quickly, and because being online makes it easier and faster for SMBs to open up new global markets.

Employees of SMBs have similar expectations and the same driven goals of the business owners. They believe that having the right technology improves their productivity, helps drive business growth and increases flexibility in a hybrid working world.

At the center of how SMBs can leverage technology are four trends around mobility, AI-enabled services, and cloud automation, all under a security umbrella.

Taking teams to the next level of productivity, flexibility and customer satisfaction will require businesses to find a balance between implementing emerging technology and training employees to use this technology to provide personalized experiences for customers.

How do each of these technologies support and influence SMBs?

Lenovo Byline Pic 1

Connectivity

Slow and unstable connectivity is a major obstacle for a distributed workforce that relies on device technology to collaborate and to provide value to customers. Even as 5G continues to be rolled out around the world, WiFi 6E is already offering advanced connectivity in many countries. SMBs can make their investments in WiFi 6E and 5G today, to take advantage of higher-bandwidth, ultra-low-latency connectivity, and high-speed connectivity to the cloud. It’s worth noting that 5G deployments are accelerating around the world, and WiFi 7 is already on the horizon. SMBs should at least understand where these might fit into their existing and future strategies.

Device speed and functionality will continue to match this high-speed connectivity, and users will continue to seek out ever more productive designs that match lifestyle, work style, and mobility. An example of a device that is made for such high-speed connectivity is the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 4 operating on Windows 11 Pro. Simplify your workday and improve productivity with Windows 11 Pro With AI-powered experiences, intelligent workflows, and unmatched personalization, you can do it all on your Windows 11 Pro device. From features to get organized in a snap to fast performance and smart videoconferencing, Windows 11 Pro devices help you improve productivity anywhere. It has a built-in secondary screen offering alternative and distinct functions. Such an innovative device requires high-speed connectivity so that employees will be “always available” and “often on”, working flexibly to accommodate their personal lives.

Cloud automation

Cloud automation, and cloud applications, are an easy entry point for many SMBs that are looking to speed up or otherwise improve their business processes. As data, apps and workloads continue to expand into the cloud, SMBs will be able to automate simpler tasks, programs and customer services.  Efficient automation of data analytics, customer feedback and trends or smarter scheduling can free up more time for teams to focus on creative growth engines.

The cloud also allows more SMBs to consider Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) options. While often being more cost-effective, hybrid cloud solutions will be more future-proof and allow for greater scalability through flexibility. IDC has predicted that the growth of cloud services among APAC SMBs, for example, will continue through to 2025.

AI services and products

AI services are increasingly playing a role in helping businesses address common challenges such as staffing, security monitoring, financial management, and tailoring services to customer needs.

Some SMBs are now incorporating AI chatbots to provide round-the-clock resources for employees, adding convenience for those seeking answers to common questions about employee benefits, scheduling, insurance, vacation availability and sick time.

Companies that adapt smartly to incorporate AI-enabled services and products have a competitive advantage. AI and machine learning can provide real-time targeted data analysis, allowing employees to do creative and social media tasks that AI simply cannot credibly do. This, in turn, frees up time for innovation, and product and service development – investments that can be made without sacrificing current revenue and cash flow.

Securing the IT ecosystem

Across all these technologies sits security, from the devices all the way through to cloud access. Remote and hybrid work styles have already changed the nature of security risks, with many organizations, including SMBs, now allowing employees to have flexibility in where they work and use their own devices. As more services move to the cloud, access security risks also increase, and while cloud service providers can provide secure access inside their data centres, access between a business’s devices and the cloud can still attract cyber security risks. Threats are very real and lack of adequate protection can have devastating effects, but best practices and solutions exist to mitigate those threats.

SMBs must strategically implement the appropriate infrastructure, cloud automation and AI tools that will help their business scale. Businesses of all sizes demand client and data centre infrastructure that enables growth rather than restricts it. As technology rapidly evolves, businesses need the ability to integrate new technologies and workloads efficiently and seamlessly, often within resource, budget and capital boundaries.

For SMBs, this sometimes represents new challenges, but they can leverage the experience and investment made by larger companies, peers, partners and competitors, and with the right business and technology strategies in place, they will have the advantage of being more dynamic and responsive to growth opportunities.

