Psychology Without Borders: UTM Shines in Bangkok Academic and Cultural Mobility

Dr. Nur Asyikin Yakub

📝 Summary

A delegation of 15 UTM Psychology students successfully completed an Outbound Student Mobility Program in Bangkok, Thailand, delivering academic presentations and engaging in cultural diplomacy. The program provided students with a platform to share research insights and observe diverse practical applications of psychological services across borders. The students returned home with enriched global perspectives for their future professional careers.

BANGKOK, May 8 – A delegation of 15 dedicated Psychology students from the School of Human Resource Development and Psychology (SHARPS), Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities (FSSH), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) successfully concluded a highly rewarding Outbound Student Mobility Program in Bangkok, Thailand.

Spanning from May 4 to 8, 2026, the academic trip was meticulously coordinated by Dr Amalina Ibrahim, Head of the Psychology Program, who was accompanied by fellow lecturers Dr Wan Mohd Azam Wan Mohd Yunus and Dr Nur Asyikin Yakub. The brief but impactful journey provided the student delegates with an exceptional international platform to deliver academic presentations, share research insights, and engage in meaningful cultural diplomacy.

The program commenced on May 5, 2026, with a warm institutional welcome at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HUSO), Burapha University (BUU). During this initial engagement, the UTM students delivered research-focused presentations. In contrast, both student bodies actively shared insights regarding their respective student club activities, providing valuable concepts that students could adapt and implement back home. This collaborative dialogue successfully laid a strong foundation for building long-term international academic networks between both institutions.

The UTM delegation stands proud alongside faculty members and students from BUU during the opening session of the outbound mobility program

BUU’s students delivering an insightful presentation on their active student initiatives and activities managed under the campus Psychology Club

The UTM delegation at the foyer of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HUSO), Burapha University

On the final day, the delegation experienced a truly memorable highlight as they visited Chulalongkorn University (CU), which proudly houses the top Psychology Faculty in Thailand.

Honoring a formal invitation from the Dean, Asst. Prof. Nattasuda Taephant, PhD, and the UTM students participated in an elite exchange discussion session focused on research and innovation, followed by an educational tour of the faculty’s specialized operations.

The delegates had the unique opportunity to explore key psychological service hubs, including the Life Di Center for kids, the Counseling and Human Potential Development Unit, and various therapy centers managed directly by the Faculty of Psychology.

UTM student delegates experiencing an educational tour of Chulalongkorn University’s specialized psychological service hubs, including the Counseling and Human Potential Development Unit

This firsthand exposure offered a profound cultural and clinical exchange, enabling the students to observe diverse practical applications of psychological services across borders while returning home with enriched global perspectives for their future professional careers.

Heartiest congratulations to Dr. Amalina Ibrahim on successfully coordinating the visit and ensuring the program’s immense success. Enriched by these invaluable experiences in Bangkok, UTM extends its sincere gratitude to BUU and CU for their exceptional hospitality and academic collaboration.

Congratulations to Dr. Amalina Ibrahim (right) on successfully coordinating the visit

Reported by Dr Nur Asyikin Yakub, Senior Lecturer of the School of Human Resource Development & Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, UTM