On Friday 21^st March 2025, the Assessments Quality Special Interest Group hosted an online conversation on “Meaningful Assessments in Higher Education”. Three panellists were invited for this timely conversation.

Professor Danny Liu University of Sydney

Associate Professor Jo-Ann Chuck Western Sydney University

Dr Pranit Anand University of New South Wales

The event was very well attended, with just over 32 attendees joining the event and participating in the conversation. All attendees remained engaged through questions, comments and suggestions. The panellists explored various topics including:

• What is the role of assessments in higher education?
• What’s the impact of assessments on student learning, experience and engagement? 
• How does assessment prepare students for the world of work?
• The role of feedback in assessment and learning

While the meeting was not recorded due to the conversational nature of the event, the chat conversations provide great insights into the types of discussions sparked by the topics.

There was lively discussion among attendees concerning the dominance of assessments and their impact on student learning, especially in light of advancements in AI. Attendees also explored the tension between assessment as a learning tool and the need to meet professional accreditation requirements. Concerns were raised about the purpose of university education beyond job preparation and the need to incorporate employability skills. The conversation also touched upon the challenges of designing meaningful assessments that are practical to mark, the role of feedback, and ensuring academic integrity in an AI-influenced environment. Ultimately, the attendees explored challenges with how to adapt assessment practices to prepare students for the future world.