Nur Hidayah Abu Bakar

Dean, Faculty of Design @ LASALLE College of Arts

Nur Hidayah is a design-educator engaged in furthering design thinking, and education in Singapore and Southeast Asia. Her expertise lies in design curriculum and she has led the development of many of the design programmes at LASALLE including the BA (Hons) Design Communication, MA Design and the newly launched BA (Hons) Design for Social Futures.

Prior to joining LASALLE, Nur Hidayah worked in a full portfolio of design communication systems ranging from copywriting, design and art direction projects across major industry segments. Coupled with her extensive teaching experience of more than 20 years, Nur Hidayah has been instrumental into the transformation of the Faculty of Design into a leading faculty for Southeast Asia.

A deep believer of the interconnectedness of design aesthetics, education and industry, Nur Hidayah has initiated several collaborative partnerships with various design institutions. She has led the research and study of design cultures in contemporary Asian cities between Singapore, Seoul and Shanghai and undertaken the Global Design Initiative involving five international universities looking at design as a research tool. Her recent projects include; PLACE – a study on creative entrepreneurship for designers, mentorship for young female designers through the Women in Design week initiatives and her passion to foster innovation in design pedagogy and connect education, industry and community.

Over the years, her excellent interpersonal and management skills have enabled her to inspire many students. Her vision and foresight has helped nurture these students into leaders that have contributed to Singapore’s creative landscape. Under her leadership, the design programmes have achieved great success at regional and international design competitions and showcases, including the D&AD Student Awards, The Crowbar Awards, and Graduate Fashion Week in London.

Nur continues to serve as an expert on various boards in Singapore. Her current appointments include National Parks Board, the Museum Education Advisory Panel at National Gallery Singapore and as a member of the Design Education Advisory Committee, DesignSingapore Council.