STRATSEA 2025: InterVarsity Crisis Communication Competition

Winning team to take home RM3,000 grand prize

KUALA LUMPUR, 24 June 2025 – Two undergraduate teams have been shortlisted as finalists for the STRATSEA 2025: InterVarsity Crisis Communication Award, a competitive platform aimed at nurturing the next generation of crisis-ready communicators. The initiative is held in conjunction with CommsForward25, a premier business communication conference taking place from 2 to 3 July 2025 at Aloft Kuala Lumpur Sentral.

RAISE, representing Han Chiang University College of Communication, and KHAIRComms from International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), have been selected to advance to the final round. Both teams demonstrated strong strategic thinking, creativity, and a nuanced understanding of crisis communication in response to a simulated data breach involving a fictional tech company.

The RAISE team comprises Andy Low Choong Yen, Lee Pei Yoong, and Jervanne Lee Heng Wey. Meanwhile, KHAIRComms includes Imad Hassan Basri Abdul Halim, Siti Aisyah Husna Maziffar, and Janani Arifah Mohamed Jalaludeen.

The two teams will present their strategies live on Day 2 of CommsForward25, with the winning team set to receive RM3,000 in cash prizes. The competition will culminate in an award ceremony, judged by regional industry experts including Shukreen Ma (Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad), Ana Pista (Ardent Communications, Philippines), David Ko (Ruder Finn Interactive Asia, Hong Kong), and Iza Sofia Kasbi (Cyberview Sdn Bhd).

“STRATSEA25 is more than a student competition — it is an extension of what CommsForward25 stands for. As we bring together senior professionals to tackle today’s most pressing communication challenges, STRATSEA shines a light on the future of our industry. The finalists have demonstrated not just creativity, but strategic and ethical clarity, qualities that will define the next generation of communicators in Malaysia and beyond. We are incredibly proud of them for rising to the challenge and showcasing the strength and promise of our young communication talents,” enthused Ivlynn Yap, Executive Chairman of Citrine One Group.

Ivlynn further noted that CommsForward25 is not just a space to spotlight best practices, but a space to challenge norms, learn from one another, and redefine how communication influences outcomes at the highest levels of leadership.

Held under the theme “Shaping Stories, Inspiring Results,” CommsForward25 is a regional business communication to foster critical dialogue, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and equip communicators with the tools and foresight needed to lead in an increasingly complex landscape. This inaugural event brings together delegates of C-suite leaders, academics, government representatives, and communications professionals from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the UAE to explore, debate, and share insights on the evolving role of strategic communication in today’s high-stakes environment.

The two-day conference will feature a stellar line-up of regional and international thought leaders. Among them are Datuk P. Kamalanathan, former Deputy Minister of Education and Chairman of PR Practitioners Society of Malaysia (PRactitioners) as well as Council Member of Malaysian Qualification Agency (MQA), who will deliver the keynote speech and delve into the essential skills needed in today’s AI-driven communication landscape; Ivlynn Yap, who will explore the role of ethical leadership in crisis communication; and Ana Pista, Founder & CEO of Ardent Communications (Philippines) and CEO of AI Centre of Excellence, who will discuss the transformative role of AI in the Public Relations industry.

Other key highlights include sessions by Shamsul Izhan Abdul Majid, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia’s National AI Office (NAIO), and Nurulhuda Abd Aziz, a multi-award-winning journalist and former press secretary, who will delve into where we are in the AI ecosystem and the interplay between journalism and public relations respectively. Complementing these keynote presentations are interactive panel sessions featuring esteemed experts such as Sharon Goh (Syuen Zens Resources), Fiona Liao (POS Malaysia), and Syed Muhammad Idid (West Coast Expressway), tackling timely themes including the future of communication skills in an AI-powered world, stakeholder alignment, brand impact, and ethical crisis navigation.

This year’s conference serves as the beginning of what is envisioned to be a biennial regional gathering, with the next edition set to be hosted in the Philippines in 2027.

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About CommsForward

CommsForward is a business communication conference organised by Citrine One Group with the intent to be the preferred platform where top-level management of corporations, businesses, academia, governments and communication practitioners congregate to discuss, debate, share insights and knowledge to address trends and issues facing the world today and promote best communication practices to convey their desired messages which can build trust and confidence to the entity.