Contributed, Sustainability

Sustainability Cannot Exist Without Innovation, & Vice Versa – Here’s Why

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With just six years remaining to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, the Asia Pacific region faces a pressing and formidable challenge.

The recently released 2030 Asia Pacific SDG Progress Report by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) paints a stark picture, revealing that at the midpoint, the region has made less than 15% of the necessary progress towards the SDGs. The report also predicts that if current trends persist, it will take an estimated 42 years for the region to achieve the 2030 agenda, falling significantly short of reaching 90% of the 118 measurable SDG targets.

Woman Using Laptop Computer With VR Headset
Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels

This sobering analysis underscores the urgent need to multiply efforts and accelerate progress. To address this challenge, corporates in the Asia Pacific & Japan (APJ) region must adopt an innovation mindset and place sustainability at the forefront of the business agenda. In fact, sustainability can also be a powerful driver of innovation, propelling companies forward on the path to success in today’s digital era.

Sustainable innovation is not limited to short-term gains but creates long-term value for both businesses and the planet. The Dell Technologies Innovation Index, which polled 6,600 business leaders across 45+ countries, reveals that more than one-third of companies (35%) in Malaysia – the same percentage as the APJ region – consider climate change as an accelerator of innovation.

From above of blue crumpled plastic bottle thrown on green park lawn on sunny summer day
Photo by Karolina Kaboompics on Pexels

Additionally, the research shows that momentum for sustainability innovation is steadily growing in our region. Half of the companies (50%) in Malaysia are actively reducing their overall IT carbon footprint, recognising the critical role of technology in addressing environmental challenges. Furthermore, 37% of businesses in Malaysia (40% in APJ) are turning to technology to gain greater visibility into their carbon impact, enabling them to make data-driven decisions for sustainability.

This emphasis on sustainability is also being prioritised by the Government, having – for the first time – set SDG indicator targets and finalised nine accelerator initiatives to achieve SDGs in the country. This is to ensure a more effective implementation of SDGs towards the country’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Agenda 2030).

Innovating for sustainability, sustainably

In today’s economic climate, innovation has never been more important for organisations to stay ahead of the curve and build resilience. While sustainability evidently drives innovation forward, businesses also have a responsibility to ensure that innovation is carried out efficiently and with minimal environmental impact.

For one, IT decision-makers (ITDMs) in APJ can leverage innovative technologies such as edge computing, artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), and as-a-service (aaS) models to manage energy consumption effectively, improve energy efficiency, and act upon data insights to drive sustainability. Encouragingly, the Dell Technologies Innovation Index also found that more than half (57%) of companies in Malaysia are already progressing in this space, embracing technology as a powerful tool for sustainable practices.

Close Up Photo of Delivert Robots
Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels

For example, innovative consumption models such as aaS or on-demand solutions promote sustainable resource utilisation by aligning technology consumption with actual needs – therefore reducing waste and optimising resource allocation. Businesses that embrace these flexible consumption models can not only reduce their environmental impact but also benefit from increased efficiency and cost savings.

Additionally, as digital transformation and the consumption of technology become more widespread, the greening of data centres has become crucial. As businesses rely more heavily on data centres, optimising their energy consumption becomes paramount. Currently, 48% of businesses in Malaysia are actively exploring methods to reduce energy use in their data centres.

[i]By investing in energy-efficient infrastructure and adopting best practices, organisations can lead the way in sustainable data management, setting a positive example for the industry.

Scientist Checking Crops in Laboratory
Photo by ThisIsEngineering on Pexels

While technology can help drive efficiencies, there comes a day when these devices eventually reach their end of life. It is therefore equally critical that businesses take active steps and work with the right partners to retire and recycle their end-of-life IT equipment, in order to minimise electronic waste and foster a circular economy. Dell Technologies’ Asset Recovery Services, for example, helps businesses with the proper disposal and recycling of IT assets to reduce the environmental footprint of the technology industry. Notably, the practice is not new in Malaysia and many are already engaged in initiatives to retire and recycle IT equipment responsibly.

