BlackBerry and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia have expanded their partnership to bring the QNX Everywhere programme into the university's curriculum, making UKM the first university in ASEAN to adopt it.
Under the arrangement, UKM will offer QNX Everywhere as a curricular elective for computer science and engineering students, with courses expected to begin later this year. Students will receive access to the QNX Software Development Platform 8.0 as part of the programme.
The move extends a multi-year partnership between the Canadian software company and the Malaysian university. It also broadens the relationship beyond cybersecurity training into embedded and operating system software used in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, medical devices, semiconductors, robotics and industrial automation.
QNX is BlackBerry's software division focused on operating systems and related tools for safety-critical and connected systems. Its technology is used by nine of the world's top 10 medical device manufacturers and is embedded in more than 275 million vehicles.
Course design is now under way with input from BlackBerry, QNX, Pi Square Technologies, university leaders, faculty members, and government and industry stakeholders. UKM has also opened registration for students.
Skills pipeline
The partnership is intended to help build a pool of software engineers for Malaysia's industrial modernisation plans. Both sides linked the curriculum to demand for talent in advanced manufacturing and other sectors that rely on software for connected and safety-critical systems.
Malaysia has introduced several policy frameworks to deepen digital transformation and move industry up the value chain, including Industry4WRD, the National 4IR Policy, the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 and Malaysia Digital 2030. The new university programme is being positioned as a way to link those goals with practical training.
Raj Jain, Vice President of QNX Engineering and Head of R&D in APAC at BlackBerry, outlined the company's view of where the market is heading.
"The future of robotics, automotive and industrial systems is being shaped by 'Physical AI', where artificial intelligence meets real-world, safety-critical environments. With QNX Everywhere, we are giving Malaysia's next generation of engineers hands-on experience with the trusted software foundation that powers safe, secure, real-time systems. BlackBerry is proud to partner with UKM to help build a globally competitive talent pipeline, advance the digital economy and support Malaysia's Industry 5.0 ambitions," Jain said.
Regional first
For UKM, the programme adds to its efforts to expand teaching in digital and engineering disciplines. Founded in 1970, the university has been increasing its focus on cybersecurity, digital trust and data protection alongside broader research activity.
Adding QNX Everywhere to the curriculum gives students direct exposure to software tools used in commercial and industrial environments. That may help graduates move into roles tied to embedded systems and regulated industries, where familiarity with specialist operating systems can be a differentiator.
UKM Vice-Chancellor Prof Dato' Dr Sufian Jusoh said the initiative responds to Malaysia's need for more software talent.
"Our partnership with BlackBerry continues to break new ground, expanding to address Malaysia's requirements to 'tech up' more software engineers to support our future digital economy. UKM is proud to be the first university in ASEAN to integrate QNX Everywhere into our curriculum, ensuring that Malaysia's future software engineers are not just career-ready, but globally competitive in designing and supporting the world's most critical industries," Jusoh said.
Broader footprint
The latest step follows the launch of the partners' 24-week Cyber Pathways professional certification programme. That earlier initiative focused on cybersecurity skills, while the new programme centres on foundational software used in embedded systems.
For BlackBerry, the UKM agreement expands the academic reach of QNX Everywhere, which already spans institutions in Canada, the United States, South Korea, India and Germany. Adding a Malaysian university gives the programme a foothold in ASEAN at a time when governments across the region are pushing for stronger domestic technology skills and greater industrial resilience.
QNX has long been associated with software used in systems where reliability and predictable performance matter, including transport, industrial control, robotics, rail and aerospace. Bringing that software into a university setting gives students access to tools more commonly found in commercial engineering environments than in standard undergraduate teaching.
The programme will now move into course development between the university, BlackBerry and other participants, while student registration is under way at UKM.