January 03-07, 2026 | The Hawai'i Convention Center & the Ala Moana Hotel, Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
There are few better places to start the year than in beautiful Hawaii, and few better ways than an IAFOR conference! Oahu means ‘the meeting place’ in the Hawaiian language, and this event brought together people from around the world to exchange ideas across the barriers of nation, culture, and discipline that make an IAFOR conference special.
We were very excited to welcome more than 360 people from 45 countries to gather and exchange the latest in terms of research and ideas, across the boundaries of nation, culture, and discipline.
We would like to thank our excellent International Academic Board which oversees our global programmes, as well as our wonderful local partners at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, and in particular Professor Michael Menchaca who has worked with us over the years, not only on all aspects of this conference but more widely with IAFOR, including as an editor of our Journal of Education.
Plenary Speakers
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Jun ArimaUniversity of Tokyo, Japan
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Grant BlackChuo University, Japan
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Joseph HaldaneThe International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Japan
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Mary Therese Perez HattoriUniversity of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States
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Michael MenchacaUniversity of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
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Melina NeophytouIAFOR, Japan
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Daron WilliamsVirginia Tech, United States
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Dan YaffeVirginia Tech, United States
Programme
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Global Citizenship and Education for Peace: Threats & Opportunities from a Pacific Islands PerspectiveKeynote Presentation: Mary Hattori
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Global Warming and International Institutions: Addressing Challenges Through Education and ActionKeynote Presentation: Jun Arima
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Quality Courses Quickly: Using GenAI as a Course Design AssistantFeatured Workshop: Larry Cox II, Daron Williams, Dan Yaffe
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Global Citizenship and the Environment: Engagement and ActionForum Discussion: Michael Menchaca, Melina Neophytou
Conference Committees
International Advisory Board
Professor Anne Boddington, IAFOR, Japan (IAB Chair)
Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR & The University of Osaka, Japan, & University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Jun Arima, IAFOR & The University of Tokyo, Japan
Professor Virgil Hawkins, IAFOR Research Centre & The University of Osaka, Japan
Mr Lowell Sheppard, IAFOR & Never Too Late Academy, Japan
Professor Umberto Ansaldo, VinUniversity, Vietnam
Dr Susana Barreto, University of Porto, Portugal
Professor Grant Black, Chuo University, Japan
Dr Evangelia Chrysikou, Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction, University College London, United Kingdom
Professor Donald E. Hall, Binghamton University, United States
Professor Brendan Howe, Ewha Womans University, South Korea & The Asian Political and International Studies Association (APISA)
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
Conference Programme Committee
Dr Failautusi ‘Tusi’ Avegalio, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Kālewa Correa, Smithsonian Institute, United States
Dr Joseph Haldane, IAFOR and The University of Osaka, Japan & University College London, United Kingdom
Dr Mary Therese Perez Hattori, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, United States
Professor Curtis Ho, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Dr Daniel Hoffman, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Dr James W. McNally, University of Michigan, United States & NACDA Program on Aging
Dr Alex Means, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Professor Michael Menchaca, University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, United States
Professor Moana Numanga, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, United States
Dr Katie Idalia Archer Olson, Alaska Pacific University, United States
Professor Sela V. Panapasa, University of Michigan, United States
Professor Elizabeth Park, Chaminade University of Honolulu, United States
Dr Paul Tauiliili, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, United States
Dr Hiagi M. Wesley, Brigham Young University–Hawaii, United States
Conference Review Committee
Dr Marianne Andrada, University of Baguio, Philippines
Professor Mohamed Askar, Southern Utah University, United States
Dr Ramona Baima, Aurora University, United States
Dr Gladie Natherine Cabanizas, Tarlac State University, Philippines
Professor Petra Cajnko, University of Maribor, Slovenia
Dr Yung-huei Chen, National Chung Cheng University, Taiwan
Dr Joanie Crandall, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada
Dr Germaine Ferreira, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, United States
Dr Rayna Fujii, University of Hawai'i Manoa, United States
Professor Heeseon Jang, Pyeongtaek University, South Korea
Dr Mi-young Kim, University of British Columbia, Canada
Dr Jisook Kim, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center, United States
Dr Erick Kong, California State University East Bay, United States
Dr Laura McNeill, University of Alabama, United States
Dr Laura Mendoza, University of Texas at El Paso, United States
Dr Wafaa Metwalli, Misr International University, Egypt
Dr Matthew Motyka, University of San Francisco, United States
Dr Shankar Naskar, University of Virginia's College at Wise, United States
Dr Jaclyn Rivard, National Louis University, United States
Dr Robbie Lee Sabnani, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Dr Aman Deep Singh, Nirma University, India
Dr Wilfried Swoboda, University College of Teacher Education Vienna, Austria
Dr Yvonne Ualesi, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Dr Orsolya Varkonyi, Molloy University and Columbia University, United States
Dr Alice Wabule, Cavendish University Uganda, Uganda
Dr Gwendolyn Williams, Auburn University, United States
Dr Yifeng Yuan, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Dr Jacqueline Zammit, University of Malta, Malta
Professor Alexander Zureck, FOM University of Applied Sciences, Germany














