Three students’ associations from University Teknologi MARA Malaysia took the initiative to deliberate on them openly in a webinar titled Surviving the New Norm: International Student Edition.
The students’ associations were from the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Study (BacAS & BASc) and the Students College Representatives of Negeri Sembilan from the Seremban campus. The panellists and audience were from Malaysia, Bosnia, Albania, Indonesia and the United States of America.
The “Surviving the New Norm: International Student Edition” webinar was held on 18 June 2021 via the YouTube Live platform. The program started at 8.30 pm with the Dean of the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Study, UiTM, Prof Madya Dr Abdul Jalil bin Mohamed Ali’s welcoming speech. It was followed by a panel sharing session on the challenges and responses to changes in their lives as students affected by Covid-19.
The panel members consisted of nine (9) students from diverse backgrounds and countries. From Malaysia were UiTM students Amirul Syafiq Bin Aizzuddean and Afdlin Mikhail Bin Mohd Sofian, and Ramadhan Alfaini from the Management and Science University, Malaysia.
Emina Lagumdzija represented the International University of Sarajevo, Bosnia; meanwhile, Ana Limani, Alert Lulo and Edona Zeneli were from the Metropolitan University of Tirana, Albania. Two more students, Mahesa Saravanan from Western Michigan University and Zul Amin bin Zulkipli from the Krannert School of Management, Purdue University, are currently studying in the United States of America.
The webinar highlighted the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students in different countries. Both panellists and the audience benefitted from the participants’ input, experience, and advice during the webinar. Surprisingly, many of us took similar means to deal with the tribulations in life brought by Covid-19.