It is also encouraging to note that the government has launched a National Circular Economy Council (NCEC) to unite stakeholders to accelerate the transition of waste management from a linear economy to a more holistically circular one.[ii] The NCEC will focus on matters related to policies, laws, implementation of related strategies and action plans, and the commitment and collaboration between the government and the private sectors.

Sustainable innovation: A win-win for businesses and the planet

The benefits of sustainable innovation are two-fold, generating value for both our environment and the bottom line. By integrating sustainability into their innovation agenda, companies can reduce environmental impact, enhance resilience, and improve operational efficiency. Furthermore, embracing sustainable practices has become a critical consideration for businesses to not only attract customers and investors but also to engage current and future employees.

As the Asia Pacific region continues its pursuit of the SDGs, collaboration and collective action are essential. While sustainable innovation can and should be driven at the company level, governments, businesses and individuals must also come together to drive meaningful impact. Partnerships between the public and private sectors can facilitate knowledge sharing, resource mobilisation, and the development of innovative solutions to address pressing sustainability challenges. Cross-industry collaborations can foster innovation and create synergies that accelerate progress towards the SDGs.

With less than a decade to go, our region now stands at a critical juncture – where sustainable innovation can lead the way towards achieving the UN SDGs by 2030. Despite the challenges highlighted in the 2030 Asia Pacific SDG Progress Report, the growing momentum for sustainability innovation is encouraging. Businesses in APJ should continue to embrace sustainable practices and leverage cutting-edge technologies to make significant contributions to sustainable development.

[i] https://www.nst.com.my/business/2023/10/963188/riding-data-centre-wave
[ii] https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2023/09/952091/national-circular-economic-council-set-handle-solid-waste

Business, Contributed, Sustainability

Modern Energy Systems: Malaysia’s Road To Clean Energy

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Transitioning to modern energy systems presents a daunting challenge, as virtually every facet of our daily lives hinges on energy. This journey is bound to be intricate and complex for every country. Thankfully, governments worldwide – including Malaysia – have a resounding global consensus that traditional energy systems are inherently vulnerable, disadvantageously centralised, and financially burdensome.

The transitional challenge that stakeholders and decision-makers have been grappling with is threefold: striking a balance between environmental sustainability, ensuring energy security, and delivering energy affordability.

Solar Panels during Dusk
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Successfully navigating this “energy trilemma” demands interdisciplinary expertise, effective policy implementation, and unwavering stakeholder commitment if Malaysia is to become carbon neutral by 2050.

Accelerating Malaysia’s transition towards carbon neutrality and energy sustainability with the power of technology and innovation makes economic sense, and puts us on a path towards a better, greener future for generations to come.

As a technology leader, Huawei is steadfast in its determination to stand by the country’s aspirations in driving this transformative endeavour.

Renewable energy makes economic sense

The economic rationale for renewable energy is compelling. Jobs in the sector are on the rise. The surge in demand for talent in the renewable energy sector mirrors the urgency to transition to cleaner sources amid the alarming effects of climate change.

According to a report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), jobs in the renewable energy sector soared to 12.7 million globally in 2023, reflecting the sector’s rapid expansion and potential for sustainable employment.

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The once-perceived barrier of high entry costs to adopt renewable energy technologies is steadily diminishing, heralding a significant shift in accessibility. Put simply, prices are plummeting. 

On the other hand, finite fossil fuel source extraction has become more challenging and costs are steadily rising. In contrast, renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, are readily and abundantly available natural resources and more importantly, they are essentially free.

Solar panel prices are at an all-time low and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are becoming increasingly cost-effective due to ongoing technological enhancements and intensified market competition.

The figures that are clocking in on Malaysia’s carbon footprint read at approximately 272.9 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in 2022. By 2023, Huawei facilitated the reduction of 1.81 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. This was made possible by the entry of 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of solar inverters into the Malaysian market, generating approximately 3.9 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

Huawei’s Digital Power Business contributed to 84.5 billion kWh of green power generation in the Asia Pacific region, reducing carbon emissions equivalent to the planting of 50 million trees.

Technology: The Key to Navigating the Trilemma

New technologies are the key to meaningfully navigating the “energy trilemma”, both to lower the carbon footprint of outmoded energy systems and to develop modern, sustainable alternatives.

