Welcome to the June 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 our Research and Engagement Officer Ellen Kirkpatrick.
News from dassh
Conference tickets now on sale
Ticket sales are now open for our upcoming annual conference on 24 – 25 September in Sydney.
Tickets are limited and we are expecting to sell out so please ensure you register as soon as possible. Please see our website for more details about speakers, the program and complimentary tickets.
Wednesday 24 September
The Mint & Dinner at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney
Keynote Speakers and panel discussions
Thursday 25 September
The University of Notre Dame, City Campus
Full-day leadership development program
Upcoming Essential Insights webinar
Social Cohesion
Wednesday 20 August
12pm – 1pm (AEST)
Online
Join Professor Heather Zwicker, DASSH President, Executive Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences and Pro Vice-Chancellor for Campus Culture at The University of Queensland as she shares essential insights from the front lines of developing a pan-university Antiracism Commitment.
This session will be chaired by Professor Cynthia White, DASSH Vice-President, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Humanities and Social Sciences at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University.
Meeting with Royal Society Te Aparangi
Executive Director Jane Ryan was pleased to meet with the Royal Society Te Apārangi CEO Paul Atkins and President Distinguished Professor Dame Jane Harding in Canberra in June. It was a warm and productive session and Jane was thrilled to be able to meet with them while they were in Australia visiting the Learned Academies.
They discussed research in Aotearoa and Australia and talked about the approaches our organisations are taking to promoting and preserving humanities, arts and social sciences research.
Aotearoa Budget wrap
It was great to be joined by so many representatives from Aotearoa universities at our Budget Wrap online catch-up in late May. Members were able to find out more detail, identify the threats and opportunities that emerged and discuss how it impacts their institutions and disciplines.
The next Aotearoa member gathering is on 29 July online at 12pm NZST. All members are welcome.
Around the traps
Australian Tertiary Education Commission established
The interim Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) commenced on 1 July 2025. The interim Commissioners will engage widely with the sector to support and oversee the establishment of the ATEC prior to the passage of legislation formally establishing the commission. They will also provide advice to the government.
Find out more
Update on Australian Research Council funded research
Last week the Australian Research Council outlined changes to the National Competitive Grants Program to better support researchers at all career stages. DASSH consulted widely with members and made a submission to the ARC earlier this year.
Changes include:
- A standalone fellowship scheme for ECRs
- Opportunities for mid-career and senior career researchers will focus on projects and mentorship rather than salaried fellowships
- A separate scheme will fund projects for researchers at any career stage to pursue ambitious exploratory research ideas
- A sub-scheme under the Collaborate Program will continue to provide funding for collaborative infrastructure proposals
Several of our recommendations are reflected in the changes announced. They included:
- Addressing the precarity of support for early-career researchers
- Reassessing the ratio of specific grant programs to expand access to collaborative projects and address short-term funding implications for ECRs
- Addressing the potential unintended consequences of aligning research funding with priorities of government and the National Science and Research Priorities and maintaining a clear focus on fundamental research
Find out more
Read DASSH submission
Senator David Pocock:
“Reform JRG – It’s not working”
Senator Pocock has criticised the government’s approach to student debt relief while acknowledging the short term relief that will be felt by many. He says data he requested from the Parliamentary Budget Office shows the Job-Ready Graduates package has added $10.3 billion to HECS debt since its introduction and must be reformed. DASSH welcomes Senator Pocock’s focus on the policy and will be working to support reform to the policy.
Watch now
JSA calls for blended degrees to make graduates work-ready
Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) Commissioner Barney Glover has told The Australian newspaper’s Natasha Bita that universities are failing to produce “work-ready’’ graduates with the academic knowledge and hands-on skills employers need.
He told Bita JSA research indicates up to 90% of qualified applicants for jobs in engineering and information technology were not considered suitable by employers because they lack employability skills.
The Commissioner said this may relate to the ‘lack of what are sometimes described as “soft” skills or cognitive skills around communication, problem solving and teamwork’. He also said it may relate to the extent and quality of work-integrated learning.
He has called on universities to offer more ‘blended degrees’ combining vocational training and theory to create more work-ready graduates.
