Press Invitation: 1th HERA 2025 Conference —
The Future of Higher Education: Facing New and Old Challenges
Updated on June 05, 2025 (Thu)
11th HERA 2025 Conference
The Future of Higher Education: Facing New and Old Challenges
The Faculty of Education at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) will host the 11th Higher Education Research Association (HERA) 2025 Conference, titled “The Future of Higher Education: Facing New and Old Challenges” from June 9 to 10, 2025 (Monday and Tuesday). Leading scholars, educators, and students will gather to explore critical issues shaping the landscape of higher education today and into the future.
The Conference will address and propose innovative solutions for some of the most pressing challenges facing higher education institutions globally. Topics will span a wide range of areas, including equitable access and participation, governance and organisational structures, pedagogical and curricula adaptation, collaboration in teaching and research, contributions to sustainable development, and the integration of emerging technologies. Key issues to be discussed include:
- Demographic Changes and Institutional Downsizing
- Constrained Public Funding for Higher Education
- Overqualification, Underemployment, and Credentialism
- Impact of Technology and Organisational Reform
More information about the topic of the conference can be found here: https://hera2025.hku.hk/copy-of-about-the-conference
Members of the media are welcome to attend this event. Details are as follows:
| Date: | June 9 – 10, 2025 (Monday and Tuesday) |
| Time: | 8:10 am – 6:15 pm (Day 1) 8:00 am – 6:10 pm (Day 2) |
| Venue: | Rayson Huang Theatre, HKU (Map) |
| Programme: | Please visit https://hera2025.hku.hk/program for details.
Programme Highlights:
Day 1 Conference Opening Keynote Speech – Erosion of Trust and Higher Education Communities By Maarja Beerkens, Vice Dean at the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs and Associate Professor in international governance at Leiden University, the Netherlands.
Dialogue: Future of Higher Education With Ka Ho Mok, Provost and Vice-President (Academic & Research) of The Hang Seng University of Hong Kong and Simon Marginson, Professor of Higher Education at the University of Bristol and Professor of Higher Education (emeritus) at the University of Oxford.
Day 2 Keynote Speech – Open and Closed Spaces: Geopolitical Realignment and the Changing Landscape of Chinese Doctoral Mobility By Wenqin Shen, Associate Professor of Higher Education at Peking University. Closing Ceremony |
| Language: | English |
For more details, please visit https://hera2025.hku.hk/.
For media enquiries, please contact Hugo Horta, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education, HKU (Tel: 28592525 / Email: [javascript protected email address]) or Kelly Shum, Executive Officer (Communications), Faculty of Education, HKU (Tel: 3917 8239 / Email: [javascript protected email address]).
June 5, 2025