The 9th Asia-Pacific Futures Network Conference (APFN9) was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on September 18-19. Tamkang played a co-organizing role, with full-time visiting research fellow Inayatullah Sohail Tahir, Assistant Professor Nur Anisah Binti Abdullah, PhD. students Bo-Da Chen and Bangladesh Shakil Ahmed from the Department of Education and Futures Design in attendance to present papers.

The conference brought together the thoughts and creativity of many intellectuals, leading to collisions of ideas and practical presentations that expanded the horizons and perspectives of the participants. On the first day of the conference, the Department of Education and Futures Design organized a doctoral seminar for students from Tamkang, where they presented papers and showcased research ideas and preliminary results. Bo-Da Chen presented on the topic of "Future Vision of Integrating Technology and Educational Leadership in a Private University," discussing the impact of emerging technology on student learning leadership and prospects in a case university. This was explored using interview methods, the Future Triangle, and scenario analysis to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence and potential scenarios in the future. Shakil Ahmed presented on the topic of "Policy and Implementation Frameworks for Gross National Inspiration" and expressed interest in exploring factors that inspire people. He highlighted that for a long time, people have used economists' thoughts as the standard for measuring success, but he aimed to shift the focus from defining a country's success solely based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to exploring the potential for inspiration.

On the second day of the conference, a seminar titled "Our Future Images" was hosted by Nur Anisah Binti Abdullah, Edward Neidbalski and Shakil Ahmed (master's graduates from the Department of Education and Futures Design in 2022). They invited participants to delve into an intriguing concept: the future is a canvas full of possibilities. Through discussions and practical activities, participants were encouraged to use a set of "NotYetPossible" scenario cards to break free from the constraints of past experiences and societal expectations. They utilized drawing and writing materials to explore their creativity, reflect on alternative futures for their vision and values.

The conference included multiple keynote speeches, group discussions, and presentations, explaining how leaders can use the future to drive social change and bring about transformation. It also discussed how to make it easier for people to access future studies and create opportunities for informal learning in future studies. Nur Anisah Binti Abdullah mentioned that one of the projects she is currently involved in is the "Future Practice Community." It is a space where professionals, educators, and those curious about the future can connect, share, and create teaching, learning, and research materials. This initiative aims to make future literacy more accessible and recognizable to a broader global community. She found the conference to be a valuable source of information in this regard.

Bo-Da Chen shared that as it was his first time presenting abroad, he was quite nervous. However, the process and the results went very smoothly, and he received a lot of positive feedback and discussions from the attendees after the event. There were many futurists with diverse backgrounds and perspectives at the conference. He mentioned, "There were many novel ideas and creative insights on various future developments, all of which expanded my horizons."

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