Welcome to the February edition of the Noticeboard, a monthly update with news and opportunities from around the sector. If you have anything you’d like to share with members please contact us.
News from dassh
Welcome to our 25th year
2026 is shaping up to be a big year for higher education for both Australia and Aotearoa. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our member institutions across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand across the coming year, as well as welcoming Heads of School to DASSH.
We’ve now been around for 25 years! That’s a quarter-century of collective leadership in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (HASS). Over that time, our disciplines have played a vital role in strengthening equitable democracy, shaping sovereign capabilities, and contributing to informed public life. Today, our work is more relevant than ever.
We are excited to celebrate this milestone year with our members and the community as we continue advocating for the value of HASS in higher education and public life.
DASSH welcomes new Board member
Our Board is a vital part of DASSH operations, and we’d like to acknowledge and thank outgoing Board member, Professor Paula Geldens, for her dedication and contributions to DASSH in 2024-2025. We extend Paula our best wishes for her next chapter.
We are delighted to welcome Professor Nathan Wise, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education at the University of New England, as a new Board member. Nathan brings an important regional voice and a strong commitment to Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities leadership to DASSH. We look forward to working with him this coming year.
Find out more about the DASSH Board
Mentoring Program: applications now open
Are you a Deputy or Associate Dean, Head of School, Discipline Lead or early-mid career researcher who would like to be mentored by an experienced leader?
Our Mentorship Program is designed to foster interdisciplinary and cross-institutional relationships with an aim to develop leadership capacities. Our Mentors are experienced leaders who occupy senior positions in the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities across Australia and Aotearoa.
The program runs from March until December, and applications close on Friday 27 February.
Meet the DASSH Mentors
Find out more about the program
Essential Insights: Restructuring the essay in a time of AI
Tuesday 3 March
12pm-1pm (AEDT)
Online
As generative AI destabilises assessment in higher education, the essay has become a clear example of a ‘wicked problem’. In this Essential Insights session, guest speaker Dr Thomas Corbin (Deakin University) uses the essay as a case study to explore what essays are really assessing, and why we should resist abandoning them.
The session moves beyond diagnosis to outline practical, structural changes that could help preserve both the educational value and assessment integrity of the essay in the age of AI.
Aotearoa members gathering
Tuesday 17 March
Wellington
Registrations are open, and all Aotearoa members are welcome to attend this in-person gathering in Wellington.
The free, fully catered event will be hosted by Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and includes panel sessions, workshops for both Heads of School and Deans, and a plenary session.
2026 Annual Conference
Wednesday 16 – Friday 18 September
Melbourne
We are pleased to announce our annual conference will take place between 16-18 September in Melbourne. Please save the dates in your calendar.
We’d like to acknowledge and thank our conveners Professors James Verdon, Simon Tormey and Katherine Johnston and hosts Swinburne University of Technology, Deakin University and RMIT University.
More information on program and registration coming soon! Keep an eye on your inbox.
Find out more
Join our second Community of Practice – launching in 2026
DASSH is currently preparing to kickstart its new Teaching and Learning Network. 2026 will be the first year for DASSH’s second Community of Practice, with the T&L Network running alongside our Associate Dean Research Network.
Both networks are open to colleagues in relevant areas and meet regularly to discuss common challenges and opportunities, share insights and resources.
If you’d be interested in attending, contact DASSH by emailing us at: office@dassh.edu.au
Find out more
Getting the word out
Our ATEC legislation response is now live
In our recently published submission to the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025, DASSH called for:
- An expanded Commissioner model
- A strengthening of the National Tertiary Objective
- Ensuring ATEC has access to higher education expertise
- A proactive advisory role for ATEC
- A data-informed approach to mission-based compacts
DASSH welcomes ATEC’s objective of delivering meaningful stewardship of tertiary education and supporting Australia’s national capabilities.
Read more about DASSH’s response
Read our full submission
Around the traps
New Commissioners appointed to ATEC
Professor Tom Calma AO and the Hon Fiona Nash have been appointed commissioners of the interim Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC). Professor Calma is the new acting First Nations Commissioner. The Hon Fiona Nash was a member of the Australian Universities Accord Panel and is the Regional Education Commissioner. They will join existing commissioner Professor Barney Glover AO, who continues as the acting Chief Commissioner.
