12 undergraduate physiotherapy students from INTI International University recently represented Malaysia at the 25th International Disabled People’s Day Conference in Zgorzelec, Poland. With the theme “Life Without Pain, Healthy Children – Healthy Europe” and accompanied by the Head of Programme for Physiotherapy at INTI International University, Mr Thirumalaya Balaraman, the students presented their research to Europe’s leading and accomplished academicians in the field of physiotherapy, and were pleasantly surprised when three of the students received recognition among the top presenters – spots which are usually reserved for postgraduate students.
The delegation from INTI International University at Dresden, Germany.
Yap Hui Yi took second place, while Boay Yong Jing and Hoo Ming Huei won third place respectively for the Best Paper Presentation award.
Mr Thirumalaya was elated when the winners were announced. “It is a big achievement for our students to be able to compete with postgraduate students and obtain the Best Paper Presentation awards,” he said. “The judges shared that they were impressed with our students’ level of knowledge and confidence, and those were the key factors to their success.”
Ms. Yap Hui Yi impressed the moderators with a presentation of her research “The Effects of Physical Exercise in Autism Child’s Gross Motor Development in Malaysia”. The Third Year student shared, “Words could not describe how I felt when I discovered I won second place. It was unbelievable that I was able to compete on level-playing ground with postgraduate students!”
Third Year Physiotherapy students from INTI International University (from left) Yap Hui Yi, Boay Yong Jing and Hoo Ming Huei with their certificates of achievement, together with Mr Thirumalaya Balaraman, Head of Programme for Physiotherapy at INTI International University (second from right) at the 25th International Disabled People’s Day Conference, Zgorzelec, Poland.
During the two-day conference, the contingent also managed to promote Malaysia as they were the only Malaysian representatives. Other attendees at the conference were from Europe, Egypt, Lebanon, Australia and New Zealand, who also presented their academic research papers. There was also a visit to the Physiotherapy Centre in Zgorzelec to see how Poland is advancing the field of physiotherapy.
The students also made full use of their time in Europe to travel to Dresden in Germany, Prague in the Czech Republic and Amsterdam in the Netherlands on a cultural immersion to broaden their horizons.
Dr Joseph Lee, Vice Chancellor of INTI International University added, “We encourage our students to pursue as much international exposure as possible, so that they can gain an international perspective as part of their preparation to be global citizens of the future. As a result of the trip to Europe, our physiotherapy students were able to learn recent advancements in the physiotherapy practice at an international scale. The very fact that they are also part of an international academic conference that is usually attended by postgraduate students, researchers and academicians is also an amazing feat, as they are now determined to improve the practice of physiotherapy. We look forward to seeing the accomplishments they can achieve in the near future.”