Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia
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* HERDSA Connect: From Continuous Assessment to Continuous Learning
* HERDSA SoTL SIG -- This Friday! -- Navigating SoTL Ethics Applications: A Practical Guide for SoTLers
* AUT & HERDSA National Webinar Series 2026 – Session 5 Innovative Assessment for Future-Focused Learning
* HERDSA Workshop: From Conference Presentation to Publication: Turning Ideas into Scholarly Outputs
* Call for papers for a Special Issue of Higher Education Research & Development
* Have you explored the HERDSA SoTL Modules to support or inform your methodological approach???
* CFP: International Teaching and Learning Conference 2026 – Virtual
* CSHE seminar on Fixing JRG: Gender, lifetime incomes and the argument for a single rate of student contribution
* Have you been involved in a curriculum design project in the past 5 years? Add your voice to a study into curriculum design processes now underway
* Reminder: Register for the 2026 Global Students as Partners Roundtable
* CRADLE 2026 International Symposium Panel – ‘Beyond grades’
* Free Higher Education Teaching and Learning Library
* New articles in Higher Education Research and Development
To submit an announcement for this list complete the online form at http://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-notices
A full list of HERDSA Notices is online at http://www.herdsa.org.au/latest-news
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HERDSA Connect: From Continuous Assessment to Continuous Learning
Dimanthinie De Silva, 16 September 2026
Dimanthinie discussed how we can design an assessment regime by leaning into continuity
Read more: https://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-connect/continuous-assessment-continuous-learning
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HERDSA SoTL SIG -- This Friday! -- Navigating SoTL Ethics Applications: A Practical Guide for SoTLers
Friday, 18 September 2026 - 12–1pm AEST (NSW/VIC/QLD)
This month, Dr Suzanne Bonner will guide you through navigating SoTL ethics applications.
Ethics approval can feel like a major hurdle for new SoTL practitioners. In this SIG session, we will share practical tips and strategies for putting together a strong teaching and learning ethics application, drawing on committee experience, extensive ethics work in teaching and research, and current experience reviewing SoTL-focused applications. We will walk through key steps, including when and why to apply, how to use the NHMRC guidance effectively, and common questions that often slow applications down. The session will invite questions to help address common sticking points in ethics applications.
Presenter: Dr Suzanne Bonner (University of Queensland)
Facilitator: Jennifer Sun (University of Sydney)
Register here: https://unisq.zoom.us/meeting/register/LCd16NSwTD2N9ecfXKWzOg Register for one or all of our SIG sessions this year!
To stay connected, join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14343410/
About the presenter
Dr Suzanne Bonner is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland. She received her PhD from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), where her thesis focused on applied econometrics for policy evaluation. Suzanne joined UQ in 2021, where her substantive role includes teaching cost-benefit analysis (CBA), shaping how students and professionals apply economic principles to real-world resource allocation and investment decisions. She also serves as Program Leader for the Bachelor or Economics. Prior to joining UQ, Suzanne was a lecturer at Macquarie University and Griffith University. Her more recent research has concentrated on the economics of education, the teaching and learning of CBA, and ethics in economics.
Further information: Contact the HERDSA SoTL SIG at herdsa.sotl.sig@gmail.com
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AUT & HERDSA National Webinar Series 2026 – Session 5 Innovative Assessment for Future-Focused Learning
Thursday, 24 September 2026 | 1.00–2.00 pm AEST
How can assessment better prepare students for a changing world?
Join HERDSA and AAUT for a panel discussion exploring how innovative assessment can strengthen authenticity, equity, academic integrity, feedback and evidence of impact.
Our panellists will share practical perspectives and examples from higher education, considering how assessment is evolving in response to generative AI, changing student needs and emerging professional contexts. .
Chair: Dr Manisha Thakkar, HERDSA Vice President, Torrens University Australia
Panellists:
A/Prof Dusan Matusica – 2024 AAUT Citation, Flinders University
A/Prof Justin Battin – 2024 AAUT Citation, RMIT University Vietnam
Prof Ann Black – 2023 AAUT Citation, The University of Queensland
The panel will be followed by an opportunity for audience Q&A.