Read more
National Competitive Grants Program update
While the NCGP Policy Review Final Report remains under consideration by the Australian Government, the ARC has added two further schemes to the NCGP Scheme Calendar: Australian Laureate Fellowships 2027 (expected to open late March 2026)Discovery Indigenous 2027 (expected to open in June 2026)Grant guidelines for each will be released early this year.
Read more
Humanities a close second to health for new Australian undergraduate students
For ABC Online, Lottie Tywford reports on the most popular areas of study for new Australian undergraduate students in 2026. Society and culture was second, behind health, which has markedly increased in popularity since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Universities against ATEC plan
Stephen Matchett writes in Future Campus about concerns from university sector bodies on the proposed legislation to create the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC). He reports on submissions from Universities Australia, the Universities Innovative Research Universities secretariat, the Group of Eight and the Regional Universities Network.
Sector reform governance principles
The Australian Institute of Company Directors outlines the university governance landscape, overviewing the status of reports on sector reform, ATEC legislation and consultation to modernise and strengthen TEQSA.
Undergraduate enrolments down 2.3% in Australia
In Future Campus, Tim Winkler reports on data from The Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admissions Centres (ACTAC), stating that undergraduate offers are down 2.3% in aggregate across the nation, falling by just over 6,000 to 265,046.
Read more
Changes to fee-free student funding in NZ questioned
On RNZ (Radio New Zealand), Susan Edmonds reports on commentary from one economist questioning the 2025 changes to student funding in New Zealand. The funding change allows for the final year of study to be fee-free for people studying for the first time.
Read and listen
Humanities programs face existential crisis at US universities
In The Guardian, Alice Spears reports on fears over the future of humanities spread amid layoffs and restructurings at scores of public and private universities in the United States.
Read more
Group of Eight pre-budget submission calls for urgent reform
In a pre-budget submission shared on its website, the Group of 8 Universities calls on the Australian Government to act urgently, saying Australia’s university research funding system is broken.
Read the submission
Collaboration by Early Career Researchers tackles antimicrobial resistance
New research published in Nature Magazine shows how collaboration across science, technology, arts and humanities is addressing the complex dimensions of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Researchers highlight the cross-disciplinary nature of this medical challenge, particularly through strengthened support for Early Career Researchers (ECRs).
Read here
Dr Andy Marks appointed Executive Director of ATN Universities
The Australian Technology Network of Universities announces its new Executive Director, Dr Andy Marks. He was previously based at Western Sydney University, where he was Vice-President, Public Affairs and Partnerships and Executive Director of the Centre for Western Sydney.
Learn more
The evolution of university fees
In Pearls and Irritations, an opinion piece by Western Sydney University Vice-Chancellor, George Williams, looks at how university fees have gone from free education to $50,000 in 50 years.
Read it here
Opinion piece: History offers ATEC Lessons
In Future Campus, a co-authored opinion piece from Keelin George and Rorden Wilkinson suggests looking at the history of previous tertiary education commissions when considering the durability of ATEC.
Read more
NZ languages spoken but not studied
In Aotearoa’s independent media outlet, The Spinoff, Shanti Mathias reports that while Hindi, Tagalog and Cantonese are commonly spoken in Aotearoa, you can’t study them at university.
Read more
Quality of governance at Australian higher education providers
The final report from an inquiry into the adequacy of the powers available to TEQSA has now been published. The report looked at TEQSA’s ability to perform its role in identifying and addressing corporate governance issues at Australian higher education providers.
Opinion piece: What criminal law can and can’t do
For ABC Online, DASSH member Professor Katharine Gelber from the University of Queensland writes an opinion piece examining the recent debate over hate speech legislation.
Read here
New publishing agreement supports Australia and New Zealand research
On the Council of Australasian University Librarians (CAUL) website, Wiley and the Council of Australasian University Librarians (CAUL) have announced a three-year open access agreement covering more than 50 universities and research organisations across Australia and New Zealand.
Learn more
Four ways to empower students to spark social change
In The Conversation, Oral Robinson writes about which teaching practices best empowered social sciences and humanities students to enact social change.
Read now
Opportunities
UNESCO Participation Grant Programme 2026-27
Grants of up to $26,000 USD to advance knowledge, science and culture in the Marshall Islands are now open. The social sciences are one of the grants’ focus areas, and community development is one of the key objectives for this UNESCO Participation Grant Programme. International entities must collaborate with local partners.
