In conjunction with the 56th Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health (APACPH) Conference, the Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health (APJPH) organised a highly relevant pre-conference workshop focused on enhancing scientific writing skills and exploring the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in academic publishing on the 4 November 2025. Held ahead of the main conference in Chiang Rai, Thailand, the workshop drew participants from across the region, including researchers, academic staff, students, and editorial professionals.
Strengthening Regional Scholarship Through UM’s Leadership
Universiti Malaya (UM), as the editorial home of APJPH, played a central role in the design and delivery of the workshop. The session began with welcome remarks by Ms Helen Guat Hiong Tee, Editorial Officer of APJPH, followed by Ms Bairave Shunnmugam’s introduction to the journal’s mission and scope, underscoring UM’s long-standing leadership in promoting high-quality public health scholarship in the Asia-Pacific.
Prof Dr Wah Yun Low, Editor-in-Chief of APJPH and Honorary Professor at the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, delivered a comprehensive session on “Writing and Publishing a Public Health Paper.” Her guidance on manuscript structure, clarity, and scientific narrative provided practical strategies to improve publication success, reinforcing UM’s role in mentoring emerging researchers across the region.
Integrating Innovation and Ethics in Scientific Publishing
In a timely exploration of AI in scientific writing, Prof Dr Victor CW Hoe, Head of the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at UM and Editor-in-Chief of the Medical Journal of Malaysia, shared insights into the benefits and practical use of AI tools for drafting academic manuscripts. His presentation reflected UM’s ongoing commitment to digital innovation in research and education.
This was followed by sessions from two other UM public health alumni: Prof Dr Claire Choo Wan Yuen, who addressed the inherent biases and limitations of AI-generated content, and Dr Noor Ani Ahmad, Associate Editor of APJPH and Director of the Institute for Public Health, Ministry of Health Malaysia, who spoke on the ethical challenges posed by AI, including authorship integrity and academic responsibility.
Reflecting on UM’s Regional Impact
The workshop concluded with an engaging Q&A session and a group photography session. For UM, this event exemplifies its mission not only to advance academic excellence but also to to provide leadership in addressing contemporary challenges in scientific publishing. The university’s active involvement in APACPH continues to elevate its standing as a hub for public health research, education, and capacity building across the Asia-Pacific.
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