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Dr. Myo Myat Maung

Master of Public Policy,

Universiti Malaya, Malaysia
Year of Graduation: 2020

Currently employed as:

Skill Development ManagerVulcan Coalition Co., Ltd.

at

From 2018 to 2020, I pursued my first master’s degree at the UniversitMalaya. This marked a pivotal chapter in my
i
life—not only as an academic milestone but also as my first experience navigating higher education without sight. The

journey was filled with emotional highs and lows, personal growth, and a deepened understandi
ng of resilience.

The most challenging period came during my initial days at College 7. Arriving before the university officially reopened,
I found myself in an unfamiliar and desolate environment. Without prior orientation or mobility training, I struggled to
locate basic necessities. I didn’t know where to find drinking water, purchase food, or even whom to approach for
help. For several days, I survived on the food I had brought from my home country and tap water. Despite these
difficulties, I remained determined. I gradually familiarised myself with the surroundings and eventually discovered
how to reach the college office and the café. Once the semester began and students returned, the atmosphere
transformed. I began forming friendships and slowly integrated into campus life.

Academically, one of the most defining moments occurred during a course that heavily relied on visual content,
particularly graphs and economic curves such as supply, demand, cost, and wage trends. Coming from a non
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economics background and without access to visual materials, I found the subject extremely challenging. The lecturer,
though knowledgeable, lacked experience in teaching students with visual impairments. As a result, I received only a

me
coo
conditional pass. I raised my concerns with the programrdinator, advocating for more inclusive teaching
methods. In the following semester, the lecturer was replaced with someone who had experience working with
ot only
I

visually impaired students. With the right support in place, passed the subject butI had done sowith
,
n
distinction. This experience underscored the importance of accessibility in education and the transformative power
of inclusive teaching.

Although I did not receive formal academic awards during my studies in Malaysia, I was hono
ured to be recognis
ed by
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AUNDPPnet as one of the top 10 outstanding scholars. This recognition was deeply meaningful to me and affirmed
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that my selection for the AUNDPPnet scholarship was not only welldeserved but also a testament to my perseverance
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and dedication. As someone who had to overcome both academic and environmental challenges, being acknowledged
among the top scholars was a powerful validation of my efforts. It reminded me that excellence is not defined by
circumstance but by determination and the will to adapt.

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