Nur Hidayah is a design educator dedicated to advancing design thinking and education across Singapore and Southeast Asia. With over 23 years of experience in both the design industry and academia, she has made a significant impact on shaping the future of design education.
Prior to joining LASALLE College of the Arts, Nur built a comprehensive portfolio across various design communication disciplines, including copywriting, art direction, and design management for major industry sectors. Her diverse background in design practice, coupled with her extensive teaching experience, has been instrumental in transforming LASALLE’s Faculty of Design into one of the leading design institutions in the region.
A passionate advocate for the interconnectedness of design, education, and industry, Nur has spearheaded multiple collaborative initiatives with design institutions worldwide. She presented several research papers at International Design Conferences, focusing on the evolving role of design education. Alongside faculty colleagues, she has developed design capability programmes for communities across Asia and conducted research into social enterprise and creative entrepreneurship, promoting a more inclusive approach to design.
Additionally, she has led studies on design cultures in contemporary Asian cities, such as Singapore, Seoul and Shanghai, and participated in the Global Design Initiative, a project involving five international universities to explore design as a tool for research.
Nur’s exceptional leadership and mentorship skills have inspired many students, nurturing them into creative leaders who have made notable contributions to Singapore's dynamic creative landscape. Under her guidance, the design programmes at LASALLE have consistently achieved recognition in prestigious regional and international design competitions, such as the D&AD Student Awards, The Crowbar Awards, Red Dot Awards and Graduate Fashion Week in London.
Nur serves on several influential boards in Singapore, including the National Parks Board and previously on the Singapore Note and Coin Advisory Committee (Monetary Authority of Singapore), the National Gallery Board, the Museum Education Advisory Panel (National Gallery Singapore) and the Malay Heritage Board (National Heritage Board). She was also a member of the Design Education Advisory Committee (DesignSingapore Council) that developed the 50 year Design Education Blueprint for Singapore. Through these roles, she continues to shape the future of design education and design practice in Singapore and beyond.
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Peer-reviewed articles and book chapters
- Fernandes, Clara E., Nur H. Abu Bakar and Morais R. ‘Designing for AI: Recommendations for a Future-Ready Design Education’, The International Journal of Art and Design (2025)
- Makany, T., Abu Bakar, N.H., and Low, C.H. ‘Design Education as a Catalyst for Innovation: A Case Study From Singapore’, Learn X Design 2023. (2023) https://doi.org/10.21606/drslxd.2024.062
- Fernandes, Clara E. and Abu Bakar, N.H. ‘Educating on Social and Sustainable Enterprise, One Design Student at a Time’, in Education for Sustainable Development in the Further Education and Skills Sector: UK Perspectives and Global Insights; UK (2023)
- Fernandes, Clara E. and Abu Bakar, N.H. ‘Adding value to the future through design and entrepreneurship: Place’, Connectivity and Creativity in Times of Conflict (2023)
- Fernandes, Clara E. and Abu Bakar, N.H. Adding Value to the Future Through Design and Entrepreneurship: PLACE. Academia Press eBooks (2023)
Presentations and workshops
- ‘Designing Citizen Designers – An Exploration of Learning Design for Tomorrow’, The 19th Design Principles and Practices Conference. Common Ground Research Network. LASALLE College of the Arts; Singapore (2025)
- ‘PLACE: When Design Research becomes Entrepreneurial’, IMPACT 2023 x Design Research Forum, Singapore Design Week. National Design Centre; Singapore (2023)
- Clara E. Fernandes, Yasser Suratman, and Nur Hidayah Abu Bakar. Industry Engagement with Design Students through the Alumni Network: By Invitation Only, Asian Conference on Education & International Development. IAFOR; Tokyo, Japan (2023)
- Nur Hidayah Abu Bakar and Clara E: Fernandes. ‘Adding Value to the Future through Design and Entrepreneurship: PLACE’, Cumulus Conference; Antwerp, Belgium (2023)
- Clara E. Fernandes, Yasser Suratman, and Nur Hidayah Abu Bakar. By invitation only: A multidisciplinary framework for an industry-led design approach, Design Research Society Conference. DRS; Bilbao, Spain (2022)
- ‘Future Citizen Designers’, 2022 International Design Conference – The Lens. Shih Chien University; Taipei, Taiwan (2022)
