Welcome to the Noticeboard
Welcome to the July 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 DASSH.
News from dassh
Conference tickets on sale
Tickets are selling fast for our Future Facing University conference to be held Tuesday 15 – Friday 18 September in Melbourne. There is an early bird discount (finishing 15 July) and a group bundle available to DASSH member institutions.
Limited spots are available, so please ensure you guarantee your place by registering early.
Essential Insights: Building Gender Competency
Tuesday 21 July
11am – 12pm (AEST)
Online
Associate Professor Gail Crimmins from University of the Sunshine Coast will lead discussion on shifting expectations for universities to address gender-based harm. This session will consider the important role Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines can play in leading this work institutionally through curriculum innovation, critical scholarship and public engagement.
This session will be chaired by Professor Nathan Wise, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences and Education at the University of New England.
Getting the word out
Australian university graduates inquiry
Our submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training inquiry into Australian university graduates highlights that graduate employment outcomes should not be reduced to questions about the value or quality of university education alone. It calls for:
- Sustainable JRG reform
- Increased investment in graduate transition and employability initiatives
- Increased support for broad-based education
Around the traps
Proposed new funding system for universities
The Australian government has proposed new funding system for tertiary education, introducing legislation that embeds Needs-Based and Managed Growth funding. While stakeholders have praised the $3.6 billion Universities Accord (Opening the Doors of Opportunity) Bill’s inclusivity measures, concerns have been raised about bureaucratic control and limited flexibility.
Read the Minister for Education’s press release
Read commentary from the ABC
Read explainer from Andrew Norton
Aotearoa Transition Research Fund 2027
A new Transition Research Fund combines funding from Marsden and Endeavour funds into a single new fund with three mechanisms: Talent Development, Projects and Programmes. Funding will be allocated in line with the four pillars for research which all have corresponding advisory groups.
Read more
Aotearoa to commercialise university research
The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment has announced a NZD$40.68 million boost over three years to help university researchers commercialise their innovations.
Read more
Security and Prosperity in Asia report outlines 34 recommendations
The House Standing Committee on Education’s inquiry into building Asia capability in Australia has released 34 recommendations, including a National Asia Capability Strategy, the inclusion of Asia capability within ATEC’s strategic priorities and prioritising languages in university funding.
Find out more
Read DASSH submission
Students report lack of freedom of expression on campus
Salvatore Babones at the Menzies Research Centre writes that Australian students do not feel free to express their views on campus. Society and Culture students report lower levels of freedom of expression than their peers.
Read here
Jobs and Skills Australia calls for a skills-first education system
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) Deputy Commissioner Megan Lilly calls for a skills-first approach to tertiary education. She outlines a set of system-level reforms and calls for stronger links between qualifications and skills.
Read more
Australian Graduate Outcomes released
The 2025 Australian Graduate Outcomes report has been released. The QILT survey found graduate satisfaction was at its lowest since the poll began in 2016. Creative arts and Humanities, culture and social sciences students all recorded below average to average full-time employment rates and median salaries for undergraduates.
View the results
Read commentary
China’s universities cut 12,000 arts degrees in AI overhaul
Writing for The Independent, Anthony Cuthbertson reports cuts to Arts degrees in China as the country’s higher education sector reorienting itself towards an AI-driven economy. Nearly a third of China’s university programs have been impacted.
Find out more
New Framework for the governance of Indigenous data released
Developed by Marcia Langton, Robert McLellan, Jennifer Fewster and Kristen Smith, the Framework intends to guide ethical, inclusive and culturally grounded data practices across the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and Indigenous Research Data Commons (HASS and Indigenous RDC).
Read more
International students in Australia face greater financial pressure
Natasya Salim and Sally Brooks report for the ABC that weakening currencies in parts of Asia are causing financial stress for international students, with consequences for academic performance, wellbeing and sense of belonging in Australia.
Read more
University response to JRG
Ren-Hao Xu and Andrew Norton’s study examines how universities interpreted and negotiated the JRG policy within broader socio-political and institutional contexts. They found that following JRG universities were usually, although not always, responsive to student demand, even when the financial incentives were weak.