Further information: Register here: https://bit.ly/4gXS4M8
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HERDSA Workshop: From Conference Presentation to Publication: Turning Ideas into Scholarly Outputs
Friday 25 September 2026 12.00–1.00 pm AEST
Have you recently presented a showcase, roundtable or poster at HERDSA2026 in Singapore or at another conference?
Join A/Prof Alice Brown and Dr Manisha Thakkar for a practical workshop exploring how to build on your conference presentation and turn your ideas, insights and evidence into publications and other scholarly outputs.
The session will cover practical tips and pathways for identifying publication opportunities, strengthening your work for publication, and exploring alternative ways to share your scholarship with wider audiences.
Whether you already have a publication in mind or are just starting to think about where your conference work could go next, this workshop will help you identify possibilities and take the next step.
Day and date: Friday 25 September 2026
Time: 12.00–1.00 pm AEST
Bring your conference presentation or an idea you would like to develop, or simply your curiosity about turning conference work into something more.
Further information: Register: https://bit.ly/4hQOtle
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Call for papers for a Special Issue of Higher Education Research & Development
Manuscript deadline - 1 March 2027
"Beyond Grades" - Call for papers for a special issue of Higher Education Research & Development
Special issue editors: Juuso Henrik Nieminen and David Boud, CRADLE Deakin University
More information → https://think.taylorandfrancis.com/special_issues/beyond-grades/
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Have you explored the HERDSA SoTL Modules to support or inform your methodological approach???
Module 4 of the HERDSA SoTL Modules focuses on – SoTL Research Methods – Action research, surveys, observations, interviews, and more!
So you’ve got a SoTL idea and considered your 5 Cs. You know the problem you want to explore, and you’ve mapped out where your project fits in the broader research landscape. Now, it’s time to pick the right tools.
If the idea of SoTL feels overwhelming—especially if you’ve never done educational research before—don’t worry. SoTL is incredibly versatile, and you can build on the skills you already have.
In Module 4 of the redeveloped HERDSA SoTL Modules, you’ll hear from several new SoTL researchers who adjusted their questions to suit the methods and tools they were already familiar with. By starting small and gradually exploring research, they built confidence and carried out projects without needing extensive training in educational research. This module encourages you to consider how you might adapt your own questions to match your existing skills and comfort level, allowing you to take your first steps into SoTL with confidence.
Maybe you love working with data, or perhaps you’re more comfortable gathering student stories. Both approaches are valid, and you can design a project that will leverage your existing skillset. This module is all about choosing the right research methods—ones that both work for you, but also methods that would help to address your SoTL goals and questions.
Looking forward to you joining us to dive in and explore SoTL together!
• The updated HERDSA SoTL Modules are free and a significant benefit for HERDSA financial members.
• For current HERDSA members - please access the redeveloped HERDSA SoTL Modules by logging into the MY DASHBOARD link on the HERDSA website.
Further information: Non members please enquire at https://forms.office.com/r/qtb6nfxqAd
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CFP: International Teaching and Learning Conference 2026 – Virtual
Abstract deadline: 10 October 2026; Virtual conference: 18–20 November 2026
Education is continually reshaped by new technologies, changing social contexts and evolving theories of learning. This interdisciplinary conference welcomes papers examining the past, present and future of teaching across fields including technology and education, art, design, architecture, humanities and social sciences.
The conference is organised in collaboration with The Glasgow School of Art, the University of San Francisco, UC Copenhagen, Bangkok University, Chuo University and the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes.
Further information: https://amps-research.com/conference/learning-teaching/
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CSHE seminar on Fixing JRG: Gender, lifetime incomes and the argument for a single rate of student contribution
Wednesday 23 September 2026, 1-2pm
Join this presentation featuring Mark Warburton (Honorary Senior Fellow, Centre for the Study of Higher Education) to examine the fundamental purpose of the Job-ready Graduates' student contribution system. Using the 2021 Census data, it challenges the use of estimated lifetime earnings in setting contribution rates due to potential inequities, and invites discussion of alternatives proposed in a recent Occasional Paper: https://melbourne-cshe.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/559665....
