It was a founding vision of HERDSA to be a truly international society. Just as universities and colleges are global institutions, any society dedicated to higher education educators and researchers must have a similar international outlook. Even though HERDSA’s roots are based in the close relationship between Australia and New Zealand, the society has always been inclusive of all higher education researchers and developers, with a particular focus on our Asian-Pacific region.

It is this vision of an Australasian society that Misty So-Sum Wai-Cook and Liu Mei Hui are working to make a reality. Misty was approached by Kogi Naidu to help hold the 2026 HERDSA Conference in Singapore at the conference in Melbourne four years ago. Misty agreed to explore the options to host a conference in Singapore with Mark Gan from the Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Even though it was Misty’s first HERDSA conference she agreed because she really enjoyed being part of an international higher education community.  She has been going back for more every year since.

Neither Misty or Mark fully appreciated that it would be a three-year journey to get the conference proposals done with approvals from their university’s senior management's and negotiating the conference details with HERDSA Executive members. It may never have eventuated but for the widespread support for holding a HERDSA conference in Singapore.

Singapore is a premier location to hold a HERDSA conference. It has a world-class higher education sector with several emerging institutions with strengths in management and technology. Singapore will give the HERDSA 2026 conference organisers the advantages of global accessibility, reliable infrastructure, strong government and industry support, and cultural richness, from a blend of Chinese, Malay, Indian, and global influences that will help attract delegates and enhance their conference experience.

It has been a long-held dream of past HERDSA presidents to consider setting up a HERDSA branch in Singapore. The opportunity is now knocking on the door. HERDSA members from Western Australia understand that Singapore is about the same distance from Perth as Sydney and far closer than New Zealand. The first HERDSA affiliated conference in Singapore was held following the 1987 HERDSA conference in Perth. As a West Australian HERDSA President Denise Chalmer wanted to again take HERDSA Conferences to Singapore. She could see the potential for a HERDSA branch in Singapore. Like Australia and New Zealand, Singapore has strong ties to countries in the Asia–Pacific region. Singapore is located at the centre of South East Asia, near Asian universities in Indonesia, India and China.

The same realisation occurred to Misty as she worked through  the lengthy and detailed conference application process with Mark. She talked to her colleague Mei Hui, who also had a great experience at the Adelaide conference two years ago. Mei Hui is an Associate Director of the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology, and immediately saw the great opportunity for sharing  teaching practices among educators within Singapore and beyond. Mei Hui and Misty will be the inaugural co-chairpersons for the HERDSA branch in Singapore.

When Mei Hui went to the 2024 conference in Adelaide she liked the feeling of community that she saw and learned that HERDSA members were able to continue in that community as members of a local branch. She envied the HERDSA members who had that opportunity because she knew that Singapore could benefit from something like this. Mei Hui could see that a branch would bring a lot of vibrancy and exchanges between their universities. Now with Misty and Mark, they are laying the foundations for that vibrant community of higher education research and development with a conference in Singapore. Together with HERDSA’s Hong Kong branch they will increase the focus on “Asia” in Australasia.

The 2026 HERDSA conference will be the first step in establishing a more permanent presence for HERDSA in Singapore and its neighbouring countries in the South-East Asian region. The conference will bring greater awareness of HERDSA to the region and the subsequent HERDSA Branch will build on this awareness to help colleagues in Singapore in evidencing the effectiveness of their teaching practises to prepare for future HERDSA Conferences and to promote meaningful conversations about teaching in higher education in Singapore and across the region.

Image credit: Dr Misty So-Sum Wai-Cook, Dr Liu Mei Hui and Dr Mark Gan Joo Seng, saying Hi from Singapore and enjoying a meal of fish and chips!