LONDON, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Malaysia has earned major international recognition after Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) won the Student Support Award at The PIEoneer Awards 2026 for the International Student Arrival Centre (ISAC), the world's first and the only one dedicated arrival centre for international students located before immigration clearance at the Malaysian international airports.
The award was presented on 4 September at London's historic Guildhall during the 10th anniversary of The PIEoneer Awards 2026, widely regarded as the 'Oscars of international education'. It was received by EMGS Chairman Datuk Ahmad Shalimin Ahmad Shaffie and Chief Executive Officer Novie Tajuddin, accompanied by Board Member Dzariman Ibrahim.
A distinguished panel assessed eight student-support initiatives from Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom and Malaysia. The shortlist included UCAS and the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA), two long-established institutions in international student support. To be recognised alongside them was an honour; to emerge as the winner is a significant global endorsement of Malaysia's approach.
"This is more than an award for EMGS, it is a proud moment for Malaysia. ISAC shows that a student's experience begins the moment they arrive. Through care, clarity and confidence, Malaysia is setting a new benchmark for international student support", says Datuk Ahmad Shalimin Ahmad Shaffie, Chairman of EMGS.
Operating 24 hours a day at KLIA Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, ISAC welcomes international students before immigration clearance. EMGS personnel provide guidance on immigration procedures, arrival briefings, priority-lane access, airport to campus transportation, welcoming kit and other essential first touch support, making the journey from touchdown to campus smoother and more reassuring.
ISAC was established in April 2018. On 10 February 2026, the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia and EMGS officially launched the enhanced ISAC at Terminal 1, officiated by the Minister of Higher Education, YB Dato' Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abd Kadir, further strengthening Malaysia's student-focused arrival experience at its main international gateway.
"This is only the beginning. This achievement shows the world what Malaysia is capable of delivering when innovation and student care move together. We believe ISAC has set a strong global benchmark and can serve as an example to other countries of what is possible when the international student experience is made a priority. Ultimately, everything we do must deliver meaningful benefits to international students", said Novie Tajuddin, Chief Executive Officer of EMGS.
The win strengthens Malaysia's position not only as a preferred study destination, but as a welcoming, responsive and student-centred global education hub. Malaysia is committed in making Malaysia the preferred education hub for international students globally.
About Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS)
Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) is a an official agency under the Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia. EMGS is the wing responsible for promoting Malaysia as the talent and knowledge hub and the preferred education destination among international students around the world. It is also the principal body that manages the movement of international students in Malaysia, including facilitating visa processing.
About International Student Arrival Centre (ISAC)
ISAC is a dedicated arrival facility established by EMGS to welcome and assist international students entering Malaysia. Located at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminals 1 and 2, ISAC provides dedicated support upon arrival, guiding students through the necessary arrival and immigration procedures and ensuring a smooth, organised and welcoming start to their study journey in Malaysia.
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A WORLD-FIRST, NOW A GLOBAL WINNER: EMGS WINS THE PIEoneer STUDENT SUPPORT AWARD 2026 FOR MALAYSIA'S INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ARRIVAL CENTRE
BERLIN, Sept. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- viaim today announced that viaim Rise, its AI Agent Earbuds, won Best in Audio and was named a Best in Design Honoree at the 2026 IFA Innovation Awards. The recognition highlights Rise's combination of acoustic engineering, AI-assisted work features and a distinctive smart charging case.
The recognition at IFA 2026, one of the world's most significant technology trade shows, validates viaim's unique vision for the future of work. Following this successful unveiling in Berlin, viaim has confirmed that the viaim Rise will be available for global consumers via a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo, launching on September 8, 2026, at 9:00 AM ET.
Beyond Audio: Listen. Think. Act.
viaim Rise combines premium wireless earbuds with an AI Agent workflow designed for everyday work. Built around Listen. Think. Act., Rise helps users capture conversations they choose to record, understand them in context and prepare next steps that remain under the user's control.
Engineered for the modern professional, Rise supports user-initiated recording, transcription and translation for phone calls, in-person meetings and multilingual conversations, covering 78 languages and 145 accents. The system's breakthrough lies in its ability to connect these recordings directly to project context, surface actionable insights, and hand off tasks—by voice—to the AI platforms users already rely on after the user confirms, such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
Award-Winning Hardware Meets Intelligent Software
The dual IFA Innovation Awards reflect the product's commitment to both sonic excellence and functional design. The 'Best in Audio' win acknowledges the product's premium acoustic architecture. The viaim Rise features a powerful 11mm + 6mm dual-driver configuration, delivering Hi-Res Audio Wireless with LDAC and LHDC support. Coupled with an advanced ANC system featuring transparency and voice pass-through modes, the earbuds ensure high-fidelity sound, while a comprehensive multi-microphone array with bone-conduction VPU guarantees crystal-clear call quality, regardless of the environment.
At the same time, Vision Intelligence officially announced a partnership with Bose, a world-leading audio brand. viaim is working with engineers from Bose's Audio Technology business to enhance the audio performance of viaim products. Working with Bose, viaim will leverage the company's decades of technical expertise in active noise cancellation and acoustics to improve AI Agent hardware and enable robust perception and decision-making capabilities.
The 'Best in Design' honor recognizes the product's innovative form factor: a unique dual-device ecosystem. When users press the two side latches, a mechanical structure raises the earbuds from the charging case—a physical expression of the Rise name. The smart charging case also serves as a recording entry point: with at least one earbud inside, users can start a recording without opening the case or reaching for a phone. When connected to a computer over USB-C, its three-microphone array can support desktop meeting capture through the viaim PC app.
Indiegogo Launch Details
The viaim Rise will officially go live on Indiegogo on September 8 at 9 AM ET.
- Super Early Bird Offer: Early backers can secure viaim Rise with a $259 pledge, compared with a planned MSRP of $399.
- Added Value: Every backer will receive a 3-month of the viaim Pro subscription for free, unlocking the complete potential of the AI Agent ecosystem.
"We are honored by the recognition from IFA," said the viaim team. "Rise is built to move work forward. By merging professional-grade acoustic hardware with a sophisticated AI agent workflow, we are transforming the way professionals capture their ideas and execute their daily tasks."
For those interested in experiencing the future of AI-powered productivity, join the Indiegogo campaign at https://www.indiegogo.com/en/projects/viaim/viaim-rise, or visit viaim's official website at https://store.viaim.ai/ to learn more
About viaim
viaim develops AI-native hardware and intelligent agent services designed to help people capture information, understand context and move work forward. As of May 2026, viaim has served more than 1.5 million registered users across over 200 countries and regions worldwide.
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viaim Rise Receives Two 2026 IFA Innovation Awards; Indiegogo Campaign Launches September 8