Further information: Register here: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/zf4h
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Have you been involved in a curriculum design project in the past 5 years? Add your voice to a study into curriculum design processes now underway
30 September
A study looking at curriculum design processes in the contemporary Australian higher education context is underway. Our goal is to better understand (and eventually improve) the process of designing curriculum. We’d be grateful for your participation and support in sharing the invitation to participate with colleagues and peers in your institution or broader networks.
We’re keen to hear from people in all kinds of roles, at both university and non-university providers: learning designers, librarians, alumni engagement officers, folks in marketing and student recruitment, program admins, technical staff, leaders and (of course) teaching academics.
You can access the survey online at https://griffithuw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bq0tjMEHK3xzAmG or feel free to reach out directly for opportunities to contribute via group or individual interviews.
Further information: Julie Robert, j.robert@griffith.edu.au or Peter Kandlbinder, Peter.Kandlbinder@uts.edu.au
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Reminder: Register for the 2026 Global Students as Partners Roundtable
1-2 October in person (University of Sydney) or online
We’d love you to join us on 1-2 October at the University of Sydney for the Global Students as Partners Roundtable, Living the Claims: Embedding Equity for Authentic Partnership in a Changing World. The event is free, with an in-person development workshop on 1 October and a hybrid program on 2 October.
Thursday 1 October | Development Workshop: Join us in person for Navigating EF/TF Roles Well, an afternoon workshop for academic staff, led by Professor Kelly Matthews and Professor Pauline Ross. It will offer space to connect with colleagues and explore educational-focused and teaching-focused academic roles through peer interviews and coaching.
Friday 2 October | Roundtable: The full-day program brings together students, educators and professional staff for a keynote, parallel sessions, interactive workshops and conversations about student–staff partnership. Topics include equity and inclusion, sustaining partnership in practice, and navigating change.
Feel free to share this event information with your student partners and encourage them to register for the Roundtable on 2nd October. The event is designed for students and staff to learn from one another and share perspectives on partnership.
Please register by Friday 18th September if you plan to attend in person. Online registration (only available for 2nd October Roundtable) closes on the 29th September.
Registration: https://events.humanitix.com/2026-global-students-as-partners-roundtable
Further information: Please visit our site for the event information https://sites.google.com/view/globalsaproundtable2026/home
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CRADLE 2026 International Symposium Panel – ‘Beyond grades’
Wednesday 14 October – 2.30 pm to 4.00 pm (AEDT)
What might the future of higher education look like, if the sector was to rethink grading? Join us on Wednesday 14 October for CRADLE’s 2026 International Symposium Panel and hear from three experts – Prof. David Boud (CRADLE, Deakin University), Prof. Rola Ajjawi (University of British Columbia), & A/Prof. Lauren Hansen (Deakin University) – as they reflect on the future of grading.
Despite widely reported criticism, grading systems persist in most higher education contexts. If we were to reassemble how student achievement is institutionally represented, what might grades – or whatever emerges after them – look like? Facilitated by CRADLE’s Dr Juuso Nieminen, this panel will consider what the future of grading might look like in higher education, with each panellist offering a provocation on reimagined grades.
Join us for this interactive session at 2.30 pm (AEDT), in person at Deakin Downtown or online, to discuss how we might move beyond grades towards more meaningful ways of recognising student learning.
Further information: https://cradle-symposium-panel-2026-beyond-grades.eventbrite.com.au/?aff...
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Free Higher Education Teaching and Learning Library
HERDSA member Professor John Dearn is downsizing his large academic library and he has150 texts (in 12 wine boxes) in very good condition dealing with higher education theory and practice. He would be unhappy to consign these to landfill and is seeking any individual, institution or organisation that would be interested in receiving some or all of them as a donation.
If you would like the library please contact John Dearn at jmdearn@gmail.com
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New articles in Higher Education Research and Development
The paradox of financial aid: exclusion, discipline, and the reproduction of inequality in higher education, Adi Sapir & Roni Strier, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2716860
From landscapes to flowscapes: prospects for space and place in higher education, Sam Elkington & Jill Dickinson, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2722410
“To teach or not to teach” conundrum: developing students' teamwork skills via technology-supported self and peer assessment in collaborative group work, Bhavani Sridharan, Jade McKay & Yen Do, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2722379
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In the spirit of reconciliation HERDSA acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australasia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.
