Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia
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* HERDSA Connect: The Castlereagh Statement: Implications for AI, Education and Society
* Register for next month’s HERDSA Academic Development SIG Webinar
* HERDSA SoTL SIG -- Next Friday! -- Building impact over time: Lessons from an educational leadership career
* Free workshop. PhDs with Publications & Creative Practices: Demonstrating Influence, Translation and Impact
* Upcoming Re-Igniting and Release of the HERDSA SoTL Modules
* Australian Universal Wellbeing Symposium 2026 – Final Programme
* Register now for the CSHE Symposium on Education, Employability and Professional Agility
* ASCILITE's Technology Enhanced Learning Accreditation Standards (TELAS) - Reviewer Certification Workshop ONLINE
* CRADLE Seminar Series: 'Designing self-assessment students can actually use'
* Call for submissions to a study looking at curriculum design processes in the contemporary Australian higher education context
* CSHE Occasional Paper: The Fall and Rise of Postgraduate Commonwealth Supported Places
* 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: The Castlereagh Statement: Implications for AI, Education and Society
Sahaya Jesto & Edward Palmer, 12 August 2026
What is the promise of the Castlereagh Statement? It articulates foundational principles, creating a shared foundation from which education can evolve.
Read more: https://herdsa.org.au/herdsa-connect/castlereagh-statement-implications-ai-education-and-society
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Register for next month’s HERDSA Academic Development SIG Webinar
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM AEST Monday, 14th September, 2026
Looking at academic development through the lens of distributed leadership
Academic developers lead in different ways. Join the HERDSA Academic Development SIG for an engaging online webinar exploring the principles of distributed leadership and how they connect to your professional practice.
During this session, participants will:
* Explore the tenets of distributed leadership, known as the 6Es
* Participate in an interactive workshop
* Identify how their academic development activities align with leadership practices
* Build familiarity with the language of distributed leadership for use in professional contexts
The workshop component forms part of a research project, and participants will be invited to take part. Participation is voluntary, with further details provided upon registration.
This workshop aims to help you define and evidence your leadership for career progression.
REGISTER HERE https://events.humanitix.com/september-2026-herdsa-academic-development-...
Further information: olga.kozar@mq.edu.au or k.shoecraft@griffith.edu.au
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HERDSA SoTL SIG -- Next Friday! -- Building impact over time: Lessons from an educational leadership career
Friday, 14 August 2026 - 12–1pm AEST (NSW/VIC/QLD)
The HERDSA SoTL SIG warmly invites you to our August session!
This month, Professor Melissa Russell will present "Building Impact Over Time: Lessons from an Educational Leadership Career".
There is no single pathway to becoming an education-focused academic, and Melissa's career illustrates the diverse opportunities and directions such a journey can take. Join us as Melissa reflects on her career trajectory, from physiotherapist to Education-Focused Professor at the University of Melbourne, and shares how she navigated a shift from health research to education-focused scholarship. She will discuss how she has combined teaching, leadership, and research throughout her career, highlighting the opportunities, decisions, and experiences that have shaped her path.
Presenter: Professor Melissa Russell (University of Melbourne)
Facilitator: Trisha Poole (UniSQ)
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
Professor Melissa Russell is an Education-Focused Professor at the University of Melbourne with leadership roles spanning population health and higher education. Her scholarship focuses on student experience, mental health, and wellbeing in higher education. Through extensive research, publications, and funded projects, she has helped shape university approaches to supporting student wellbeing both locally and nationally.
Further information: Contact the HERDSA SoTL SIG at herdsa.sotl.sig@gmail.com
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Free workshop. PhDs with Publications & Creative Practices: Demonstrating Influence, Translation and Impact
17 September 2026
Have you considered undertaking a PhD? Are you completing a PhD? Or are you supervising a PhD candidate? Have you wondered how doctoral research can influence policy, practice and real-world outcomes?
Join us for PhDs with Publications & Creative Practices: Demonstrating Influence, Translation and Impact, a free one-day workshop bringing together 14 doctoral candidates, graduates, supervisors, researchers and academic leaders to share insights on contemporary doctoral pathways and research careers.
This event may be of particular interest to professionals who are exploring doctoral study, considering a PhD by publication or creative practice, or interested in translating practice-based knowledge into research impact.