The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) empowers us to decarbonise our energy systems by enhancing connectivity, intelligence, efficiency, reliability, and sustainability.

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Huawei Digital Power’s strategic approach to facilitate society’s transition from high-carbon to low-carbon is anchored in the integration of cutting-edge digital technology (Bit), electronic power technology (Watt), thermal management technology (Heat), and energy storage systems (ESS) management technology (Battery).

Termed collectively as the “4T” technologies (WatT, HeaT, BatTery, and BiT) the aim is to drive Malaysia towards the “4D” trajectory: Decarbonisation, Digitalisation, Decentralisation, and Democratisation, thus shaping a more sustainable and inclusive energy landscape for the nation.

Huawei aims to drive watts with bits towards building a fully connected smart grid and bridging the energy divide to power the digital world.

Collaborations in decarbonisation

In pursuit of the “4D” trajectory, collaborations are fundamental. Guided by our strategic framework, Huawei has initiated numerous collaborations with local stakeholders and government agencies on renewable energy projects.

We are partnering with AmBank on financing and merchant business solutions to support and facilitate the introduction of Solar Energy, Green Data Centres, Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging, and Energy Storage solutions to businesses.

With Pantas, the leading climate-tech firm in Southeast Asia, we are collaborating on enterprise decarbonisation applications for businesses. Our focus in this partnership, as technology providers, will be on Smart PV+ESS and FusionCharge solutions while Pantas undertakes the role of strategic partner in business development.

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We have also joined forces with Senheng and Apulsar to promote electric vehicle (EV) adoption in Malaysia, utilising Huawei’s advanced EV chargers.

Additionally, our commitment to human capital development ensures a skilled workforce adept in renewable energy technologies. Our Huawei ICT Academy bridges the gap between education and industry needs while collaborative training programmes like the one with the Centre for Technology Excellence Sarawak (“CENTEXS”) on developing green talent as well as the Digital Leadership Excellence Programme with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to nurture talent leadership.

These initiatives are but some of the many projects Huawei is involved in. Every initiative represents a positive stride that strengthens energy security and nurtures a sustainable ecosystem for the nation.

A holistic approach to carbon neutrality goals

Our holistic approach, combining advanced technology, industry partnerships, and education, has the potential to drive meaningful change and accelerate progress towards Malaysia’s 2050 carbon neutrality goal.

We can boost renewable energy production by embracing smart PV solutions, grid technologies, and energy storage systems while ensuring fair access for all.

By facilitating financing and investments into sustainable energy projects, we can make green technologies affordable for all segments of society.

Just last April, the Government of Malaysia announced that it would establish an Energy Exchange Malaysia (“ENEGEM“) to facilitate cross-border sales of green electricity to neighbouring countries, namely Singapore and Thailand. This will promote growth in the industry and lead to the adoption of the latest green energy technologies to propel Malaysia into a regional hub for the development of RE experts and capabilities.

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In terms of talent cultivation, our training programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives aim to build a sustainable high-skilled workforce that can lead the transition to future-focused technology.

Huawei aspires to lead by example as both a stakeholder and technology provider in addressing the intricate energy trilemma.  Achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality will require the collective efforts of all industry players. We must create an ecosystem and we all need to be partners as well as players in this ecosystem. Huawei will continue to be a trusted partner and work with our partners across the industry value chain towards a better and greener Malaysia.

Business, Contributed

Bringing the Open Source Way to AI

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Lost in the acronyms and abbreviations surrounding AI, from GP and GenAI to RAG and others, is one specific question:

Can we truly open source AI?

How would the principles of open source, namely permissive licenses, transparent training data and weights and, perhaps most of all, the ability to contribute to an open source model impact the resulting project?

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Open models do exist from many of the most notable players in AI, but they aren’t open source or they impose certain restrictions…and that’s a challenge. To create models that really work for specific enterprise use cases, technology organizations need to understand the full scope of a model – how it was trained, what it was trained on, who contributed to it and so on – before they even think about fine-tuning it with their own internal data.

