KUALA LUMPUR: Students must have a voice in policies that shape their lives, rather than leaving such decisions solely to adults, says Tan Sri Chan Kong Choy.
The Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology (TAR UMT) board of governors and alumni council chairman said listening directly to students would strengthen the relevance, credibility and long-term sustainability of any national framework aimed at improving school safety and student well-being.
"By placing student voices at the centre of policy discussions, we ensure that what we design truly reflects the challenges they face today," he said at the "From Their Eyes: A Youth Dialogue on Safety, Stress and Support – Student Voice Matters" forum on Saturday (Dec 13).
Chan said concerns over student well-being had intensified in recent years, with academic pressure, emotional stress, digital exposure, cyber risks and mental health challenges becoming increasingly systemic rather than isolated.
"As a result, the concept of school safety can no longer be limited to physical protection alone. It must also encompass psychological safety, emotional resilience and a supportive ecosystem that allows students to learn and grow with confidence and dignity," he said.
He said these evolving realities had prompted the development of the Safe School 2.0 initiative, a research-driven and policy-oriented effort to strengthen Malaysia's school safety framework through a more holistic and evidence-based approach.
According to Chan, the initiative reflects the role of universities not only as centres of knowledge generation, but also as contributors to public policy and national development.
The Safe School 2.0 research committee comprises multidisciplinary academics from TAR UMT, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia and HELP University, alongside professionals from practice-based fields such as law, accounting and clinical medicine.
The forum, organised by TAR UMT, featured two sessions: a youth dialogue followed by an expert panel discussion.
Chan said the cross-institutional collaboration demonstrated how academic research could be translated into practical insights to support evidence-based decision-making and long-term education reform.
"The strength of this initiative lies in its ability to bridge disciplines and institutions, and to connect theory with practice, ensuring that scholarship serves society in meaningful and actionable ways," he said.
He added that the forum was significant because it positioned students as active contributors rather than passive recipients of policy decisions, and urged participants to engage with empathy and openness.
"Every voice shared contributes to a deeper understanding of how we can build safer and more supportive schools for all," he said.
