APU Psychology students earned three awards at an international research symposium, exploring AI and well-being while strengthening research skills, gaining academic feedback and building confidence to contribute to wider psychological discussions.

Investigating how artificial intelligence shapes thinking, why people turn to chatbots for psychological support, and how cyberbullying affects well-being, psychology students at Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) brought pressing questions about digital life to an international research platform.

Their work earned three of the six awards at the Digital Psychology Forum 2026: International Joint Research Symposium, held virtually on 7 October 2026. For these Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Psychology students, the achievement marked an important step from studying established theories to contributing their own research and perspectives to the field.

Exploring Psychology in a Digital World

Co-hosted by APU’s School of Psychology (SoP), BINUS University, Indonesia, and RMIT University Vietnam, the symposium brought together academics, researchers and students from across Southeast Asia to examine the evolving relationship between psychology and technology.

For student presenters, it offered an opportunity to communicate their research beyond the classroom, receive academic feedback and engage with perspectives from different educational and cultural contexts.

The experience required preparation, critical thinking and the confidence to explain their work to an international audience—skills relevant to further study and professional practice.

Recognition for Meaningful Questions

Judeana Emmanuelle KC Sathasivam won First Place in the Oral Presentation category for her research, “Examining the Relationship between AI Tool Usage and Cognitive Functions among University Students in Malaysia”. She was supervised by Ms Raihan Munira Moh Sani, a lecturer at SoP.

In the Poster Presentation category, Nusrat Ishmum secured First Place with “A Phenomenological Study of the Motivations for Preferring AI Chatbots Over Traditional Therapy”, mentored by SoP lecturer Ms Pavithra Muniandy.

Hillary Kumbirai Midzi received Second Place in the same category for “The Impact of Cyberbullying on Social Anxiety and Emotional Well-Being Among University Students”, also supervised by Ms Raihan.

Together, these topics address questions relevant to educators, mental health practitioners, technology developers and university communities. They highlight the importance of examining human experiences alongside technological change, while encouraging informed discussion about digital habits, support-seeking and student well-being.

Building Confidence Through Research

APU’s student presenters also included Akshara Mutateesa, Japji Uppal, Omaima Adnan Bintoori, Zoya Salman, Maram Mohamed Anwer Tag Mohamed, Isswariya Tharmalingam, Ameera Shazleen Binti Mohamed Naushad, Maryam Pirbhoy, Salman Sami Munim, Joyce Lee Kaizen and Kwung Jian Ming.

Their participation reflected a shared willingness to investigate meaningful psychological questions and put their ideas before a wider academic community. Beyond the awards, the symposium provided space to strengthen research communication, consider feedback and develop confidence as emerging contributors to psychology.

Ms Vinorra Shaker, Head of School of Psychology, highlighted the lasting value of this experience:

“At APU, we encourage students to move beyond learning psychological theories to asking meaningful questions, examining evidence and challenging assumptions. Presenting internationally gives them the opportunity to share their perspectives, learn from academic feedback and recognise that their voices have a place in psychology. We are proud of their achievements, but equally proud of the curiosity and courage behind them. These experiences help prepare thoughtful graduates who can connect research with the needs of people and communities.”