See more (paywall)
Budget reduces investment in innovative research
The Royal Society Te Apārangi writes the release of the budget signals annual reductions to the Marsden Fund of approximately $5 million per year over the three years from the 2026-2027 financial year. These cuts follow the removal of Social Sciences and Humanities research funding from the Marsden Fund entirely in December 2024 and significant changes to Europe Horizon One funding.
Read more
Expert reactions
Māori research fund cancelled
Jenny Sinclair reports in Research Professional News that a NZ$31 million Māori research fund will be reallocated at the discretion of the government. Three research groups participating in the He Tipu Ka Hua programme were told of the cancellation on the day they were expecting to hear whether they would receive further funding.
Read more
The rise of AI and Liberal Arts
Jessica Stillman writes at Inc.com that the value of liberal arts degrees may increase with the rise of AI. She writes about how the humanities are not disposable and how technical degrees are no longer safe choices with rapid changes to technologies and education.
Read here
Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and Economy researcher success
The United Kingdom’s Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts for People and the Economy (SHAPE) researchers have secured 56 awards including 25 grants in the social sciences and humanities in the latest European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grants results.
Read more
Experiences and challenges of students with disability at Australian universities
Renée Punch, Jill Duncan and Ruth Talbot-Stokes examine the barriers to full inclusion for students with disability and the incomplete mandates of disability legislation for education. This review focuses on the Australian context but is applicable to all countries where barriers continue to impede on success of students with disability.
Read here
Australia exploiting international students
John Ross writes in Times Higher Education that Australia’s reliance on international student fees to keep the higher education afloat risks becoming too ‘extractive’. The article highlights how policy changes are undermining opportunities for students and universities alike.
Read here
Universities critical to productivity challenge
Queensland University of Technology Chancellor Ann Sherry writes that universities play a critical role in national productivity in an opinion piece in the Australian Financial Review. She calls for more funding and policy support for research and highlights the need for more industry collaboration.
Read here
Australia’s ‘battered’ university system
Susan Forde in The Conversation writes about the release of respected Humanities scholar Graeme Turner’s book Broken: Universities, Politics and the Public Good which suggests a major overhaul of university funding is a key way to address the crisis of the system.
Read more
Merger of Māori research funds causes major concern
Jenny Sinclair reports in Research Professional News the existing Te Pūnaha Hihiko Vision Mātauranga Capability Fund and the He Aka Ka Toro Navigation Fund will be merged to form the He Ara Whakahihiko Capability Fund. There are concerns over the streamlining of support for Māori research and innovation.
Read more
Fresh insights into Australian domestic student demand
Tim Winkler in Future Campus draws on newly released Federal Government data to highlight that undergraduate enrolments have been declining since 2017. Despite a minor increase in 2024, enrolments sit around the same level as in 2012.
Aotearoa government unveils plan to lift international enrolments
Minister of Education Erica Stanford has released a plan to double the economic benefits bought into the country by international students. From November, eligible student-visa holders will have extended working rights and the government is considering introducing a short-duration work visa for graduates.
Cultural barriers to interdisciplinary research
A new peer-reviewed article by Joshua Newman published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications has linked interdisciplinary research collaboration to improvements in innovation, creativity and research impact. It unpacks claims and assumptions about cultural divisions between the Arts and Science.
Read here
Declining humanities offerings threaten future leaders
Listen to Professor Chris Wallace talk with ABC Radio National about how declining enrolments and offerings of History and Humanities subjects at universities is resulting in loss of historical thinking and decision-making capacities.
Listen now
Opportunities
Calls for proposals to strengthen science-policy nexus across Asia
The International Science Council is now accepting proposals for its 2025-2026. The new Seeds of Science, Asia program is an opportunity for scientists, researchers, academics and practitioners in Asia to share their knowledge and insights with members of the scientific community and policy makers in their respective countries. Grants of up to $9,500 available.
The application deadline is 25 August 2025.
Distinguished Researcher Fellowship
The New Zealand Mana Tūārangi Distinguished Researcher Fellowship supports researchers with expansive and international reputations to make contributions that will extend beyond their own career. Two Fellowships of between one and two years of length will be awarded annually.