Read more
Future Arts students face large fees
Maani Truu writes in the Australian Financial Review that Arts, Law and Communications students starting their studies in 2028 are likely to face degree costs of at least $56,000 as the government makes progress in reforming the failed Job Ready Graduates scheme.
Read more (paywall)
Universities Australia’s response to the Australian Human Rights Commission
Universities Australia has responded to the Australian Human Rights Commission’s (AHRC) Respect at Uni report, released in February 2026. Australia’s universities are committed to working with the AHRC and the special envoys to continue addressing racism on campus.
Read the response
Read the report
AI and skills: what we know so far
An OECD report emphasises that skills are a key component in advancing AI adoption and ensuring it benefits workers, employers and economies. The report notes the importance of lifelong training and upskilling.
Read the report
Australia secures access to Horizon Europe
Australia’s entry into the European Union’s €95.5 billion Horizon Fund gives researchers full access to the world’s largest pooled research funding program. The Minister for Industry and Innovation and the Minister for Science Senator the Hon Tim Ayres encourages collaboration between HASS and STEM.
Read Senator the Hon Tim Ayres’ speech
Read analysis
NZ international student fees reach all-time high
Foreign student fees reached an all-time high of NZD$1.3 billion last year even though student numbers were below previous peaks. The figures showed there were 51,730 full-time equivalent foreign students last year, well below the high of 70,480 recorded in 2016.
Read more
Commitment to responsible research
The Australian Research Council (ARC) has published its Commitment to Responsible Research Assessment statement and accompanying principles. The statement outlines how the ARC will conduct research assessment in line with contemporary best practice.
Read more
ACSES publishes new report on financial inclusion
The Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success has published a new report Towards a financially inclusive higher education system that outlines barriers that prevent university students from accessing essential financial assistance. The report recommends that universities develop comprehensive Financial Inclusion Plans and improve webpage design and accessibility of their financial aid information.
Read the report
ATEC’s framework means universities have less freedom
Dr Craig Fowler writes in Future Campus that ATEC’s framework shifts the tertiary system towards “instrumentalism” where universities are treated as tools to achieve broader government economic goals.
Read more
Opportunities
Call for Abstracts: Australian Data Science Network Conference 2026
The 2026 Australian Data Science Network (ADSN) Conference will be in Canberra from 26 to 27 November. Under the theme “From Data to Decisions”, the conference will focus on impactful data science that informs decisions, changes minds and shapes policy. Talks and posters are now being invited across all areas of data science.
Submit an abstract by 24 July.
Host a Social Sciences Week event
The Academy of Social Sciences in Australia welcomes events to join the program for Social Sciences Week (12-20 September). Events are encouraged to champion participation and to make social science research accessible. Registered events become part of the official national program and are promoted through Social Sciences Week channels.
Register your event by 31 July.
Find out more
Shaping Australia Awards
Universities Australia is calling for entries to the 2026 Shaping Australia Awards, to recognise the people, programs and research helping to shape Australia’s future. The awards celebrate excellence in three categories: teaching, research and community service.
Submit your entry by 1 September.
Read more
Call for Papers: Co-opting Cultural and Literacy Labour
The Canadian Australian Partnership for Open Scholarship (CAPOS) are calling for papers for their eighth annual gathering hosted 3-4 December in Melbourne. This year’s focus explores platform infrastructures of agency, authority and experience in the age of open scholarship. Topics can include, but are not limited to, platforms for culture, Indigenous data sovereignty and critical platform studies.
Papers due by 1 September.
Find out more
Host International Data Week 2029
CODATA, Research Data Alliance (RDA), and World Data System invite proposals to host International Data Week 2029, a four-day event bringing together leaders in research data and open science. Successful host proposals must demonstrate strong local partnerships, venue/platform readiness, and robust financial support.
