Welcome
The Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) invites all who are involved with higher education to the Higher Education Conference International (HECI) 2026. HECI 2026 will take place on 9 December 2026 (Wednesday) at the Stephen Riady Centre, University Town (UTown), National University of Singapore (NUS).
This year’s conference theme is “The Future of Learning: Technology, Connections, and Global Pedagogies”
The HECI 2026 Conference Co-Chairs warmly welcome colleagues to the conference.
The Future of Learning: Technology, Connections, and Global Pedagogies
As higher education and lifelong learning landscapes undergo profound transformation, The Future of Learning conference invites educators, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to critically explore emerging directions in teaching and learning. This conference provides a platform to examine how innovation, global interconnectedness, and human-centred pedagogies are reshaping educational practice across contexts.
Sub-Themes
The conference is organised around four interconnected themes.
1. Technology-enabled Learning and Artificial Intelligence: Challenges and Opportunities
The rapid integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) into education raises fundamental questions about pedagogy, ethics, equity, and the role of educators. This theme explores how technology can enhance teaching and learning while critically examining issues such as data governance, algorithmic bias, academic integrity, and the evolving identities of learners and teachers in AI-infused environments.
2. Transnational Collaboration in Teaching and Learning: Difference-oriented Pedagogies
In an increasingly interconnected world, cross-border collaborations are redefining knowledge production and educational practice. This theme focuses on transnational partnerships that embrace cultural, epistemological, and linguistic diversity. It highlights pedagogies that are responsive to difference, foregrounding inclusivity, decoloniality, and mutual learning across contexts.
3. Continuing Education: Andragogy and Learner Relevance
As the demand for lifelong learning intensifies, continuing education must remain responsive to shifting professional, social, and personal needs. This theme examines adult learning principles (andragogy), flexible learning pathways, and the alignment between educational offerings and real-world relevance. It considers how institutions can design meaningful, accessible, and future-ready learning experiences for diverse adult learners.
4. Care and Relationality in Teaching and Learning: Human Connections
Amid technological advancement and globalisation, the relational dimensions of education remain central. This theme foregrounds the importance of care, empathy, and trust in teaching and learning environments. It explores how human connections—between educators, learners, and communities—can be cultivated to support wellbeing, belonging, and transformative educational experiences.
Together, these themes invite participants to reimagine the future of learning as a space where innovation and humanity intersect—where technology enables, but does not replace, meaningful relationships and inclusive pedagogical practices.
HECI 2026 Keynote
The AI Ethical and Educational “Stress Test” –
Taking Cognitive Control and Care in an AI-rich World

Dr Anu Selva-Thomson
Department of Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), National University of Singapore (NUS)
This keynote reflects my ongoing and honest engagement with the challenges and possibilities of teaching in an AI-rich world. I will be framing AI not simply as a tool or threat but as an ethical and educational “stress test” that forces us to reconsider the nature and purpose of learning, understanding, and responsibility. Drawing on the concept of “cognitive control” and a commitment to pedagogies of care, I would like to explore what good teaching looks like when genuine thinking and engagement are under pressure. I will illustrate this through a redesign of assessment to foreground students’ own reasoning, voice, and accountability while still allowing thoughtful AI use. Emphasising student partnership and values-driven decision-making, this approach seeks to preserve the conditions for authentic understanding and human encounter, while equipping learners to navigate AI critically and responsibly. This keynote hopes to share practical insights, lessons learned, and a hopeful perspective that educators are collectively experimenting, reflecting, and shaping what meaningful learning can and should become in this evolving landscape.
Signature Pedagogy Session
The Signature and Innovative Pedagogy Workshop
[Details to be confirmed]
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AUs |
Workshop Title |
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SIT |
Empowering Student Success: An Introduction to Solution-Focused Coaching in Higher Education |
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SUTD |
Hands-on, interdisciplinary and human centric design thinking |
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SMU, SUSS, NTU |
Details being refined |
Call for Submissions
CTLT invites you to submit your extended abstracts, on the conference theme and sub-themes, to be considered for inclusion in the conference programme.
NEW! Submission Deadline Extended!
Presentation Formats
Two formats are available for you to present your work:
- Paper Presentation – 20-minute talk with 10-minute question-and-answer
- Poster Presentation
Please indicate your preferred presentation format in the submission portal:
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Submission Portal Have trouble scanning? Click here to access the link! |
How to Submit your Paper?
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Extended Abstract Template
One common template is used for both presentation formats. Please download and use the extended abstract template for your submissions.
Please contact the HECI 2026 Conference Secretariat at hecisec@nus.edu.sg for conference-related queries.
