The Digital Futures International Congress (DIFCON) 2025, which brought together over 900 researchers, innovators, and thought leaders from around the globe for a meaningful exchange of ideas in the era of digital transformation, concluded on 23 July 2025. MMU President, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Mazliham Mohd Su’ud, officiated the launch of DIFCON alongside iNVENTX, an invention exhibition.
Celebrating its fifth edition, DIFCON 2025 continued to strengthen its position as MMU’s premier annual academic congress, uniting interdisciplinary expertise across six co-located conferences: MECON, CITIC, ICCM, CLESS, ICLD, and ICTIM. These conferences spanned fields including engineering, computing, multimedia, law, communication, and innovation management.
This year’s congress was held in hybrid mode, allowing both physical and virtual participation, with the added spotlight of iNVENTX 2025, MMU’s international innovation exhibition, themed “Sustainaissance: Emotion. Expression. Identity.” In his remarks, Prof. Dato’ Dr. Mazliham described DIFCON 2025 as a testament to the university’s evolution in accessibility and global engagement, hosting for the first time a hybrid format that blends physical and online experiences. He noted the congress’s remarkable scale, which featured 952 paper submissions and participation from leading institutions worldwide, reaffirming MMU’s commitment to cross-disciplinary innovation and impactful research.
DIFCON 2025 featured a lineup of distinguished keynote speakers, including YBhg. Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Dzulkifli Abdul Razak, Dr. Riky Siswanto from Telkom University, and Prof. Dr. Elsadig Musa, who was recently named among the World’s Top 2% Scientists by Stanford University. The keynotes and sessions explored emerging trends in AI, sustainability, digital law, creative media, and innovation management framing academic research within the context of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The opening ceremony also featured the presentation of recognition awards to co-organisers, sponsors, and speakers. A presidential tour of the iNVENTX Creative Exhibition showcased student and industry-led innovations, further highlighting MMU’s role in bridging academia and industry. DIFCON 2025 not only provided a platform for sharing research and insights but also reaffirmed MMU’s role as a leader in digital education and innovation. With hundreds of papers presented and countless connections formed, the congress underscored the importance of collaboration in building a smarter, more sustainable future.
