It was a great honour to receive a HERDSA travel grant, which enabled me to attend the HERDSA 2025 Conference in Perth in July. I was especially grateful for the opportunity to present at a roundtable session, where I shared preliminary findings from my pilot PhD research exploring teachers’ and students’ perceptions of interdisciplinary education. This was my first time presenting at an academic conference and also my first academic conference in Australia.

Attending HERDSA opened my eyes to the breadth of possibilities within the academic world. It significantly enriched my understanding of higher education research and strengthened my confidence as an early-career researcher. More importantly, it allowed me to reflect on my academic identity from two perspectives: as a university lecturer teaching in Sino–British collaborative programmes in China, and as a third-year PhD student at Staffordshire University in the UK.

TATAL: Reflecting on My Dual Identity as Teacher and Researcher

Before the main conference began, I attended a full-day TATAL (Talking About Teaching and Learning) workshop. This was one of the most meaningful experiences of the conference for me. The workshop provided a rare and valuable space to step back and reflect deeply on my teaching practices and teaching philosophy.

Through rich and inclusive dialogue with educators from different countries, we explored questions such as: Why is teaching important to you? What experiences shape your teaching practice? What beliefs underpin your approach to teaching? These conversations reminded me of my learning experience during my Postgraduate Certificate in International Education three years ago. Since then, I had rarely given myself the time to reflect so intentionally on my teaching identity.

One insight particularly resonated with me. Each year, more than half of my students go on to pursue postgraduate study in the UK or Australia. Talking with lecturers from Australian universities helped me better understand their expectations of international students. This, in turn, prompted me to rethink how I can better prepare my own students—academically, culturally, and emotionally—for studying abroad.

The TATAL workshop helped me realise that reflection is not a one-off task, but a continuous journey. Teaching and academic research transcend national boundaries, and TATAL created a non-judgemental, open, and inclusive space for honest communication. I met educators from New South Wales, Melbourne, Queensland, Malaysia, and Singapore. Their warmth and openness quickly eased my initial anxiety as a first-time attendee at an Australian academic conference. Even after returning to China, I remain in contact with several of them.

HERDSA is one of the few academic conferences I have attended that truly values both research and teaching, creating space for educators to connect as teachers, not only as researchers.

Conference Sessions: Rethinking Interdisciplinary Education in the AI Era

Since my roundtable presentation was scheduled for the final day, I spent the earlier days attending a range of sessions. I was particularly drawn to presentations on artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. From keynote discussions about universities navigating the tension between practical, social, and critical purposes in the age of AI, to sessions exploring AI literacy, decolonial knowledge practices, and interdisciplinary learning, these presentations sparked deep reflection.

Listening to these discussions led me to reconsider my own research focus. How does interdisciplinary education relate to AI? What role might interdisciplinary education (IDE) play in preparing students for an uncertain and rapidly changing future? If AI can generate information, what then becomes the role of the teacher?

These questions challenged my assumptions. In the AI era, teachers may no longer be knowledge transmitters, but facilitators who support students in developing creativity, critical thinking, and the ability to solve complex problems. Learning becomes less about competition and standardisation, and more about personal development, collaboration, and becoming a “whole person.” This reinforced my belief that interdisciplinary education is not merely a supplement to traditional discipline-based education, but may become increasingly central in the future. HERDSA inspired me to explore this connection more deeply as part of my PhD research.

My Roundtable Experience: Learning Through Dialogue

My roundtable session focused on sharing and discussing preliminary findings from my pilot study on students’ preferences and perceived challenges in implementing interdisciplinary education. After observing other roundtable sessions earlier in the conference, I realised that this format requires a different approach from traditional paper presentations. Rather than simply presenting findings, the goal is to actively involve participants in dialogue.

Eight educators from universities including Monash, Swinburne, Murdoch, UNSW, and QUT attended my session. I began with a warm-up question: “Interdisciplinary education (IDE) is often described as a ‘fuzzy’ concept. What does IDE mean to you?” This immediately sparked discussion around employability, collaboration, and addressing complex real-world problems.

To make the session interactive, I invited participants to indicate their preferred ways of implementing IDE across six dimensions using red dot stickers. Only after this activity did I reveal the student survey results. Many participants were surprised by the similarities and differences between staff and student preferences. While both groups favoured problem-based learning, group assessment, reflective portfolios, and introductory IDE modules, differences emerged around whether IDE should be optional or compulsory and when it should be introduced in the curriculum.

This discussion highlighted the importance of co-designing interdisciplinary curricula with both staff and student perspectives in mind. It also prompted me to consider how contextual factors—such as national and institutional settings—may shape educators’ views of IDE, an issue I plan to explore further in my final data analysis.

Final Reflections

Overall, attending HERDSA 2025 was an invaluable experience. It helped me better understand the balance between teaching and research, strengthened my confidence as an international early-career researcher, and deepened my appreciation of Australian higher education culture and Aboriginal perspectives. HERDSA was not just a conference for me—it was a turning point in my academic journey.

For early-career and international researchers who may be considering attending HERDSA for the first time, I strongly encourage you to take the step.