The workshop will explore:
* PhDs by publication and creative practice pathways
* Developing a publication strategy during candidature
* Demonstrating research influence, translation and impact using program logic
* Publishing during and beyond the PhD
* Building collaborations, networks and communities of practice
You'll hear from a diverse panel of candidates, graduates, supervisors and academic leaders. The presenters are:
• Prof Stan Grant Jnr • Prof Dominic O’Sullivan • Prof Peter Sherlock • Prof Matt Winslade • Prof Michael Friend (PVC-PG) • Prof Andrew Hurley • A/Prof Sam Bowker • Dr Monica Short • Dr Monique Shephard • Dr Robin Ladwig (CU) • Ms Marie (Bernie) Fisher (HERDSA-ACT) • Ms Dalang Dkhar • Mr Pat McKenna • Ms Stacey Jones
Presented as a Social Sciences Week event and jointly hosted by the CSU FOAE Research Café, CSU Office of Graduate Research Community of Practice, and HERDSA ACT Branch.
Date: 17 September 2026
Time: 10:30am-4:30pm AEST (you can drop in for the sessions most relevant to you)
Format: Hybrid (ACCC Canberra and online via Zoom)
Cost: Free
Register now: https://events.humanitix.com/phds-with-publications2026
Whether you're actively planning a PhD or simply curious about what doctoral study could look like, we'd love to have you join us.
Further information: Dr Monique Shephard mshephard@csu.edu.au; or Dr Monica Short mshort@csu.edu.au
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Upcoming Re-Igniting and Release of the HERDSA SoTL Modules
Monday August 10th, 2026
Great news!!! We are very excited to share the news that the HERDSA SoTL Modules will be ready for members to access again very soon on a brand-new Moodle platform - Available from Friday, August 7th, 2026.
Our team have been busy behind the scenes making sure that all content and activities in the 10 HERDSA Modules are functioning and working well on the new Moodle platform, with a range of additional great features and interactivity.
The 10 modules have been specifically designed for the HERDSA community. The modules are relevant for national and international scholars, acting as a capacity-building resource to assist in developing and refining SoTL knowledge and skills.
Overview of the Modules:
1. Introducing SoTL – Explore its purpose and value in higher education.
2. Becoming an Evidence-Based Educator – Ground your practice in research.
3. Foundations of Producing SoTL – Scope and project planning.
4. SoTL Research Methods – Action research, surveys, observations, interviews, and more (with a new section on Ethical considerations for SoTL projects).
5. Designing your SoTL project – From concept to plan.
6. Theoretical frameworks in SoTL – Making your thinking visible.
7. From vision to reality – Developing an armoury of tools for engaging in SoTL research.
8. Analysing & Interpreting Data – Turn raw data into meaningful insights.
9. Disseminating SoTL findings
10.Enhancing the impact of your SoTL research
Each module takes you through four phases of learning—Discover, Explore, Engage, Connect—with opportunities to dive deeper if you choose.
**A reminder that the HERDSA SoTL Modules are free and a significant benefit for HERDSA financial members and can be accessed by logging into the HERDSA website and then into MY DASHBOARD link.
For non HERDSA members interested in the HERDSA SoTL Modules please enquire at https://forms.office.com/r/qtb6nfxqAd
For more details on the HERDSA SoTL Modules click this link - https://herdsa.org.au/news/herdsa-sotl-modules-setting-bar-world-standar...
Further information: Contact Alice.Brown@unisq.edu.au
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Australian Universal Wellbeing Symposium 2026 – Final Programme
7–28 August 2026
The Australian Universal Wellbeing Symposium 2026 will be held on 27–28 August at Novotel Brisbane Airport, bringing together researchers, practitioners and leaders for a focused two-day programme exploring wellbeing, prevention and systems change.
The programme includes research and discussion across higher education wellbeing, mental health, resilience, systems thinking, public health, marginalised communities and Universal Wellbeing.
Designed as an interactive symposium, the programme provides opportunities to engage with presenters, exchange perspectives across disciplines and develop professional connections alongside the research presentations.
The Final Programme is now available.
Student & Research Registration is available at 50% off, alongside standard, group and one-day attendance options.
Researchers, higher education professionals, postgraduate students and others working across wellbeing and prevention are warmly invited to attend.
Further information: https://www.nzcdi.ac.nz/australian-uw-symposium-2026
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Register now for the CSHE Symposium on Education, Employability and Professional Agility
Tuesday 8 September 2026, 10.00am-2.30pm AEST
How can universities prepare graduates for an uncertain future?
