Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia
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* HERDSA Blog Post: Designing for the uncertain: Rethinking secure assessment in creative disciplines
* HERDSA PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT ELECT NOMINATIONS CLOSE THIS FRIDAY
* HERDSA SoTL SIG -- This Friday! -- Designing SoTL research for impact
* Vale: Professor Christopher Knapper
* 2026 AAUT & HERDSA National Webinar Series: Indigenous Knowledges in Action: Transforming Higher Education from the Ground Up
* Australian Universal Wellbeing Symposium 2026 – Priority Access Registration
* AAEE2026 Call for Paper Abstracts and Workshop EOI
* CRADLE Seminar Series: ‘Is it time to move beyond grades?’
* 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 Blog Post: Designing for the uncertain: Rethinking secure assessment in creative disciplines
Ruby-Ngoc Nguyen, Walter Barbieri & Emily Dollman, 18 March 2026
Ruby-Ngoc, Walter & Emily investigate the paradox of security in creative assessments, and in the process reveal key insights about assessment in the age of AI.
Read more: https://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-connect/designing-uncertain-rethinking-secu...
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HERDSA PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT ELECT NOMINATIONS CLOSE THIS FRIDAY
20th March 2026
Nominations for the position of HERDSA President are now open. The position of HERDSA President requires a three year commitment. For the first year, beginning at the 2026 conference in July, the successful candidate serves as President-elect. This one-year position enables the full induction of the incoming president into the current practices and systems of the Society before the full role of President is assumed at the conclusion of the 2027 conference in July.
The President of HERDSA is an important voluntary role which has major responsibility for governance of the Society and effective leadership of the Executive Committee. The role includes strategic guidance of the various Executive portfolios (Secretariat, Publications, Professional Learning, Networks, Communications, Memberships), chairing of Executive meetings and oversight of the various society activities. The President represents HERDSA at international and national forums and liaises with senior leaders. The nurturing of collaborative alliances with government authorities and other higher education societies forms a further part of the role.
HERDSA is seeking an individual who has a strong association with the Society, experience in leadership and effective communication skills. An understanding of higher education and its development is an advantage. Sponsorship from the candidate’s institution is recommended, as the position requires considerable time commitment and requires a dedicated leader who takes strong responsibility for the role. Potential candidates are welcome to speak with the current President Professor Christy Collis. (office@herdsa.org.au)
The nominee, proposer and seconder must be HERDSA members.
If more than one nomination is received, an election will be held.
The current President Professor Christy Collis is eligible to serve another term as President.
The Nomination Form can be requested from HERDSA by emailing office@herdsa.org.au.
Nominations should be in the following format.
• Name, Email and signature of Nominee
• Name, Email and signature of Proposer
• Name, Email and signature of Seconder
The nominee should also provide a single page statement outlining:
• Name, role and institutional affiliation
• Short biography (100 words maximum)
• Personal statement
Please forward to office@herdsa.org.au by 20th March, 2026
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HERDSA SoTL SIG -- This Friday! -- Designing SoTL research for impact
Friday, 20 March 2026 - 12–1pm AEDT (NSW/VIC); 11am–12pm AEST (QLD time)
Come along to this week's SIG and be inspired to design your SoTL research!
This SIG will introduce a conceptual framework to guide you in designing sustainable, collaborative SOTL research for your teaching. It includes interactive elements that will support you in identifying opportunities to embed a scholarly approach to your teaching practice. It also provides templates and guidelines for planning data collection over time to ensure a strong evidence base of impact on students' learning and engagement resulting from innovation or quality improvements in curriculum design and delivery.
Presenter: Dr Jo-Anne Kelder
Register here: https://unisq.zoom.us/meeting/register/LCd16NSwTD2N9ecfXKWzOg
*Register for one or all our SIGs this year!*
Join our LinkedIn group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14343410/
Further information: Contact the SoTL SIG at herdsa.sotl.sig@gmail.com
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Vale: Professor Christopher Knapper
Professor Christopher Knapper passed away peacefully on February 28, 2026, at the Kingston General Hospital, Ontario, at the age of 85.