At Red Hat Summit 2023, we introduced Red Hat OpenShift AI, providing the foundation for running AI models at scale. A powerful, scalable and optimized platform for AI workloads, but not focused on delivering actual models. Today, we’ve made it clear that Red Hat’s strategy doesn’t solely exist in providing the backbone for AI-enabled applications – we want to bring the power of community and open source to the models themselves.

In collaboration with IBM Research, we’re open sourcing several models for both language and code-assistance. But what makes this even more exciting is InstructLab – a new open source project that allows individuals to enhance a model, through a simple user interface. Think of it as being able to contribute to an LLM in the same way you would with Pull Requests to any other open source project.

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Instead of forking an LLM, which creates a dead-end that no one else can contribute to, InstructLab enables anyone around the world to add knowledge and skills. These contributions can then be incorporated into future releases of the model. Put simply…you don’t need to be a data scientist to contribute to InstructLab. Domain and subject matter experts (and data scientists too) can use InstructLab to make contributions that benefit everyone. I cannot overstate how powerful this is – both for the community and enterprises!

RHEL AI combines the critical components of the world’s leading enterprise Linux platform (in the form of the newly-announced image mode for Red Hat Enterprise Linux), open source-licensed Granite models and a supported, lifecycled distribution of the InstructLab project. InstructLab further extends the role of open source in AI, making working with or contributing to the underlying open source model as easy as contributing to any other community project.

AI innovation should not be limited to organizations that can afford massive GPU farms or brigades of data scientists. Everyone, from developers to IT operations teams to lines of business, needs the capacity to contribute to AI in some way, in a manner of their choosing. That’s the beauty of InstructLab and the potential of RHEL AI – it brings the accessibility of open source to the often-closed world of AI.

This is where Red Hat’s AI product strategy is going. Our history embodies our philosophy. We enabled the power of open source for Linux, Kubernetes and hybrid cloud computing for the enterprise.

Now, we’re doing the same for AI. Everyone can benefit from AI, so everyone should be able to access and contribute to it. Let’s do it in the open.

Contributed

AI and Environmental Sustainability – A Symbiotic Relationship

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Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) promises to be more transformative than any other technology in recent memory, with the power it possesses to give rise to new industries and professions while propelling the global economy toward a new era of prosperity. Demand for data processing is expected to grow exponentially with AI as data is essential to how AI systems learn and make decisions. AI’s ability to turn mountains of data into insights requires compute power, making data centre performance critical to our ability to leverage this transformative technology.

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As with any generational technology, there will be challenges – especially the environmental impact of AI due to the energy and data centre resources required to run larger computing models. While organisations seek to embrace the many benefits of AI, they are also keenly aware of making progress toward their sustainability goals. Data centre energy use and emissions would probe serious issues towards high carbon footprint but when approached mindfully, AI infrastructure development and adoption in data centres can provide a path to more sustainable operations.

As experts in data and IT infrastructure, Dell Technologies believes sustainability will be integral to the success of AI technology through an organisation’s commitment to help offset the environmental impact of AI and harness the potential of AI to support climate-related solutions.

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While AI requires significant compute power, it currently represents a small fraction of IT’s global energy consumption. To manage AI’s growing carbon footprint, data centre operators must embrace sustainable data centre investments and practices. Data centre energy use remained stable over the last decade (around 1% of global electricity demand according to the International Energy Agency), even with growing technology workloads and traffic. To offset the environmental impact of AI, greater control over data centre energy consumption is increasingly becoming a top priority, and there are tools available to do this:

  • Minimise AI’s carbon footprint through modern, energy-efficient servers and storage devices, and environmentally responsible cooling methods, while powering data centres with renewable energy. At Dell, we prioritise running larger data models in our data centres that are powered by 100% renewable energy.
  • Right-size AI workloads and data centre economics. While some organisations will benefit from larger general-purpose large language models (LLMs), many organisations only require domain- or enterprise-specific implementations. Right-sizing compute requirements and infrastructure can support greater data centre efficiency. And, flexible “pay as you go” spending models can also help organisations save on data centre costs while supporting sustainable IT infrastructure.
  • Responsibly retire inefficient hardware to optimise data centre performance and energy consumption, while reducing e-waste and keeping recycled materials in use longer.  

