ALOR SETAR, 22 August 2025, Albukhary International University (AIU) proudly announces that Ms. Farah Syazwani Hayrol Aziz, Lecturer at AIU, represented Malaysia as the country’s sole participant at the ASEAN Regional Workshop on Transformative Human Rights Education, held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 18–21 August 2025.
Selected through a rigorous process, Ms. Farah joined academics and human rights experts from across ASEAN and the United Nations to explore innovative approaches to teaching development, migration, and gender.
The workshop was jointly organized by the ASEAN University Network–Human Rights Education (AUN-HRE), Mahidol University, the University of Oslo, Norway, and SHAPE-SEA. Distinguished resource persons included Prof. Surya Deva, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development; Mr. William Gois, Regional Coordinator of Migrant Forum Asia; and Dr. Vachararutai Boontinand, Mahidol University.
Reflecting on her experience, Ms. Farah described the sessions as “eye-opening,” adding that they broadened her perspective beyond her research background in gender, entrepreneurship, and cultural diversity.
“Prof. Surya Deva’s session on Decoding the Right to Development reframed development not as mere economic growth but as a human right rooted in dignity and equity. This challenged my assumptions and encouraged me to rethink how gender, migration, and development intersect,” she shared.
Her key contribution came during the session on Transformative Pedagogies in Human Rights Education, where she emphasized that teaching inequality should not always be framed as depressing, but rather as a pathway for empowerment and positive transformation. Her innovative perspective was commended by the resource persons, who recognized her as a promising young educator and researcher.
Ms. Farah further highlighted that discussions on epistemic injustice and centering marginalized voices resonated strongly with her ongoing research. She expressed her intent to explore how migration governance can be integrated into gender and development frameworks to advance social innovation.
Looking ahead, she has already begun shaping potential collaborations with fellow participants from Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. These initiatives aim to strengthen joint teaching and research opportunities, positioning AIU as a contributor to regional knowledge-building in human rights and social development.
Centre for Corporate Planning and Communication
Albukhary International University
Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, 05200 Alor Setar, Kedah Darul Aman, MALAYSIA
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