By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Dec 11: Sarawakian lecturer Galvin Lee Kuan Sian has clinched two major regional honours: “Lecturer of the Year” and “Innovative Educator of the Year” at the Global Education Awards 2025, held in conjunction with the Global Excellence Conclave (GEC) 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, December 6.
Galvin, who hails from Kuching, is an award-winning Lecturer and Programme Coordinator for the Diploma in Business programme at the School of Diploma and Professional Studies, Taylor’s College.
Among his standout innovations is the Global Voices: AI (artificial intelligence) Persona Lab, an AI-powered immersive learning environment guiding students from inquiry and mapping to product design, reflection and regional strategy.
The project moves learners beyond memorising frameworks by training them to think like real marketers and consumers. It earned him Gold Awards at both the International e-Content Development Competition (e-Condev) and the International University Carnival on E-Learning (IUCEL) in 2025.
“That’s why I lean so 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 then connect that back to theory, I know we’re building skills that will travel with them far beyond the exam hall,” said Galvin, commenting on the dual recognition.
Looking ahead, he added that the awards had given him a bigger platform and responsibility as he hopes to continue sharing practical frameworks, tools and templates with other educators in Malaysia and across Asia so he could connect his classroom innovations with rigorous research to show that the ideas truly improve learning aside from making them exciting.
Born and raised in Kuching, Galvin has maintained a strong academic record from school through to postgraduate level. He completed 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 a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing from the University of Bedfordshire, United Kingdom.
He is currently pursuing his PhD in Marketing at Universiti Malaya’s Asia-Europe Institute, focusing on dynamic pricing, consumer trust and online purchase intention in Malaysia’s e-commerce sector.
At Taylor’s College, he teaches marketing modules such as Consumer Behaviour and Principles of Marketing, using interactive synchronous learning that blends theory, industry insights and hands-on digital activities.
Galvin’s dual role as an active lecturer and early-career researcher allows him to bring cutting-edge theory, contemporary research and real-world cases directly into the classroom.
Over recent years, he has won more than a dozen Gold Awards at international higher education innovation competitions and conferences, recognised for creating immersive, technology-enabled and student-centric learning experiences.
He is also recognised as a Microsoft Innovative Educator (MIE) Expert for the Class of 2025–2026.
The Global Education Awards is organised by the Global Excellence Conclave (GEC), a regional platform that brings together educators, institutional leaders and EdTech innovators from across Asia to celebrate excellence and share best practices.
The awards honour individuals, institutions and educational products that demonstrate innovative pedagogy, modern teaching methods and impactful use of educational technology. — DayakDaily
