Strengthening International Collaboration: Taylor’s University and Villa College, Maldives Partnership

Taylor’s University and Villa College, Maldives, recently held a productive meeting on partnership. The discussions were led by Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management (FSLM), Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, and Pro Vice-Chancellor - Planning and Academic Development, Ms. Angie Ng Sok Ping. Also in attendance were Ms. Prema Ponnudurai, Head of the School of Media & Communication, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kandappan Balasubramanian, Head of the School of Hospitality, Tourism, and Events, alongside the FSLM team. Representing Villa College were Dr. Ali Najeeb, Vice Rector and Mr. Abdul Munnim Mohamed Manik, Deputy Vice Rector, Administration and Finance.

Villa College is the first private higher education institution of the Republic of Maldives. In 2007, it was founded by Hon. Dr. Qasim Ibrahim, Chairman of the Villa group, through the Private-Public Partnership Agreement with the government. From just 54 students in four classrooms, the College has since then expanded significantly, becoming the first in the country to offer franchise programmes through partnerships.

The meeting focused on expanding partnership programmes at Villa College in Hospitality, Culinary Arts, and Communication, with both teams engaging in strategic discussions to enhance programme development, strengthen institutional collaboration, and broaden academic opportunities. A key highlight was the commitment to enriching the student experience through international exposure at Taylor’s, providing students with global learning opportunities and fostering a holistic educational journey. The collaboration aims to bridge academia and industry by offering multiple internship opportunities in Malaysia, equipping students with practical skills and hands-on industry experience to enhance their career readiness and professional growth.

Additionally, the partners discussed preparations for the Asia-Euro Conference 2026 in Hospitality, Tourism and Gastronomy. Villa College will host this prestigious event in the Maldives in May 2026. Both institutions agreed to establish a dedicated joint committee and develop a conference website to streamline planning and execution. The event will feature research sessions with keynote, guest speakers and panel discussions, alongside with networking opportunities, fostering knowledge exchange and industry collaboration.

This partnership marks a significant milestone in fostering academic excellence and global engagement, further strengthening the ties between Taylor’s University and Villa College.

Bridging Literacy Gaps: Projek BacaBaca Secures RM400,000 to Empower Young Minds

Projek BacaBaca, an initiative by the School of Education led by Ms. Hema Letchamanan, Programme Director has been awarded a RM400,000 grant under the Hasanah Special Grant (HSG) from Yayasan Hasanah, Malaysia’s largest social impact grant provider. This funding will support the programme’s implementation in five schools across Selangor, with the goal of improving Bahasa Melayu (BM) literacy for 100 students from underserved communities.

As a research-driven initiative, Projek BacaBaca is committed to evaluating literacy strategies and refining teaching methodologies to enhance reading skills and boost students' academic confidence. Since its inception in 2021, the programme has engaged over 300 volunteers and positively impacted more than 400 students nationwide.

This grant marks a major milestone in advancing educational research and practice, paving the way for innovative literacy development approaches within the Malaysian education landscape.

Prof. Dr. Rozainee Khairudin Appointed as Head of the Department of Psychology at Taylor’s

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Dr. Rozainee Khairudin as Head of the Department of Psychology at the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, effective February 2025. She will oversee the Bachelor of Psychology (Hons.), Master of Clinical Psychology, and Master of Counselling programmes, as well as the Centre of Human Excellence and Development (HEART Psychological Services and the Social Behavioural Lab).

Prof. Dr. Rozainee holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Reading, UK, and Master’s and Doctoral degrees from the University of Birmingham, UK. Her research area focuses on mindset, emotion and memory, and deception in delinquency. Before joining Taylor’s University, she had an esteemed academic career at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), where she served as Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities.

A former President of the Malaysian Psychological Association (PSIMA), Prof. Dr. Rozainee has shared her expertise globally, including as a guest lecturer at the University of Glasgow, UK, and Universidad De Ixtlahuaca, Mexico. She has also served as an External Assessor and Examiner for psychology programmes at OUM, IMU, HELP University, UPM, Sunway University, and Monash University, and has contributed as a panellist for the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

Her work extends beyond academia, having consulted for the Public Service Department (JPA), Airbus France, STRAND, and TRUE VOX Asia. She is also Editor-in-Chief of the Malaysian Journal of Psychology (JPM) and a reviewer for Heliyon, Publons, Elsevier, and Wiley’s Nursing Open. Notably, she established the Cognition and Stress Lab at UKM, equipped with an electroencephalography (EEG) machine for psychological research.

With her vast experience and unwavering dedication to psychology, Prof. Dr. Rozainee is poised to bring strong leadership and academic excellence to the department. Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management, together with the entire team, extends a warm and heartfelt welcome as she embarks on this exciting new journey.