Tan Wanxuan

Graduating Class of 2023
Majoring in Politics, Law and Economics

The 4th ASEAN Summit in 1992 called for ASEAN Member Countries to help “hasten the solidarity and development of a regional identity through the promotion of human resource development so as to further strengthen the existing network of leading universities and institutions of higher learning in the region.” This led to the establishment of the ASEAN University Network (AUN) in November 1995 with the signing of its Charter by the six Member Countries’ Ministers responsible for higher education and  participation from eleven universities.

On a day-to-day basis, besides facilitating regional cooperation through forums and conferences involving different universities within ASEAN, the AUN also provides a platform for youths to engage in summer school programmes and study visits to exchange ideas and build long lasting friendships. In particular, AUN’s quality assurance network (AUN-QA network) organises training programmes and assessments with the aim of harmonising educational standards and promoting continuous improvement of academic quality in the higher education landscape.

Internship Experience

As a winter intern, I worked closely with the AUN secretariat and my AUN-QA’s colleagues to draft articles for publication such as the interview piece with Professor Dr. Mohd Nizam Rahman and Professor Dr. Rowena Escolar-Chua. I also played a part in coming up with new initiatives like training programmes for the new normal post-pandemic, where we combined conventional learning with new methods of delivery.

Although I was unable to join the team at the physical office due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, this virtual internship experience has broadened and enhanced my understanding of the local Thai culture and the intricacies of the higher education landscape across the different countries within the ASEAN region.

In fact, working from home was a rather seamless and enjoyable experience. I was fortunate to have an approachable and patient supervisor who was always there to offer unwavering guidance and clarifications for the tasks assigned via Zoom calls. It was also less daunting knowing that she was only an email or a message away, and it is truly heart-warming to be part of such a friendly team.

All in all, it has been an insightful learning journey as the knowledge and experiences acquired taught me how to view things from different perspectives and solve problems of varying complexities, like how to incorporate innovative elements and new stakeholders to our existing initiatives. Not only that, this opportunity has also helped shape the career pathway that I plan to undertake in near future!