AI solutions to environmental challenges

As sustainable data centres can help to offset AI’s carbon footprint, this technology can also be used to track and analyse massive amounts of data to ultimately address some of our planet’s biggest challenges, such as climate change, pollution and deforestation. For example, Dell is helping Siemens build smarter buildings with AI. Siemens helps customers reduce their buildings’ carbon footprints by leveraging edge and AI technologies to address building performance issues, like optimising HVAC systems, predicting energy demand and identifying energy leaks in real time.

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AI can be used to optimise energy grids, design more efficient transportation systems and develop new ways to capture and store carbon dioxide. The University of Cambridge and Dell collaborated to support advanced and sustainable research through AI. By providing powerful, energy-efficient supercomputing to scientists and organisations, the University of Cambridge drives breakthroughs in innovation that rely on AI. This solution not only enables AI to process enormous volumes of data more quickly, but it does so more efficiently, with less power consumed.

Within data centre operations, AI can be used to improve monitoring and workload placement to optimise efficiency and reduce energy costs. There is no “either/or” decisions, rather efficient data centre infrastructure is integral to AI’s evolution. For this to succeed, advocates and organisations must see sustainability as a vital part of AI computing infrastructure. According to IDC, the number one sustainability priority for IT planning and procurement among IT decisionmakers is reducing data centre energy consumption [i]. At the intersection of sustainability and business priorities, AI can support environmental stewardship at the same time it drives digital transformation. 

Leading by example

Drawing the narrative closer to home – Malaysia continues to be a preferred choice for data centres in ASEAN. As the data centre market continues to expand in Asia, Malaysia’s data centre market demands continue to be on the rise as the country is expected to receive 2.25 billion USD by 2028. Meanwhile, the nation is determined to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 – driven by a vision of a low-carbon future highlighted by various national policies such as the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), Hydrogen Economy and Technology Roadmap (HETR) and Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act 2023 (EECA).

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Key Highlights from Dell’s Sustainability Efforts per the corporate website

Technology has an important role in addressing environmental challenges. Dell aims to move the industry forward both through modernising data centre technology and modelling the “both/and” benefits of sustainable data centres. We have ambitious goals and we also see the immense benefits AI can bring to protecting our planet. While working to offset the environmental impact of AI, we will also innovate to develop solutions that leverage the power of AI to address some of our biggest environmental challenges.

[i] IDC: Which Circularity Criteria Are Driving IT Planning and Procurement?, Doc , May 2023

Business, Contributed

Why Small Businesses Don’t Backup: Exploring Limitations and Solutions for Data Protection

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This article is contributed by Joanne Weng, Sales Director at Synology

In today’s digital age, backup solutions are more critical than ever before. Businesses of all sizes must ensure that their data is secure and easily recoverable in case of data loss or cyberattacks. One of the most commonly cited backup rules is the 3-2-1 rule, which suggests having at least three copies of data stored in two different formats, with one copy stored offsite. While this serves as a solid foundation for a backup strategy, it may not always be practical or feasible for all businesses.

Should we follow the golden rule of 3-2-1 backup?

The golden rule has its limitations, especially for small businesses with limited resources. Implementing a complete backup solution can be costly, as it requires additional hardware and offsite storage solutions. According to a 2021 report from Databarracks, “implementing the 3-2-1 backup rule is becoming more expensive, with the cost of storage and cloud services rising by around 10% over the past year” (Source: TechRepublic).

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For SMBs, prioritizing practicality in your office’s data protection plan is crucial, and identifying a suitable solution for your business is paramount. According to a survey by ITProPortal, 40% of small businesses do not have any data backup solution in place. Moreover, 34% of businesses have experienced data loss due to hardware failure or human error, and 25% have experienced data loss due to cyberattacks. Hence, the primary concern here is to implement this data protection strategy seamlessly and initiate it as swiftly as possible.

Reasons why small businesses don’t backup

Let’s delve into the reasons why SMBs often lack proper backup solutions. As previously mentioned, one of the primary limitations of backup is its cost. Budgetary constraints are consistently a major concern for most businesses. Backups might be perceived as both time-consuming and expensive due to hardware costs, recurring software license fees, and maintenance expenses.