Applications close 2 November.
dassh Events
Essential Insights: Building Gender Competency
Tuesday 21 July
11am – 12pm (AEST)
Online
Associate Professor Gail Crimmins, University of the Sunshine Coast will lead discussion on shifting expectations for universities to address gender-based harm. This session will consider the important role Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities disciplines can play in leading this work institutionally through curriculum innovation, critical scholarship and public engagement.
Annual Conference: The Future-Facing University
Wednesday 16 – Friday 18 September
Melbourne
Kicking off with a welcome reception on the evening of Tuesday 15 September, the DASSH conference is a must-attend event for Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities leaders in Australia and Aotearoa. The conference program will consist of keynotes, panels and participatory sessions.
Registrations are open now!
dassh Networks
If you are interested in joining any of our working groups or Communities of Practice, please reach out to us at office@dassh.edu.au.
Research Network:
Measuring research performance and networks
Tuesday 11 August
12pm-1pm (AEST)
Online
This member-led discussion will focus on measuring research performance, responsible metrics and assessing research.
Watch this space
Teaching and Learning Network:
Managing grievances
Friday 21 August
12pm (AEST) / 2pm (NZST)
Online
The August Teaching and Learning focus explores emerging issues, common challenges and practical approaches to navigating grievances effectively.
Find out more
Australian Events
NAIDOC week, 50 Years of Deadly
Sunday 5 – Sunday 12 July
Various locations
National NAIDOC Week celebrates and recognises the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
Find a local event
Getting Started with the ARDC Nectar Research Cloud
Tuesday 14 July
2pm – 4pm (AEST)
Online
Join the Australian Research Data Commons for a free online workshop for researchers to learn the basics of using the ARDC Nectar Research Cloud, which provides researchers with more computational power.
Register here
Rechnitz Memorial Lecture: Professor Marcia Langton AO
Tuesday 14 July
5.30pm (AEST)
Melbourne
The Academy of Social Sciences in Australia welcomes you to join acclaimed author and Foundation Chair of Australian Indigenous Studies Professor Marcia Langton AO for the inaugural Rechnitz Memorial Lecture.
Find out more
Arts in Practice Research
Monday 27 July
1-4pm
Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra
Join the Australian Association for Research in Education Languages and Literacies special interest group to explore ideas of education in challenging times. The event explores creative wellbeing and arts practices and includes short research and arts practice sessions led by visiting scholars.
Register here
Higher Education Summit:
Degrees of Change
Tuesday 18 August
Sydney
Moderated by the Financial Review’s journalists, the 2026 Higher Education Summit will bring together university leaders, policymakers and global experts to consider the issues facing the sector. Early bird registration closes on Tuesday 7 July.
Find out more
‘The First Inventors:
How People Shaped a Continent’
Tuesday 15 September
RMIT The Capitol, Melbourne
Join Larissa Behrendt AO, Billy Griffiths and Sean Ulm as they discuss their new book ‘The First Inventors: How People Shaped a Continent.’ Hear from the authors about the Indigenous-led research and relationships underpinning the book and their commitment to best-practice ways of working.
All DASSH conference ticket holders have a reserved space at this event.
Read more
Resilience by Design, ICfAD’s 62nd Annual Conference
Tuesday 6 – Thursday 8 October
Detroit, Michigan
The International Council for Arts Deans invites colleagues to attend the Council’s 62nd Annual Conference, themed ‘Resilience by Design.’ This theme recognises that resilience is not accidental—it is built through thoughtful systems, inclusive processes, and the power of design to solve complex challenges, fuel innovation, and create a more sustainable and connected future.
Read more
Aotearoa Events
Oral history research workshops
Saturday 1 August, Saturday 5 September
Wellington | Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara
A two-day training workshop in Wellington for people considering using oral history in their work, study, community or personal projects.
Read more
Matariki
Saturday 4 – Sunday 19 July
Various locations
New year celebrations provide the opportunity for whānau to come together to acknowledge the year gone by, prepare and plan for the year ahead; to celebrate with kai, kōrero, ceremony and entertainment.
Find events near you