Dr. Hazwan Ariff Hakimi is a poetic architect and academic whose career bridges architectural history, theory, and practice. With a PhD in Architecture (Graduate on Time with Excellent Thesis) from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and a Master of Arts in Architectural History (Distinction) from The Bartlett, University College London (UCL), he embodies a rare synthesis of professional rigour and scholarly depth. His research delves into architectural historiographies, postcolonial theories, and the Islamisation of architecture in the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago. His scholarly works, including refereed journal articles and book chapters, have been widely recognised, earning him prestigious awards such as the UKM Excellent Thesis Award and the International Conference on Regional Architecture and Built Environment (seniBINA) Gold Award. Dr. Hazwan's interdisciplinary approach enriches the discourse on the intersection of traditional and modern architecture, literature, and philosophy. As a design architect, he has contributed to landmark projects such as the Rica Residence in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and the City International Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He fosters critical thinking and innovative design in academia through courses like Architectural Theory and Philosophy, encouraging students to connect theoretical constructs with practical applications. Dr. Hazwan's dedication extends beyond the classroom. He is a registered member of professional bodies, including the Malaysian Institute of Architects (PAM), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), and the Historians of Islamic Art Association (HIAA), actively contributing to architectural and cultural dialogues. His editorial roles and jury appointments reflect his commitment to advancing the field and nurturing emerging talents. An advocate for collaboration, Dr. Hazwan invites potential research partners and postgraduate students to join him in exploring the nuanced narratives of architecture and its cultural contexts. His vision lies in integrating theoretical frameworks with sustainable practices to address contemporary urban challenges, shaping a built environment rooted in history yet responsive to the future.

  Started his research career in the think tank sector, Dr. Lee Chee Leong (Karl) is attracted to the rise of non-traditional diplomacy in the international order today. Such appeal has taken Dr. Lee into new research horizons that started with his Monash University's doctoral research on the Chinese sub-state diplomacy in China-ASEAN economic cooperation. With constructive supervision by Professor Helen Nesadurai and Associate Professor Kuik Cheng Chwee, Dr. Lee completed his doctoral thesis that unravels how a faraway and least developed sub-state of Guangxi managed to overcome its own hurdles, navigate the complexities within the Chinese state and become the frontline actor in China-ASEAN economic cooperation.  Following his doctoral completion, Dr. Lee's research on non-traditional diplomacy has expanded into Taiwan’s quasi-state diplomacy in Southeast Asia. Such quest has led him spending at great length in comprehending the concept of soft power, a concept that finds its relevance to Taiwan, which has no official diplomatic with Southeast Asia but is heavily connected to the region and has to rely on soft power in its engagements with these Southeast Asian nations. By comparing different case studies of Taiwan's quasi-state engagement within Southeast Asia, Dr. Lee has developed the soft power diffusion process to explain how such phenomenon operates in the real world. His ongoing and incoming research projects include Unpacking ‘De-risking’ China in the Indo-Pacific Region: Economic Statecraft (ES) & Geoeconomics, Taiwan's New Southbound Policy (NSP) and NSP+: The Domestic-International Dichotomy, The Taiwanese Connections in Nvidia's Global AI Supply Chain and Taiwan and Ireland: The Story of Two Tech Powerhouses.  To date, Dr. Lee was the recipient of several scholarships and fellowships in Malaysia and overseas: University of Malaya’s Graduate Fellowship (2010-2011); Monash University’s Merit Scholarship (2016-2019); Chinese Government Scholarship (2018-2019); and Taiwan Fellowship (2020). Prior to his appointment as Senior Lecturer at the Institute of China Studies (ICS), he was the Visiting Scholar at Guangxi University for Nationalities (GXUN) (2018-2019), Taiwan Fellow at National Chengchi University (NCCU) (2020) and Associate Fellow at ICS UM (2016-2019). He welcomes any potential PhD candidate who would like to work on Taiwan-Southeast Asia relations, comparative cases of ES between Asia and Europe, US-China-ASEAN semiconductor geoeconomics and case studies of donut economies in Asia. He is also willing to discuss with potential doctoral candidates on proposals related to the Chinese sub-state (provincial and city) diplomacy toward ASEAN, comparative cases of sub-state diplomacy between Asia and Europe as well as conceptual innovations of sub-state diplomacy vis-a-vis soft power.     

    Dr. Zaharah Hussin is a Professor in the Department of Educational Foundation and Humanities, Faculty of Education, Universiti  Malaya (UM) born in Kedah. Prior to that, she was a secondary school teacher, SLAB tutor, lecturer and senior lecturer at UM. She is also a person who is also entrusted with administrative duties at UM since she started working as a lecturer in 1997 until now, starting from as the coordinator of Teaching Training, Head of Department and was the Deputy Dean (Higher Degree) in her Faculty. Her academic expertise is in the field of teacher training and educational research especially Islamic Education, Curriculum, Values ​​and Akhlak Education, philosophy in education, content analysis, Delphi techniques in research, model development and qualitative research in general. Dr. Zaharah is also active in publishing articles in national and international journals, academic books and presentations in conferences and webinars. Her book published by UM publisher entitled Akhlak  Education: Curriculum Analysis and Design was awarded the National Book Award 2018 Education category by the National Book Development Foundation in conjunction with the Book Fair 2018. He has also contributed teachers, researchers and experts particularly in Islamic Education field locally and internationally.