BBC at Taylor’s University: Global Voices on Truth, Trust, and Journalism

The School of Media and Communication at Taylor’s University had the distinct honour of hosting a landmark session with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service on 9 June 2025. Titled “Truth, Trust, and Worldwide Journalism,” the event brought global media perspectives directly to campus and marked Taylor’s as the first university in Malaysia to host an official BBC sharing session.

Designed to broaden students’ understanding of global journalism, the session offered valuable insights into how the BBC operates as a global news network, navigating complex international issues, upholding journalistic integrity, and reporting objectively on world events. Mass Communication students were given a rare opportunity to explore the critical role journalists play in shaping informed societies through truthful and balanced reporting.

The event featured three distinguished speakers from the BBC: Jon Zilkha, Controller and Network Head of BBC World Service; Jonny Dymond, Presenter of BBC World Questions and former BBC Correspondent for the US, Middle East, and Royal Affairs; and Charlie Taylor, Series Producer of BBC World Questions. The session commenced with opening remarks by Ms. Prema Ponnudurai, Head of the School of Media and Communication, who warmly welcomed the BBC delegation and highlighted the significance of this engagement for Taylor’s University and the broader Malaysian media education landscape. The event drew more than 150 participants, including representatives from communication schools at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), INTI International University, INTI International College, Xiamen University Malaysia, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and University of Wollongong (UOW) Malaysia.

The event offered a valuable platform for aspiring communication practitioners and scholars to engage directly with world-class media professionals. It also reinforced Taylor’s University’s commitment to fostering global perspectives, critical discourse, and journalistic excellence, core to the School’s mission of preparing students for an increasingly complex media landscape. In closing, the BBC speakers underscored a unifying message: journalists must serve both the public and the truth, with courage and balance an ethos that aligns closely with the values championed by the School of Media and Communication.