Furthermore, constructing and managing a robust backup solution also demands significant effort, which many SMBs are unable to allocate. A dedicated IT team for setting up the necessary infrastructure is often lacking, leading to the outsourcing of such tasks.

Lastly, the recent adoption of hybrid working has resulted in office data scattered across different platforms and devices. This situation makes data centralization and management initially cumbersome. Additionally, data migration in such cases can give rise to security risks.

Backup solution with compatibility, capacity, and value cost

To overcome these challenges, small businesses need a data protection solution that facilitates scalable backup appliances, simplifies IT deployment and maintenance, as well as offers flexibility and secure integration across various platforms and devices.

Synology backup solutions are ideal for businesses, offering both on-premise and cloud-based backup solutions to cater diverse business needs. These solutions come with three key advantages: compatibility, capacity, and value cost. Unlike traditional backup appliances, there is no need to select corresponding backup software based on varying endpoint requirements and software compatibility. Synology’s hybrid-cloud provides a centralized backup appliance that spans across platforms, along with scalable storage. Utilizing enterprise-grade technologies such as global deduplication and changed block tracking (CBT), maximized storage efficiency with simplicity.

Moreover, the backup software licenses cover everything, from folder-level and bare-metal backups to VM and SaaS backups, and all of this is available at no cost—100% free. Synology’s public cloud backup service adopts a pricing method that only calculates storage space, instead of the number of devices or employees. This transparent pricing approach ensures there are no hidden costs associated with the backup package, setting it apart from other solutions available in the market.

Backup is not that hard: Deployment sizing recommendations for different usages

So, considering all the mentioned benefits, let’s focus on practicality: What is the ideal backup setup for small to medium businesses? Here are three recommended sizing for different segments of usage scenarios.

Smaller-sized businesses and startups

Starting from smaller-sized businesses, such as startups with around 30 employees. These companies require endpoint and SaaS backup capabilities to safeguard the data of their remote-working staff. Additionally, they might require storage scalability to accommodate future needs. Given that these businesses often lack dedicated IT personnel to formulate a comprehensive backup strategy, Synology’s Plus Series 4-bay or above model with cloud storage backup will be the most suitable solution.

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For this context, the best approach is to employ Synology’s Active Backup for Business. This tool enables the automatic backup of office data from PCs, servers, and SaaS accounts (like Microsoft 365) to centralize all the data on the NAS. To further enhance the layers of protection for this centralized data, Hyper Backup can be adopted. This solution facilitates backing up the NAS, along with all its configurations, to options such as external hard drives, public clouds, or another Synology NAS device.

What’s more, the user-friendly intuitive UI, coupled with the setup wizard, allows the staff to easily set up the system. The powerful hybrid protection strategy comes at a cost comparable to that of protecting a set of individual PCs, making it undeniably a cost-effective backup plan.

Medium-sized businesses

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Moving on, for a company size of around 200 employees, the deployment approach remains comparable to the one previously mentioned; however, a larger company size introduces additional factors, such as the need to back up virtual machines and the necessity for faster access speeds and greater storage capacity due to the increased scale.  Normally, businesses of this size would have an IT team for handling backup tasks, Yet, given the larger number of devices to be backed up, challenges arise in terms of cross-platform deployment and ongoing maintenance.

This is where Synology’s comprehensive backup software setups in to provide assistance. It not only supports almost all the common platforms in SMBs IT infrastructure but also provides a central management portal. Thus, Synology emerges as the most fitting choice for SMBs.

Similar to the Startups package, here we would recommend 8-bay or above Plus Series models along with C2 Storage for the data protection plan. This package could cover all the backup-needed platforms, and the storage can be easily expanded by providing flexibility in expansion in the future.

SMEs or Larger-Scale Corporations

Lastly, when considering larger companies, such as SMEs with approximately 1000 employees, the pain point would be similar to what SMBs face, but enterprises would require more complicated management due to the significantly larger number of devices. Furthermore, these enterprises would need more immediate recovery to minimize downtime. To meet the critical requirements in enterprises require, we can provide the corresponding one-stop backup solution with multiple-layer protection.

