UCSI’s online webinar on bullying prevention drew over 155 participants, featuring Prof Dr Insoo Oh from South Korea and Prof Dr Tomoyuki Kanetsuna from Japan, moderated by Prof Dr Chan Nee Nee of the UCSI Faculty of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts.

KUALA LUMPUR: As Malaysia rolls out its nationwide Student Protection Policy in 2026, UCSI is helping shape the national conversation on student safety by bringing together leading experts from South Korea and Japan to address one of education’s most persistent challenges: bullying.

A key theme emerging from the webinar was the often-overlooked role of the bystander - the student who witnesses bullying but does not participate or intervene.

"The bystander holds the solution and the key," said Prof Dr Insoo Oh, professor in the Department of Education at Ewha Womans University, South Korea.

“We need to empower bystanders, converting outsiders into defenders, because their role in changing the dynamic of bullying is critical.”

He pointed to South Korea’s Happy Tree Programme, a national initiative that equips student witnesses with the confidence and skills to intervene positively, as a model worth studying.

When bystanders step in, bullying dynamics can shift significantly.

In many cases, peers are present - making their response one of the strongest factors in whether the behaviour continues or stops. This underscores the need for a collective approach.

Prof Dr Tomoyuki Kanetsuna of the Professional Graduate School for Teacher Education, Kagawa University, Japan, stressed that schools alone cannot carry the responsibility for bullying prevention.

“It is essential that not only schools, but also families, communities and even law enforcement work together in a coordinated manner,” he said. “Trust between schools and parents is crucial.”

He also added that schools must not focus solely on punishing perpetrators - counselling must go hand in hand with discipline, allowing students to change and grow.

“Legal punishment is not enough,” said Prof Dr Oh. “If it is not accompanied by meaningful education, the problem is likely to persist.”

As Malaysia strengthens its approach to student safety, UCSI University remains committed to being part of that conversation - bringing world-class expertise to the table in service of every student’s right to a safe learning environment.