Associate Professor Dr. Nor Aizal Akmal Rohaizad is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT). 

She obtained her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Educational Psychology from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in 2015 and joined UMT in 2017 after serving as a lecturer at Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI).

With expertise in Educational Psychology, Emotional Intelligence, and Early Childhood Education, she has dedicated her academic career to research on children’s socio-emotional development, emotional intelligence, and community psychological well-being. Dr. Aizal has extensive experience leading and participating in university- and national-funded research, with total research funding exceeding RM400,000. Her major projects include the UMT Matching Grant project, Effectiveness of Digital Art (MANDALA)-Based Learning in Improving Socioemotional Skills Among Preschool Children (Project Leader, 2025–2027; RM40,000), and the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) project, Basic Analysis of Emotional Intelligence: Developing an Emotional Intelligence Rubric for Preschool Children (Project Leader; RM63,200). She also led the Early Childhood Emotional Intelligence (EI) Module: Building Positive Emotions among Children in Terengganu under the Talent and Publication Enhancement–Research Grant (TAPE-RG; RM10,000).

As a co-researcher, she has contributed to several significant projects, including Developing a Structural Model of Employee Psychosocial Wellbeing Among Malaysian Seafarers (RIGS; RM45,000), Determinant of Dietary Intake as Etiology of Learning Disabilities Using Anthropometric and Household Income Measures (FRGS; RM66,010), Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Framework of Children towards Gadget Use in Socio-emotional Development (FRGS; RM60,000), and Development of a Socio-emotional Model to Foster Children’s Morality in the Post-COVID-19 Pandemic Era (National Grant; RM75,000). Her research has produced instruments, modules, and scholarly publications related to children’s emotional intelligence, including the Children’s Emotional Intelligence Scale, emotional intelligence assessment rubrics, and related frameworks. Her work has been published in Scopus and Web of Science-indexed journals and disseminated through books and book chapters, supporting educators, researchers, and early childhood practitioners.

Dr. Aizal’s research expertise has also led to copyrighted products such as EI Module: Building Positive Emotions among Children, Basic Analysis of Emotional Intelligence: Developing an Emotional Intelligence Rubric for Preschool Children, Children’s Emotional Intelligence Scale (SKEKA), and Children’s Emotional Intelligence Framework (TKEKA). Beyond academic research, she promotes knowledge transfer through the “Jungle School” Educational Project for the Orang Asli community in Terengganu under Komuniti@UniMADANI 2025/2026 and lifelong learning initiatives involving micro-credential courses on children’s socio-emotional development.

At UMT, Dr. Aizal is recognized as a resource person in the application of the Rasch Model and the assessment of children’s emotional intelligence. Her commitment to funded research, educational innovation, community engagement, and knowledge transfer reflects UMT’s aspiration to develop researchers who contribute meaningfully to society and national well-being.