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The highly scalable 2U rack models paired with Cloud backup prove to be an optimal choice. and in consideration of the recovery time requirement, it would be great to have another on-prem NAS for disaster recovery solutions so that enterprises can utilize Snapshot Replication for instant recovery. Even for large-scale enterprises, Synology would still become the best choice with flexible data protection deployment, including on-prem, cloud, and an extra DR site.

In conclusion, while the 3-2-1 backup rule is an essential starting point, it may not be enough to meet all business backup needs. Synology offers flexible backup solutions that can help businesses achieve reliable and cost-effective backups that suit their unique needs and risks. By taking a holistic approach to backup and regularly testing backup systems, businesses can ensure that their data is secure and easily recoverable in case of data loss or cyberattacks.

Business, Contributed

Empowering Schools for The Digital Age

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In recent years, rapid technological advancement and shifting societal needs have evolved the educational landscape significantly.  Technology now plays an integral part in revolutionising traditional learning methods, offering new avenues to enhance teaching and learning modes.

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Schools must comprehend and effectively utilise technology to fully harness its benefits. In line with this, Malaysia’s Ministry of Education (MoE) has introduced the Digital Education Policy, which aims to seamlessly integrate digital technology into the learning environment, cultivating a generation of digital-savvy students and educators.

However, the key to effective technology-based learning and teaching lies in schools’ adept approach to integrating technology with the right strategies. It’s not just about adding new gadgets or software in classrooms; rather, it’s about thoughtful planning and implementation to ensure technology enhances educational outcomes.

What Does Digital Strategy for Schools Mean?

A digital strategy for schools encompasses a holistic plan that outlines how technology will be leveraged to elevate and transform various aspects of the educational process. It involves strategically integrating digital tools, resources, and technologies into the education ecosystem to refine teaching methods, enrich student learning experiences, streamline administrative processes, and foster a future-ready learning environment.

Central to this approach is identifying specific goals and objectives of the institution, understanding the needs of educators and students, and aligning technology initiatives to address them effectively.

Preparing Schools for a Comprehensive Digital Strategy

As we embrace a new era in education, preparing schools for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow has become a paramount priority. Key components of a digital strategy for schools include:

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Infrastructure and Technology Integration

A robust IT infrastructure stands as the cornerstone of any successful digital strategy within educational institutions. It requires essential hardware such as computers, tablets, and interactive displays, alongside establishing a secure, high-speed network, to effectively support digital initiatives in schools. Investing in technology can be costly; however, teaming up with technology vendors like Lenovo, who provide device seeding for cutting-edge products like the Lenovo K14 G2 Intel-powered by the Intel® Core™ i7 U Series processor (13th Gen), can help.

Technology integration must also go beyond device presence, strategically including digital tools across classrooms and administrative functions. From interactive whiteboards to educational software, schools should purposefully integrate technology to improve teaching methods and student learning.

Digital Literacy Development for Educators

For digital strategies to be successful, educators must be empowered with the necessary skills and knowledge to utilize technology in classrooms effectively. Digital literacy development initiatives are essential in providing teachers with the confidence and expertise to integrate digital tools into their teaching methodologies.

As a trusted partner in the transformation journey, Lenovo has established the Lenovo EdVision Community program in Malaysia to hone technological literacy and digital skills among students while providing resources and support for teachers to prepare them for a more digital educational landscape. Our program offers IT-enablement product training and webinars for teachers, along with easy-to-use total education solutions encompassing hardware, software, and services to ensure a seamless education experience. Malaysian teachers can register on the Edvision Community website to be part of the community for free.

When teachers are well-prepared, they can craft engaging, and dynamic learning experiences tailored to meet the needs of 21st-century learners.

Collaboration and Communication

Digital strategies should prioritize seamless communication and collaboration among students, teachers, parents, and school staff. Technology tools like virtual classrooms and parent-teacher communication platforms facilitate real-time communication and promote engagement.

Furthermore, strategies should extend collaboration beyond schools by leveraging technology to connect with experts and resources globally.

By adopting these digital strategies, schools can equip students with the essential skills and competencies needed to excel in a technology-driven society.