Chris was well-known to many HERDSA members from the 1980s until the early 2000s and was a frequent visitor to Australian and New Zealand universities and participant in HERDSA conferences. Chris is best remembered for his pioneering work on lifelong learning and the evaluation of teaching.
Chris was the founding Director of the Teaching Resource and Continuing Education Unit at the University of Waterloo in 1977 and subsequently the founding Director of the Instructional Development Centre (now the Centre for Teaching and Learning) at Queen’s University in 1990. He co-founded the (Canadian) Society of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (STLHE) serving as its first President from 1981-1988.
In 2002 he was honoured by STLHE as the inaugural recipient of the newly created Christopher Knapper Lifetime Achievement Award and was named a 3M National Teaching Fellow, earning himself the most prestigious Canadian university teaching award. He was also a recipient of the Wilbert McKeachie Career Achievement Award of the American Educational Research Association in 2004. Chris was one of the founders of the International Consortium for Educational Development and recipient of its Spirit of ICED award in 2014.
Chris also contributed greatly to research in driving which resulted in the creation of the seat belt law and graduated licensing in Canada. Chris Knapper was an incredible story-teller and his stories were always full of learning and laughter. He touched many lives, especially through his significant contributions to improving the quality of teaching and learning in higher education and in so many different countries on all continents. A remarkable achievement. He will be missed more than words can say by his friends and colleagues from around the globe. Should anyone require further information, please contact me, Bob Cannon, at cannonra@icloud.com
A memorial to Chris can be found here: https://www.arbormemorial.ca/en/reid/obituaries/christopher-kay-knapper/156964.html
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2026 AAUT & HERDSA National Webinar Series: Indigenous Knowledges in Action: Transforming Higher Education from the Ground Up
Thursday, 26 March 2026, 1pm – 2pm AEDT
The 2026 AAUT & HERDSA National Webinar Series launches with a panel discussion exploring Indigenous Knowledges in action within higher education. The series celebrates and amplifies the outstanding contributions of the 2024 Australian Awards for University Teaching (AAUT) recipients, providing a national platform for award-winning educators to share their innovative teaching practices, insights, and impact.
Chaired by Prof Corrinne Sullivan (Western Sydney University, 2017 AAUT Citation recipient), the panel features A/Prof Jessica Russ-Smith (Australian Catholic University – 2024 Citation), Dr Cat Gutsy (Charles Darwin University – 2024 Citation), and A/Prof Benjamin Wilson (University of Technology Sydney – 2022 Teaching Award).
Panelists will discuss how educators move beyond simply including Indigenous content to meaningfully embedding Indigenous Knowledges in curriculum, pedagogy, and institutional practice. The discussion will include examples from teaching and program design, reflections on respectful engagement with Indigenous communities and Knowledge Holders, and considerations of the roles and responsibilities of academics in supporting institutional transformation.
This 1-hour lunchtime webinar will feature a 45-minute interview-style panel discussion followed by a 15-minute live audience Q&A. The session forms the first in a five-part national webinar series designed to foster dialogue, share practice, and strengthen collaboration around teaching excellence across the Australian higher education sector.
Date: Thursday, 26 March 2026
Time: 1pm – 2pm AEDT
Location: Online (Microsoft Teams)
Further information: Register: https://tinyurl.com/9ut2hx3t
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Australian Universal Wellbeing Symposium 2026 – Priority Access Registration
Friday 3rd April 2026
Priority Access registration is now open for the Australian Universal Wellbeing Symposium 2026, to be held 27–28 August 2026 at the Novotel Brisbane Airport Hotel, Brisbane.
This international symposium will bring together researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and professional leaders interested in advancing evidence based Universal Wellbeing prevention first practices and initiatives.
