MORE THAN 300 researchers, engineers and industry specialists are expected to gather in Kuching this December after Sarawak secured the right to host the 38th International Conference on Microelectronics (ICM) 2026, marking the event’s return to Malaysia after an absence of more than three decades.
The conference, organised by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Circuits and Systems Society (IEEE CASS), will take place December at Borneo Cultures Museum as the main venue.
Business Events Sarawak made the announcement of ICM 2026 following a winning bid helped by the state’s government convention bureau, local industry and academia.
At the conference, delegates from across the international microelectronics sector will discuss emerging technologies, research breakthroughs and the future direction of the industry.
The event comes as governments and businesses worldwide are seeking to strengthen semiconductor supply chains and expand their capabilities in technologies that underpin artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and digital infrastructure. Sarawak’s leaders see the conference as an opportunity to connect the state’s growing ambitions in these areas with expertise from around the world.
ICM 2026 is an important step towards the Sarawak Government’s ambition of building a high-income economy driven by innovation and technology.”
– Roland Sagah Wee Inn
Sarawak’s Minister of Education, Innovation and Talent Development
“For Sarawak to compete in the industries of the future, we must create opportunities for our people to learn from the best, participate in global networks and turn knowledge into real opportunities. ICM brings that global community directly to us, creating opportunities for our talent and industry to learn, collaborate and turn knowledge into new possibilities for Sarawak,” the minister said.
The programme will include technical papers, workshops, tutorials, live demonstrations and industry visits, giving participants opportunities to explore developments in circuits, systems and microelectronics. Organisers are also planning additional activities including a Sino-Malaysia workshop, a standards workshop and an industry forum.
A key theme will be the relationship between artificial intelligence and the hardware needed to support it.
The next big step for AI is not only about smarter software, but also building better and more efficient technology to power it.”
– Fakhrul Zaman Rokhani
ICM 2026 general chair
“ICM 2026 will explore how we can make AI faster, more energy-efficient and more sustainable through advances in microelectronics and hardware. Bringing these global conversations to Malaysia via Sarawak gives professionals and young talent in the region greater access to the ideas and technologies shaping our future,” said Rokhani, who is also IEEE CASS Vice President for Education and Communications.
For Sarawak’s business events sector, the conference is also an example of how specialist scientific and technology meetings are being used to support broader economic goals.
“Winning ICM 2026 demonstrates the strategic value of attracting specialised international conferences that align with local development priorities,” said Jason Tan, chief executive of Business Events Sarawak.
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“The conference is expected to generate MYR2.5 million [about USD620,000] in total estimated economic impact, but its greater value is what it can leave in the long-term,” Tan said.
“ICM can be a powerful catalyst to strengthen Sarawak’s growing electronics sector through new knowledge, connections and opportunities that continue well beyond the conference. BESarawak is proud to support legacy-driven events such as ICM 2026.”
The conference is backed by the global IEEE Circuits and Systems community and has secured publication approval through IEEE Xplore, with selected papers eligible for submission to a number of leading journals.
