The International Conference on Educational Leadership and Asian Culture (ICELAC) 2023, co-organised by the Office of Undergraduate Studies at PolyU, the Faculty of Education of the University of Manitoba in Canada, and the School of Educational Studies of Universiti Sains Malaysia, was successfully held online on 5 August 2023. The Conference aimed to promote Asian culture and research on the development of educational leadership. It drew 571 participants from 31 countries who jointly explored prospects and developments in educational leadership and Asian culture.

Prof. Daniel T. L. Shek, PolyU Associate Vice President (Undergraduate Programme), delivered the opening remarks, while Prof. Ruth Hayhoe from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto in Canada, as the keynote speaker, examined the influence of Chinese culture on leadership in China. Prof. Shek said that PolyU has always upheld the crucial importance of understanding the legacy of Chinese culture and student leadership development in its education, striving to cultivate well-rounded students as outstanding Chinese and global citizens. As an innovative world-class university in Asia, PolyU is responsible for promoting the development of Asian cultural education.

Twelve plenary speakers from nine Asian countries explored the relationship between educational leadership, cultural diversity and complexity from four perspectives: Chinese culture, Islamic culture, Southeast Asian culture and social culture. Participants called on educational leaders to take responsibility for promoting the development of education focusing on aspects of Asian culture and emphasised that only through joint efforts can Asian cultural heritage in education shine on the international stage.

Edited by Prof. Liu Peng, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba in Canada, and Prof. Lei Mee Thien, Associate Professor in the School of Educational Studies at Universiti Sains Malaysia, a new book Educational Leadership and Asian Culture: Culturally Sensitive Leadership Practice was also launched during the Conference. The book emphasises the importance of international exchange and cooperation and calls for greater collaboration in the realm of educational leadership within the Asian region to collectively address the challenges posed by globalisation and cultural diversity.