Exploring Leadership and Learning Theories in Asia (ELLTA) aims to explore, understand, recognise, strengthen, encourage and promote existing theories (and thereby policies) and practices of leadership and/or learning in Asia. Majority of the social theories which claim to have global application originates in different parts of the Western world, which raises a serious concern: Is it wise to assume that all these theories are universal in nature and could be equally applied to all contexts? Three scholars and friends with a common understanding of academia as a platform where assumptions and myths are challenged rather than maintained thought that it was time to start to explore theoretical contributions other than those coming from the Western part of the world. The broad, deeper questions that the conferences attempts to address are: Are the west-inspired theories on leadership and learning relevant for Asia in general and different contexts in Asia in particular? Is there a need to develop theories specific for Asia in general and different contexts in Asia in particular? Are there existing theories on leadership and learning with an Asian origin, which have not received much attention or have not been acknowledged so far?