Essential Insights is a member-focused event series designed to deliver pragmatic, hands-on insights and advice across a range of spotlighted topics that preoccupy us all. These lunchtime webinars include a 20-minute presentation and 30-minutes for open discussion and questions. Please feel free to bring your lunch!
Strengthening social licence
12pm (AEDT) / 2pm (NZDT)
Wednesday 14 October
Online
Social licence is central to the mission of universities. Amidst increasing uncertainty in the higher education sector, how can Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (HASS) researchers and leaders act to strengthen the accountability, legitimacy and credibility of their institutions?
In this Essential Insights webinar, Professor Simon Adams, Professor of Human Rights at Murdoch University and former President and CEO of the Center for Victims of Torture, will advocate for the role of HASS and HASS research in strengthening universities’ social licence, building on his address to the 2025 DASSH Annual Conference ‘Poison Ideas: Universities and other Antidotes to Authoritarianism.’ A recording of Professor Adams speech at the 2025 DASSH Annual Conference is available here, through ABC Radio National.
Professor Adams will propose pragmatic steps that HASS leaders can implement to foreground the essential research, imagination, debate, creativity, and intellectual courage that their universities bring to public life.
This session will be chaired by Professor Deborah Gare, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Law, Arts & Social Sciences at Murdoch University.
Professor Deborah Gare
Pro Vice-Chancellor, College of Law, Arts & Social Sciences
Murdoch University