The programme explores, applies and experiences the research and practical applications related to:
•The Universal Wellbeing Model
•The Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool
•Organisational System Options
•The Universal Wellbeing Charter: A Framework for Global Primordial Prevention
Priority Access registrants will receive an invitation to register before public registrations open, providing the opportunity to secure the lowest symposium ticket price before Early Bird release and receive early programme and keynote updates.
Priority Access registration closes Friday 3rd April at midnight.
Further information: REGISTER HERE: https://www.nzcdi.ac.nz/au-symposium-registration
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AAEE2026 Call for Paper Abstracts and Workshop EOI
6 April 2026, 11:59 PM Anywhere on Earth
The 37th Australasian Association for Engineering Education Annual Conference (AAEE 2026) is now accepting abstract and workshop expression of interest submissions via the conference website. Held at UNSW Sydney, AAEE2026 brings together educators, researchers, students and industry partners to share evidence-based ideas and innovations that strengthen engineering education across Australasia and beyond.
The AAEE2026 theme, ‘Making the Impossible, Possible’ recognises the urgency of transformation in engineering education. It calls us to envision ambitious futures that might seem impossible, to think creatively and expansively, and to take the practical steps that bring those visions to life. It is about imagining new realities and equipping future engineers with skills and tools for a better future.
HERDSA members are invited to submit abstracts for a conference paper, with a particular emphasis on the following topics: Academic Development; Engineering Accreditation; Artificial Intelligence; Assessment and Feedback; Course/Curriculum Design and Development; Education Technology and Digital Learning; Engineering Ethics; Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Indigenous Knowledge; Industry Partnerships; Interdisciplinary Learning; Engineering in K-12 Education; Laboratories and Makerspaces Pedagogies; Pedagogical Innovation; Professional Practice; Problem/Project Based Learning; Social-Technical Integration; Student Mobility; Sustainability; Teamwork; Transitions to University; Work Integrated Learning and Wellbeing and Belonging.
Further information: For more information, please visit aaee2026.org or email aaee2026@unsw.edu.au
Further information: https://aaee2026.org/call-for-abstracts/
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CRADLE Seminar Series: ‘Is it time to move beyond grades?’
Wednesday 15 April – 2.00 - 3.30 pm (AEST)
Is it time to move beyond grades? Register for CRADLE's seminar on 15 April to find out! CRADLE's Dr Juuso Nieminen will critically discuss why higher education systems continue to use grades, despite plenty of evidence on how they don’t work, and whether we should now move on.
Despite widespread historical criticism, grades continue to be awarded in most universities while gradeless courses and programs remain at the margins. Although recent years have seen extensive attention to assessment redesign, grading policies have not undergone systemic change. Why do universities – harbingers of knowledge, truth and critical thinking – keep using grades? This presentation will argue that perhaps it is time to move beyond grades, proposing a post-critical approach to research and practice on grades that moves our attention from ‘what doesn’t work’ to understanding and shaping the work that grades do in education.
To hear more about why it might be time to move beyond grades, join us at 2.00 pm (AEST) in person at Deakin Downtown or online.
Further information: https://cradle-seminar-time-to-move-beyond-grades.eventbrite.com.au/?aff...
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New articles in Higher Education Research and Development
To lead or not to lead? ambivalent leadership aspirations among women academics in Chinese higher education institutions, Boya Yuan & Xiying Wang, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2639619
Bridging disciplinary divides: insights and recommendations for fostering interdisciplinary research, Ed Nagelhout & Stephen Carradini, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2634270
Gender equality in higher education: can leaders drive change? Robyn Barnacle, Leul Tadesse Sidelil, Denise Cuthbert & Kay Latham, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2638277
Leading across borders: a scoping review of leadership experience in international academics, Jasvir Kaur Nachatar Singh, Saravana Kumar, Linda Ng & Katrina Li, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2634266
The influences of country brand authenticity in transnational higher education: student satisfaction at country-branded universities, Stephen Wilkins, Joe Hazzam, Mohammad Zahidul Islam Khan, Mayar Farrag Elsayed & Osman El-Said, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2639620
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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.