Wan Chang Da is a scholar and practitioner deeply committed to advancing the meaning and impact of education. He is currently a Professor at the School of Education, Taylor’s University, Malaysia. Prior to this, he led the National Higher Education Research Institute in Malaysia and The HEAD Foundation, a philanthropic organisation based in Singapore. He was also part of the founding team of Teach For All’s Global Institute for Shaping a Better Future.

An experienced academic, Chang Da has conducted extensive research in higher education policy and has published widely in the field. He has taught education-related modules and supervised research students in both Malaysian and Kazakhstani universities. His expertise has been sought through his service on several national higher education committees in Malaysia, as well as through research and consultancy projects for international organisations such as UNESCO and UNICEF. In addition, Chang Da has been actively involved in capacity-building initiatives for graduate students and early-career academics, working with organisations including the Academy of Higher Education Leadership (AKePT) and the ASEAN Foundation. In recognition of his contributions, he was elected a Member of the Global Young Academy in 2019 and is also an Associate Member of the Young Scientists Network–Academy of Sciences Malaysia.

Beyond academia, Chang Da has served for over a decade as a volunteer officer with the Boys’ Brigade in Malaysia and Singapore, and is a certified Pemimpin under the Anugerah Remaja Perdana (The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award). He holds degrees in economics from the University of Malaya and the National University of Singapore, before going on to read education at the University of Oxford.