Jonna Karla Bien
Associate Professor
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Dr. Jonna Karla Bien is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Polytechnic University of the
Philippines (PUP) and a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at the Community College of Baltimore
County (CCBC), Maryland, USA for the 2024–2025 academic year.
Her research and academic work focus on mental health and well-being among university students,
with particular interest in culturally responsive interventions, inclusive learning environments, and
the intersection of psychological well-being and internationalization in higher education.
She is especially interested in collaborative and interdisciplinary research that advances student
mental health outcomes within diverse and global academic contexts. As a Fulbright Scholar,
She is engaged in teaching, research collaboration, and community-based initiatives that
examine mental health support systems and cross-cultural approaches to student development
and resilience.
From 2019 to 2024, she served as Director of the Office of International Affairs at PUP, where she
led institutional internationalization strategies and facilitated academic partnerships, faculty
exchange, and research collaboration across institutions in Asia and North America.
She teaches in both graduate and undergraduate psychology programs at PUP and currently
serves as a Visiting Professor at CGC University, Mohali, India, as well as an International Visiting
Faculty member at Chandigarh University, India. Her academic training includes a PhD in
Educational Psychology, a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.
She is also a Registered Nurse in the Philippines.My international engagements include
Visiting Scholarship at INTI International University (Malaysia) and participation in the
United People’s Global Sustainability Leadership immersive training in Hurricane Island, USA.
As an active researcher, speaker, and panelist, she has presented at national and international
conferences on mental health, educational psychology, sustainability, and international education.
She is open to opportunities for research collaboration, visiting scholarship, and postdoctoral
engagement in areas related to student mental health, psychological well-being, and international
higher education.
jonnakarlabien@yahoo.com