Understanding Students’ Perceptions of Sustainability and Social Media Utility for Sustainability Communication: Evidence From Malaysia and Thailand

Authors

• Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad Saleh, University Sains MalaysiaFollow
• Miao Huang, Communication University of China, NanjingFollow
• Ali Mehellou, Universiti Sains MalaysiaFollow
• Teerada Chongkolrattanaporn, Chulalongkorn UniversityFollow

Digital Object Identifier

10.18870/hlrc.v16i1.1629

ORCID

Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad Saleh，https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1591-0002;

Huang Miao, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1762-2239;

Ali Mehellou, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0725-3302;

Teerada Chongkolrattanaporn, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2785-8595

Abstract

Social media has become an increasingly prominent platform for information dissemination among university students. This exploratory qualitative study explored Malaysian and Thai communication university students’ perspectives on the importance of social media and students’ role in learning about sustainability communication. A face-to-face focus group discussion (FGD) was conducted with 18 seniors who were majoring in communication at the School of Communication of Universiti Sains Malaysia and the faculty of Communication Arts of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. The results showed that most respondents understood the concept of sustainability communication and its importance to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Respondents also discussed the significance of social media platforms, such as Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X (Twitter), for disseminating sustainability messages and raising awareness about sustainable development among young audiences. Specifically, the majority of participants saw TikTok as a promising platform for learning about sustainability communication. The findings suggest that students perceive social media as a potentially significant platform for learning about and communicating sustainability, pointing to its possible utility in sustainability education.

Recommended Citation

Mohamad Saleh, M., Huang, M., Mehellou, A., & Chongkolrattanaporn, T. (2026). Understanding Students’ Perceptions of Sustainability and Social Media Utility for Sustainability Communication: Evidence From Malaysia and Thailand. Higher Learning Research Communications, 16 (2).
DOI:10.18870/hlrc.v16i1.1629