Prof. Dr. Poh Ling HO, FCPA, CA
Dean of Faculty of Business
Curtin University
Malaysia
Prof. Dr. Poh Ling (Pauline) Ho is a Professor and Dean in the Faculty of Business at Curtin University, Malaysia. She has been working in Curtin University, Malaysia for the past 22 years in various academic roles. She was approached to lead a local educational group where she fulfilled her social responsibility to local community during the Covid pandemic time for about 3 years before returning to Curtin Malaysia to assume her current role. Prior to working in the education sector, she worked as an Auditor in a Big Four accounting firm and a senior bank officer in an investment bank in Malaysia. Dr. Ho earned her Ph.D. in Accounting and Sustainability Disclosures from Curtin University, Australia. She has published 30 refereed research manuscripts in indexed journals. Her primary research areas lie in sustainable development; environmental, social and governance (ESG); and youth and women entrepreneurship. She serves as a reviewer for several journals. She is active in local community works especially with high schools in education for sustainable development, financial literacy and entrepreneurship. She believes in imparting education to youth so as to empower them to make informed decision and be the agent of change to improve the quality of life in a sustainable way.
Enhancing Holistic Education via Sustainable Development Goals: A Case in a High School in Malaysia
As technologies are seeping into our life smartly, an overwhelming number of students are struggling with anxiety, depression and disconnection. Students need opportunities for meaningful interaction. Their overall wellness, ability to take societal challenges and build a sustainable future should take the priority in education. In 2020, a contextualised global perspectives project based on the Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs) was implemented, as co-curricular, to a high school in Miri, Malaysia. The overarching objectives of this project are to enhance health and wellness and help students make connections to the real world. Specifically, the project equips students with the knowledge, skills and motivation to take informed action to contribute towards the achievement of the SDGs through in-class learning and extra-curricular activities. All the 17 SDGs are adopted due to its multi-dimensional goals where any students can relate their own experience to. With so many issues to tackle, students can understand there is an education around their experience, and that they can produce the knowledge via community engagement and research. As the SDGs resonate with the entire community, the school builds strategic partnerships with local government and non-governmental organisations and collaborate on a range of sustainability projects. Students conduct research related to the SDGs, which provides opportunity for students to identify local issues and offer solutions to solve problems. Besides, students creatively employ application technology to help solve local problems. While this project complements the UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and heightens SDGs awareness among students, it serves as an enabler for the school to provide responsible and enhanced holistic education for students. Given that the world has changed significantly and the need for accelerated action on sustainable development has never been greater, it is recommended SDGs must be incorporated into the curriculum to effectively deliver ESD and produce global citizens.