Page 10 - E-BOOK PULSE@FASS ISU NO.02/2023

Issue no. 2 | 2023

Gender Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity
Workshop at The Institute of Development

Studies, Sussex
By Dr Lai Suat Yan
selected to share and exchange ideas on the GEDI policies
and its implementation in HEI together with high ranking
university leaders and academics from the National University
of Malaysia, Philippine Normal University, Savannakhet
University Lao PDR and the Vietnam University of Agriculture
in addition to two representatives from the Commission on
Higher Education (CHED), The Philippines and a
representative from the Southeast Asian Ministers of
Education Organisation, Regional Centre for Higher
Education and Development (SEAMEO RIHED).

Dr Lai highlighted UM’s commitment to SDG 5: gender
How often does research include persons with disabilities? equality and its achievement of being ranked third among
Typically, only when the research is focused on persons with global universities for its achievement in gender equality
disabilities. Otherwise, their experiences, perspectives and policies by the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact
voices are marginalized and invisible. Similarly, in planning for Rankings that was recently released in June. Some of the
programs and events how often is it planned and budgeted metrics and indicators used for this ranking include research
to ensure its accessibility for persons with disabilities? on gender equality or related topics, female students’
application, acceptance and entry rate, proportion of senior
These are some of the key issues highlighted in the week- female academics, policy on sexual harassment, policy on
long immersive workshop from 26 June – 30 June 2023 at the maternity and paternity leave, and childcare facilities.
Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Sussex United
Kingdom to strengthen leadership with Gender Equity, Dr Lai also shared UM's policy concerning persons with
Inclusivity, and Diversity (GEDI) policies in Higher Education disabilities. As highlighted by Linda Waldman, IDS, Director of
Institutions (HEI) in the Southeast Asian region. Teaching and Learning and the Lead Consultant for the
project, the workshop also learned about the specific
Dr Lai Suat Yan, the Coordinator of the Master of Gender challenges and the diverse possibilities in its implementation
Studies Program and Senior Lecturer at Gender Studies in the region and built networks towards improving the GEDI
Program, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti work for a better future. The workshop is funded by the British
Malaya (UM) is one of the two representatives from Malaysia Council and the SEAMEO RIHED.

Asia in World Literature Training Program

From 7 to 13 June, the Faculty of Arts at Chulalongkorn By Dr. Fiona Lee
University and the Harvard-Yenching Institute hosted a joint
training program titled, “Asia in World Literature,” in Bangkok.
I was one of the selected 20 participants who attended the
program. The lectures and seminars were given by
academics from Harvard University including David
Damrosch, Karen Thornber, and Annette Lienau, as well as
scholars from institutions in Asia including Zhang Lonxi (City
University of Hong Kong), Baidik Bhattacharya (Centre for the
Study of Developing Societies, India), Suradech
Chotiudompant (Chulalongkorn University), and Phrae participants, who were based in Asia and beyond, to learn
Chittiphalangsri (Chulalongkorn University). more about each other’s research interests and contexts. I
had the opportunity to share my own ongoing research on
Topics explored in the program include the potential and the role and positioning of English as a world literary
limitations of studying Asian literatures as world literature, the language in Malaysia’s ethno-linguistically diverse cultural
colonial origins of world literature as a conceptual paradigm, landscape. It was also a pleasure to have as a fellow
and inter-imperial comparisons across Asia and Africa. In participant, Lee Chee Yong, a UM alumni from the
addition to sharing insights about recent research Department of Chinese Studies who is currently pursuing his
developments in the field, the program also enabled PhD at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
10 | Pulse@FASS