- ‘Future Citizen Designers’, Special Lecture for 30th Anniversary of Korea University of the Arts, Seoul, South Korea (2022)
- ‘Singapore Vernacular’, Design Accents: Colloquial Associations of Proximity, Climate and Heritage Through Post-Colonial Lenses, School of Constructed Environments, Parsons School of Design; New York (2021)
- ‘Collective Individualism in Design Education’, Cumulus Conférence des Écoles Supérieures d’Arts Appliqués de Paris (CÉSAAP); Paris, France (2018)
- ‘The Education Flåneur – A Global Studio, 2 Cities, 5 Years, 200 Students and Communities of Practice’, Peer-reviewed paper and conference workshop, Cumulus O-pen Design for E-verything, Hong Kong Design Institute; Hong Kong (2016)
- Nur Hidayah Abu Bakar, Yasser Suratman and Michael Chen. ‘Interdisciplinarity within Design Practice – Projects, Methodologies, Manifestations and New Narratives’, Conference paper presentation at the Interdisciplinary Art Conference for New Value Creativity, Sungkyunkwan University, Department of Interdisciplinary Programme in Studies of Arts; South Korea (2015)
- ‘Design Thinking and Creative Practice: A Research-Approached Case Study’, Institutional Representation at the 26th International Costume Congress, Gakushuin Women’s College; Tokyo, Japan (2014)
- ‘Big Picture, Finer Details, Education by Design, Design for Education “Image, Imagination, Emotion: New Vision of Design Through Liberal Arts’, International Design Symposium; Ubuntu (2011)
Selected group exhibitions
- Edible Souvenirs, A commemoration to Singapore Food Design, Design Festa Gallery; Tokyo (2018)
- Work<spaces> Division of Design Staff Exhibition, Earl Lu Gallery, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts; Singapore (2003)
- Masters of Arts (Design For Communication) Exhibition, Earl Lu Gallery II, LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts; Singapore (2002)
Professional development
- Conference Chair, The 19th Design Principles and Practices Conference. Thinking, Learning, Doing: Plural Ways of Design. Common Ground Research Network. LASALLE College of the Arts; Singapore (2025)
- Jury, Tatler Homes Design Award (2023, 2024 and 2025)
- External Examiner, BA Graphic Design, University of Hertfordshire, UK at the The One Academy, Malaysia (2015–2019)
- ReDesign Education: The Universal Design Education Charter; Singapore (2018)
- ReDesign Education: GloW Design Festival, Edinburgh, 2017, SC Collective
- Group leader for volunteering programme with the Singapore International Foundation. Developed a design capability project with the Modern Sewing Dress Factory, a community of underprivileged women infected with HIV in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2011–2013)
- Industry judge, Stamp Out Corruption with Corruption Practices Investigation Bureau (2013); Singapore (2013)
- Represented LASALLE at the Academic Forum for Neighbour (2010 with Dasein Academy and King Mongkut University of Technology; Thonburi, Thailand (2010)
- Industry judge, International Furniture Fair Singapore – Best Exhibit Award; Singapore (2010)
- Participated in 48hr Inclusive Design Challenge in Seoul as part of the Seoul Design Festival, organised by City of Seoul and Helen Hamlyn Research Centre, Royal College of Art, UK (2009)
- Industry judge, Narnia Competition for Buena Vista International (2006, 2008)
- Industry judge, World Skills Competition (Finals) for Graphic Design Technology (2008)
- Design pedagogy and curriculum design for higher learning
- Branding and identity, and advertising communication
- Design for communication strategies
- Design thinking and design process
- Design methods and making (research-led practice)
- Board of Directors, National Parks, Ministry of National Development (1 August 2022–31 July 2026)
- Member, Advisory Committee, Media, Art and Design School, Singapore Polytechnic (1 July 2024 –30 June 2027)
- Member, Singapore Note and Coin Advisory Committee, Monetary Authority of Singapore (1 July 2014–30 June 2023)
- Member, Museum Education Advisory Panel, National Gallery Singapore (1 July 2021–30 June 2024)
- Design Education Advisory Committee, DesignSingapore Council, Ministry of Trade and Industry (1 April 2020–March 2023)
- Board of Directors, National Gallery Singapore (1 July 2019–30 June 2021)
- Design Education Review Committee, DesignSingapore Council, Ministry of Communications and Information (1 April 2019–March 2020)
- Board of Directors, Malay Heritage Foundation, Malay Heritage Centre, National Heritage Board (2011–2012)
- Member, Malay Programmes Advisory Committee, Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (2016–2019)
- Member of the 14th National Youth Council (1 July 2015–30 June 2017)