The application deadline is 11 February 2026.
Expressions of Interest: Graduate Digital Research Fellowship
The Language Data Commons of Australia (LDaCA) has opened expressions of interest for its Graduate Digital Research Fellowship. This fully online, 12-15 week program, supports postgraduate students across Australia to build practical digital research skills.
Expressions of Interest accepted until 13 February 2026.
Malcolm Fraser Research Grant now open for applications
The University of Melbourne Archives and Special Collections is pleased to announce the Malcolm Fraser Research Grant. The
Grant will support a scholar to undertake research of contemporary relevance on liberal traditions in Australia, drawing on the University of Melbourne Archives and Special Collections.
The successful recipient will be offered between $25,000-$50,000, which will be used to support their project for up to 12 months.
Applications close on 15 March 2026.
Australian Research Council Linkage Projects funding now open
Applications for Linkage Projects for funding applied for in 2026 are now open. There will be one assessment round for these applications. Key dates, including Important Dates, for this scheme are on the Scheme Calendar available on the ARC website.Deadline is 5pm (AEDT) on Wednesday 18 March 2026.
Australian Academy of Humanities awards and grants
The Academy of Humanities awards and grants program open soon, with a number of opportunities spanning international engagement, emerging fields of humanities and support for early and mid-career researchers.
While the awards and grants open on 16 February, information on the program is already available.
Applications close on 29 March.
Forecast opportunity: Australian Research Council Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities
Applications for the ARC’s Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities grants Grant guidelines are now open and grant guidelines are now available on Grant Connect. When preparing your application, please note that minor changes have been made to the guidelines.
Deadline for applications is 9 April.
dassh Events
Essential Insights: Restructuring the Essay in a time of AI
Tuesday 3 March
12pm-1pm (AEDT)
Online
In this Essential Insights session, guest speaker Dr Thomas Corbin (Deakin University) uses the essay as a case study to explore what essays are really assessing and why we should resist abandoning them.
Register now
Aotearoa member gathering
Wednesday 18 February
12pm-1pm (NZDT)
Online
Aotearoa members are invited to an online member gathering to kickstart 2026. This event provides members the opportunity to connect with one another at the beginning of the year and to set the tone for priorities going forwards.
Register now
Aoeteara member gathering
Tuesday 17 March
10am-4pm (NZDT)
Rutherford House, Te Hergenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington
This full-day, in person event offers members the chance to connect in person, share what’s happening across institutions, and reflect on the challenges and opportunities shaping the higher education landscape.
Register now
Conference and AGM
16-18 September
Melbourne
Dates for our Conference and AGM have been announced, with more information on the program as well as registration details coming soon. For now, please hold these dates in your calendar.
Stay updated here
dassh Networks
Teaching and Learning Network
Kickstarting 2026
Friday 13 February
12pm-1pm (AEDT)
Online
A collegial discussion to check in and build on the initial network gathering, setting the tone for 2026. Please feel free to bring coffee or lunch and join the discussion with other Teaching and Learning colleagues across Australia and Aotearoa.
Find out more
Associate Deans Research Community of Practice
Research and Social License in 2026
Thursday 12 February
12pm-1pm (AEDT)
Online
Associate Professors Robyn Creagh and Corinne Seals will lead discussion on the social license of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities research. Members are encouraged to attend and share insights on the emerging challenges and opportunities associated with their role.
Find out more
Events
ARDC National Skills Forum: Accessible and Inclusive Training
Friday 11 February
12pm-1pm (AEDT)
Online An inspiring, learner-centred session designed to transform the way you approach training.During this forum, you will hear directly from speakers as they share what truly makes learning accessible, inclusive and impactful.
Universities Australia Solutions Summit
Tuesday 24 February
8.30am-4pm (AEDT)
National Convention Centre Canberra
The 2026 Universities Australia Solutions Summit is the flagship national forum for collaboration across higher education, bringing together 1,000+ leaders from universities, government, business and the community.
Register here
Re-defining Open Scholarship in an Age of Generative Intelligence
4-6 June
Montreal, Canada
Canadian Society for Digital Humanities
The 13th annual gathering of the Implementing New Knowledge Environments Partnership will coincide with the annual conference of the Canadian Society for Digital Humanities. Participants will join conversations and share collaborative work in digital scholarship and other relevant topics.
Read more