Professional & Educational Background

Prof. Madya Dr. Laila Suriya Ahmad  Apandi is affiliated with the Department of International Affairs, School of International Studies, Universiti Utara Malaysia. She obtained her first degree in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Denver. Then, she pursued her master’s in international studies and Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. Her PhD was from the University of Leeds in which she examined the EU’s normative power in Southeast Asia concerning its promotion of regional economic integration and cooperation, and human rights. She has taught several courses at the undergraduate level such as Comparative Politics, Politics and Business, International Political Economy, Politics of International Trade, Malaysia’s Political Economy, Regional Political Economy, Political and Economic Risk Analysis, Politics of International Financial Institution and Market, Seminar on International Affairs and Politics of Southeast Asia, as well as at post-graduate level; Theories of International Relations, Theories of International Political Economy, International Political Economy, International Trade and International Finance, and Political Economy and Development. 

Research Interests & Expertise

Her research interests include international relations, regionalism – comparative regionalism, inter-regionalism, ASEAN and EU studies, and non-state actors - civil society and non-governmental organisations. Her current researches are on the gig economy including e-hailing drivers and food couriers, green human capital development, refugees in Malaysia, employability skills in the millennia age, ASEAN as a foreign policy actor, Malaysia's international image and teaching in politics. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Laila is currently preparing a policy brief on food delivery riders. On the same note, she is also working on two article journals on e-hailing drivers and border security agencies.

Email: laila@uum.edu.my

1. 2015 - PhD Politics and International Studies, University Of Leeds, United Kingdom
2. 2001 - Master International Studies & Diplomacy, University Of London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
3. 1997 - Bachelor Degree Arts, The University of Denver, Colorado, USA