Drawing on two decades of her research in graduate capability development, authentic learning and institutional transformation, Professor Ruth Bridgstock (Swinburne University of Technology) will explore capabilities students need to thrive that higher education rarely teaches for and how universities can adapt to support their success. The keynote presentation will be followed by an expert panel discussion and Q&A featuring university, industry and graduate voices:
- Dr Gregor Lichtfuss, Biotech entrepreneur and founder, and trying hard to prepare young people for the future of life
- Prof Elizabeth Molloy, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Curriculum), The University of Melbourne
- Gurshan Nanda, Project Officer, COO Portfolio, The University of Melbourne
- Eva Rodgers, Founder of Socially Made Agency and Coffee x Comms
Moderated by Dr Elena Balcaite, Acting Director, Arts Teaching Innovation and Senior Lecturer (Experiential Learning) in the Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne.
The keynote and panel sessions (10.00am-12.00pm AEST) will be livestreamed via Zoom.
Register today!
Further information: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/uzk2
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ASCILITE's Technology Enhanced Learning Accreditation Standards (TELAS) - Reviewer Certification Workshop ONLINE
September 10 an 110 (10am - 1.30pm AEST)
The Technology Enhanced Learning Accreditation Standards (TELAS) are internationally benchmarked standards designed to assess the quality of online learning, particularly in the tertiary sector. They provide institutions with the means to assess and evaluate the affordances of their online learning environments, thereby guiding quality enhancements. For more information about TELAS visit our website.
Our workshop supports your understanding of the standards and is the first step toward becoming a certified TELAS reviewer. No matter what your role is at your institution, you will find these workshops informative and interactive.
Our next workshop will be online in Zoom (split across two half days); September 10 and 11 (10am - 1.30pm AEST)
For fees and registration - https://telas.edu.au/becoming-a-reviewer/workshops/
$275 for members and $425 for non-members (includes membership)
Any questions feel free to email TELAS Admin.
Elaine Huber, Chris Campbell, Lisa Jacka & Lisa Budgen
TELAS leads
Further information: admin@telas.edu.au
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CRADLE Seminar Series: 'Designing self-assessment students can actually use'
Wednesday 16 September – 2.00 pm to 3.30 pm (AEST)
Self-assessment becomes formative when it is designed into what students do next. Register now for CRADLE's seminar on 16 September to hear A/Prof. Juan Fraile (Universidad Francisco de Vitoria) explore how formative self-assessment can be designed as a practical route into students’ self-regulated learning.
Formative self-assessment can be understood as a set of carefully designed learning situations in which students are helped to monitor their understanding, compare their responses against criteria or examples, interpret feedback, identify gaps, and make better decisions about what to do next. In this sense, self-assessment is closely connected to feedback, evaluative judgement and self-regulated learning. Arguing that effective feedback is not simply information transmitted by the teacher, but a process that depends on what learners do with that information, this seminar will shift attention from the amount of feedback teachers provide to the quality of the learning actions that feedback makes possible. The session will present practical examples of classroom activities that can be implemented with or without digital tools, with an emphasis on practical designs that teachers can adapt to their own contexts.
To learn more about how self-assessment, feedback and retrieval practices can be designed to help students become better judges of their own learning, join us at 2.00 pm (AEST) in person at Deakin Downtown or online.
Further information: https://cradle-seminar-self-assessment-students-can-use.eventbrite.com.a...
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Call for submissions to a study looking at curriculum design processes in the contemporary Australian higher education context
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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CSHE Occasional Paper: The Fall and Rise of Postgraduate Commonwealth Supported Places
Domestic postgraduate students are saving money by enrolling in subsidised and price-capped Commonwealth supported places instead of full-fee places. For the first time since the late 1990s, most public university domestic postgraduate coursework places are Commonwealth supported. For universities, however, Commonwealth supported places typically deliver less revenue per student. Through interviews with university leaders and empirical analysis of enrolment trends, this Occasional Paper by Professor Andrew Norton and Dr Ren-Hao Xu examines why universities made these changes to postgraduate education.
Further information: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/wm6h
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New articles in Higher Education Research and Development
Developing a theory of change for addressing antisemitism in higher education, Mali Rezaei & David Slucki, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2713502
‘It’s really a minefield’: exploring the disconnect between understanding of social media policies and academic freedom and behaviour online, Sarah Hook, Sandra Noakes, Nicole Bridges, Liquan Liu, David Arness & Roger Dawkins, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2708299
From knowledge transfer to graduate impact: a mediation analysis of an international scholarship programme, Warangkana Lin, Uyen Le Ngo, Sheng-Ju Chan & Jyh-Horng Lee, https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2026.2708300
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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.