Find out more
Future Leader Fellowship
The New Zealand Mana Tūāpapa Future Leader Fellowships support Aotearoa New Zealand’s talented early career researchers to establish the foundations of an excellent and impactful research career. Around twenty Fellowships of four years in length will be awarded annually, for research in any field based in an Aotearoa New Zealand host organisation.
Find out more
dassh Events
Essential Insights series
See the full schedule and register now for the 2025 Essential Insights online webinar series.
Social Cohesion
Wednesday 20 August
12pm – 1pm (AEST)
Online
2025 Policy Wrap-Up
Wednesday 19 November
12pm – 1pm (AEST)
Online
dassh Networks
Associate Deans (Research) Community of Practice
The Community of Practice is comprised of Associate Deans (Research) across member institutions. The group meets regularly to discuss spotlighted topics, share resources and guidance for addressing common challenges.
If you are interested in participating please get in contact with us.
Remember: ADRs are warmly invited to attend both the Aotearoa and Australian events! There is huge value in hearing from your colleagues on either side of the Tasman.
Recognising Non-Traditional Research
Wednesday 6 August
12pm-1pm (AEST)
Online
Cross-disciplinary and Inter-University Collaborations
Tuesday 9 September
10am – 11am (AEST)
Online
Balancing Research Expectations
Tuesday 4 November
10am – 11am (AEST)
Online
Implications of De-Casualisation
Thursday 27 November
12pm-1pm (AEST)
Online
Australian events
Workshops for early career researchers
Wednesday 6 August
12-1.30pm AEST (10-11.30am AWST)
Australian Historical Association
Online
Tuesday 19 August
12-1.30pm AWST (2-3.30pm (AEST)
Australian Historical Association
Online
The Australian Historical Association is hosting two events with panels of historians who have successfully navigated this Higher Degree Research to Early Career Researcher transition to share their experiences. After a brief introduction from each panellist, you’ll get the chance to ask your questions about life post PhD. The events will be live and online but unrecorded, to encourage an open and frank discussion about one of the most oblique but important stages in an historian’s career.
Find out more
Teaching and Learning Forum: Student Success in Practice
Thursday 21 August
Melbourne
International Education Association of Australia (IEAA)
IEAA’s 2025 Teaching and Learning Forum invites education professionals across Australia to participate in interactive workshops and panel discussions about fostering student success in practice. The one-day program explores strategies for integrating international trends into curriculum design, enhancing teaching practices and assessment techniques, and building collaborative networks.
Find out more
Irish-Scottish cultural diplomacy and relations
Tuesday 26 September
2.30pm – 5.30pm IST
Online
Scottish Arts and Humanities Alliance | Irish Humanities Alliance | Royal Irish Academy
This event explores how the Arts and Humanities are fundamental to fostering creativity, firing the imagination, navigating a shared history and promoting inter-cultural dialogue. It will assess the progress achieved in implementing the recommendations of the first Joint Bilateral Review of the Irish and Scottish Governments to strengthen the relationship between Ireland and Scotland.
Aotearoa events
Winter Speaker Series 2025
21 May – 23 July
Join the upcoming talks at the annual Ngā Manu Winter Speaker Series where leading voices in conservation, science and storytelling come together to share insights and inspire action. All entry to talks are by koha (donation).
See upcoming schedule
Peter Turner Memorial Lecture: Anne Noble
Thursday 7 August
6.30pm – 9pm
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Hear leading contemporary New Zealand photographer Anne Noble reflect on her recent work exploring collaborative practices and environmental issues. In this lecture, Anne Noble will discuss modes of collaborative practice across a series of projects that spans her work with bees as well as current projects concerning the environmental degradation of our waterways.
See more
Hamilton Public Lecture
Tuesday 12 August
5.30 – 6.30pm
University of Waikato
Join Professor Bridgette Masters-Awatere in her lecture From the roots up: Growing capability and impact through evidence-based research. Bridgtte shares insight from her work in program evaluation highlighting how whānau-centred research approaches can shift not only what we study, but who benefits from it.
Register now