A front-row seat to politics, diplomacy and leadership

For Dalwyn Chow Yan Wei, five days in Timor-Leste felt like “a fever dream, in a good way”.

As part of Taylor’s University’s Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) (Honours) programme, Chow and his coursemates attended dialogue sessions with the country’s president, danced with locals in Dili, and learnt from Nobel laureate in Economic Sciences Professor James A. Robinson and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kailash Satyarthi at the Science for Development Summit 2026.

Among moments that stayed with him were conversations with Cornelio, their host from the president’s office, who encouraged the students to engage with the Timorese people and culture throughout the trip.

“He always prompted me to speak with various high-level individuals and experience their culture, even to the extent of pushing me forward when I was a little shy,” Chow said.

Bringing the region into focus

Taylor’s University offers Malaysia’s first and only PPE programme, which combines philosophical reasoning, political understanding and economic analysis while incorporating Asean perspectives alongside international best practices.

The Timor-Leste trip, along with internships and engagements with government ministries, think tanks and international organisations, extends that classroom learning into direct exposure to regional and global affairs.

For international student Seth Andrei Llarenas Cadongonan, studying PPE in Malaysia has reframed how he understands the region.

“Studying PPE at Taylor’s grounds my experience and knowledge in the very real lives of the people in the Asean region. I am no longer viewing global political issues from a disassociated, abstract angle,” he said.

Access to leaders and thinkers

That access extends to campus as well. Olivia Pearl, a Year One student, spoke directly with José Ramos-Horta, president of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, during a dialogue session at Taylor’s Lakeside Campus – one of three such visits he has made as the university’s honorary adjunct professor.

“Within three months, I have been able to meet and speak with so many people,” Olivia said. “That, I feel, is a skill to be learnt in practice, which PPE has provided to us from essentially day one.”

A different way of thinking

Beyond the encounters with world leaders, scholarship recipient Chow said the programme has reshaped how he approaches problems altogether.

“When I first started PPE, I approached problems with a tendency to look for the right answer. Now, I am much more comfortable questioning the assumptions behind a problem before trying to solve it.”

Discussions grounded in politics and philosophy – from Kantian ethics to utilitarianism – have deepened his understanding of how leaders navigate difficult decisions and shaped his ambition to contribute to Malaysia’s future.

Graduates of the programme can pursue careers across consulting, finance, think tanks, research, public affairs and public service, while PPE-exclusive scholarships offer up to 100% coverage of tuition fees.

Discover more about Taylor’s University’s Bachelor in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (Honours) programme here.

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