Kuching educator wins double honours at Global Education Awards 2025 in Thailand

KUCHING (Dec 12): Kuching-born educator Galvin Lee Kuan Sian gained regional recognition after being named ‘Lecturer of the Year’ and ‘Innovative Educator of the Year’ at the Global Education Awards 2025, held on Dec 6 in conjunction with the Global Excellence Conclave (GEC) in Bangkok, Thailand.

The awards recognise outstanding educators and innovators across Asia for advancing modern and impactful teaching practices.

Lee is a lecturer and programme coordinator for the Diploma in Business programme at Taylor’s College School of Diploma and Professional Studies, and a PhD candidate and researcher in Marketing at the Asia-Europe Institute, Universiti Malaya (UM).

His research focuses on consumer behaviour and e-commerce in Malaysia and the Asean region.

Over the past few years, he has won more than a dozen international Gold Awards for higher education innovation, recognised for designing immersive, technology-enabled learning experiences.

At Taylor’s College, he teaches marketing modules including Consumer Behaviour and Principles of Marketing, using interactive learning formats that blend theory, industry cases, and hands-on digital activities.

His flagship project ‘Global Voices: AI Persona Lab’ is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered learning environment that guides students through inquiry-based product design, self-reflection, and regional strategy.

The project earned him Gold Awards at the International e-Content Development Competition (e-Condev) and the International University Carnival on E-Learning (IUCEL) in 2025.

“That’s why I lean heavily into AI, simulations, and gamification — not as gimmicks, but as ways to create realistic practice spaces where students can experiment, make mistakes safely, and see the consequences of their decisions.

“If they can argue with an AI persona, defend a campaign choice in a virtual mall, and connect that back to theory, I know we’re building skills that will travel far beyond the exam hall,” he said.

Lee added that the dual recognition gives him a bigger platform and responsibility to share practical tools with educators in Malaysia and across Asia.

“I hope to continue sharing practical frameworks, tools, and templates with other educators, and to connect my classroom innovations with rigorous research so we can show not only that these ideas are exciting, but that they truly improve learning,” he said.

Born and raised in Kuching, Lee has consistently excelled academically from school through postgraduate studies.

He holds multiple degrees with distinction, including First Class Honours in Finance and Economics from the University of the West of England and Taylor’s University, as well as an MBA in Marketing from the University of Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom.

Currently pursuing his PhD at UM, his research examines dynamic pricing, consumer trust, and online purchase intention in Malaysia’s e-commerce sector.

His dual role as lecturer and researcher allows him to bring cutting-edge marketing theory, contemporary research findings, and real industry cases directly into the classroom.