Dr Magdeleine Lew is Associate Director at the Singapore Management University (SMU)’s Centre for Teaching Excellence, where she leads institutional education research initiatives that advance pedagogical innovation to enhance faculty teaching practice. With over 20 years of experience in academic development, she works closely with educators to strengthen teaching effectiveness, collaborate on education research projects and grants. Her work includes active research collaborations with educators from ASEAN universities and Europe. Prior to joining SMU, Magdeleine spent more than a decade as a Problem-based Learning practitioner at a polytechnic in Singapore, developing expertise in facilitating engaging and effective learning environments. She holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from Erasmus University Rotterdam, with research expertise in student self-assessment and learning. Her scholarly work includes peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters on assessment and evaluation across disciplines, and she serves as a reviewer for leading education journals and conferences.

Mr. James Foo is Senior Associate Director at the Singapore Management University (SMU) Centre for Teaching Excellence. An experienced educator and administrator, he oversees key portfolios including Faculty Development, Pedagogical Innovation, Educational Technology, Strategic Planning, and the development of institutional IT learning systems. He was part of the SMU team that conceptualised, developed, implemented, and monitored major initiatives under the University’s Digital Learning Strategy, and is actively involved in the conceptualisation and leadership of the ASEAN University Network Thematic Network on Technology-enhanced Personalised Learning (AUN-TEPL). This initiative promotes regional collaboration to build capacity, enable online course and resource exchange, and advance research. Drawing on these experiences, he aims to share practical insights and spark conversations on how collaboration across institutions strengthens the effective use of technology and pedagogy to enhance the learner experience at scale.

Dr. Shuyang Da is a lecturer of English as a Second Language at Westlake University. She obtained her B.E. in English and Mathematical Finance from Xiamen University. In 2022, she received her Ph.D. in Foreign Languages and Literature from Zhejiang University and was listed as the finalist of Fulbright Program to be jointly cultivated by Stanford University. She has been contributing to the field of happiness and leisure studies. She also endeavors to unravel the essence of leisure and happiness from a linguistic perspective. Additionally, she is a professional translator specializing in the domain of happiness. She joined Westlake University in 2023 with a passion for integrating happiness theory into language education.

Dr Jeff Waters is a Sociologist focusing on student and educator experiences of learning and teaching. Jeff holds a PhD in Sociology of Education, and a Graduate Diploma in Education (with Distinction). Jeff’s current role as a lecturer in the Educational Futures team at the EIX focuses on researching and teaching in areas related to educator professional learning and development, especially in the Scholarship of Learning and Teaching (SoLT).  Jeff has over 15 years’ experience teaching in Tertiary education in Australia and Singapore ranging from pre-access courses through to post graduate education, which has given him a broad range of experience with educators and students.