Welcome to the Noticeboard
Welcome to the October 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
2025 Conference Wrap Up
It was wonderful to be joined by almost 100 members from 38 universities across Australia and Aotearoa at our 2025 Global Contexts conference in Sydney last month. It was a packed two-day program with an impressive range of keynote speakers and a leadership development program. Thank you to everyone who attended, and we look forward to welcoming you at next year’s conference.
Stay tuned for 2026 location and dates!
Associate Deans (Teaching and Learning) Community of Practice
We’re establishing a Community of Practice for Associate Deans (Teaching and Learning) with a full calendar of events in 2026. We are planning on hosting an initial gathering next month to welcome interested members and select topics for the 2026 events calendar.
Please contact us if you are interested.
Final Essential Insights webinar for 2025
2025 Policy Wrap
Wednesday 19 November
12pm-1pm (AEDT)
Online
Join Professor Lori Lockyer, DASSH Secretary and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice at the Queensland University of Technology for a wrap of the key policy shifts and initiatives that have shaped the higher education landscape in 2025.
James Verdon, DASSH Board member and Executive Dean of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education at Swinburne University of Technology will be chairing this session.
Around the traps
Job-Ready Graduates package failing Indigenous students
Professor Reuben Holt, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Indigenous Strategy and Services at University of Sydney and Universities Australia Chair Professor Carolyn Evans speak with Bronte Charles from National Indigenous Television (NITV) about the disproportionate impacts of the Job-Ready Graduates scheme on Indigenous students.
Read here
Putting First Nations at the heart of higher education
Barry Judd, Leanne Holt, Bronwyn Fredericks, Tristan Kennedy and Jennifer Barrett write in Times Higher Education that the government needs to deliver on the Universities Accord unaddressed Indigenous-specific recommendations. With ATEC established, the next phase of reform must focus on Indigenous higher education participation.
Read here (paywall)
New Chief Executive for the Royal Society Te Apārangi
The President and Council of the Royal Society Te Apārangi have announced Justine Daw has been appointed as the Society’s new Tumu Whakarae | Chief Executive. In a statement, the Society said Daw has extensive senior leadership and governance experience and will take up the role on 5 January 2026.
Read more
The public value of arts and culture
A new discussion paper by Mariana Mazzucato from University College of London investigates how Arts and culture are essential to both stimulating and directing economic growth toward more creative, inclusive and sustainable societies.
Read here
New world-class Arts and Humanities centre opens in Oxford
A new world-class centre for the Arts and Humanities will open at the University of Oxford this month with a public cultural programme commencing in April 2026. The centre will co-locate Oxford’s internationally recognised Humanities faculties, the Institute for Ethics in AI, the Oxford Internet Institute and the new Bodleian Humanities Library.
Read more
Why is back to basics good in education but not science?
Cliff Abraham writes in Newsroom that both fundamental and ‘blue sky’ research is shrinking in Aotearoa to unsustainable levels as funding is slashed and the focus shifts to its economic impact instead.
Read here
Re-imagining universities
Michelle Grattan writes in The Conversation that former Labor leader Bill Shorten has used an address to the Australian Institute of International Affairs to call for a fundamental re-imagining of Australia’s universities. He has called for more flexibility in degrees, developing specialist universities and having companies directly subsidise credentials removing financial burden from students.
Read here
Read the full transcript
Aotearoa government response to University Advisory Group final report
The Aotearoa New Zealand Universities Minister Shane Reti has announced the creation of a University Strategy Group in response to the University Advisory Group final report calling for a national strategy to fund and administer universities as a distinct system in. The new group will guide policy and encourage ‘differentiation’ between universities. The Aotearoa New Zealand membership met to discuss the announcement in a policy briefing.
Read more
Australia must seize Horizon Europe opportunity
Luke Sheehy, CEO of Universities Australia, has urged the Albanese government to join Horizon Europe, the world’s largest research and innovation program. He said in a statement it offers a powerful way to leverage resources, bring in new partners and support Australian researchers.
Read statement
New pathways for assessment in the era of AI
Jason Lodge writes in Future Campus that a new resource released by TEQSA outlines three distinct strategic pathways institutions are taking to ensure the integrity of their qualifications including program-wide reform, unit-level assurance and a hybrid model.
Read the TEQSA resource
Read article
Use-by dates required for degrees?
Tim Winkler writes in Future Campus that the shelf-life of degrees is going to change rapidly and can no longer sustain a 50-year career. Future-proofing higher education means adjusting priorities including accentuating the humanities, fostering interdisciplinary depth, innovating education policy and stimulating exploration.
Read here
Will Australia’s democracy survive another global collapse?
Julia Baird writes in ABC that while Australians are generally satisfied with democracy, there is concern about foreign interference, polarisation and a weakening sense of belonging with global trends challenging Australia’s democratic strengths including trusted institutions, credible information and social inclusion.
The Australian Technology Network proposes new productive strategy
The Australian Technology Network (ATN) of universities has called on the Productivity Commission to lead on a people, skills and applied innovation focused strategy in a recent submission.
Read here
AI and human behaviour
New research from Michael Hallsworth, Elisabeth Costa and Deelan Maru shows how behavioural science can address four fundamental issues facing AI including augmenting AI’s capabilities, how individuals and society adapt to and resist AI, and how AI design can be aligned with human psychology.
Read here
New approaches to AI as a wicked problem
Stephen Matchett writes in Future Campus about new research from Deakin University defining AI as a ‘wicked problem’ with no universal solution. The authors recommend making “continuous professional judgements in conditions of permanent uncertainty” will build cultures that support professional judgement.
Read here
New issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand
The new issue of the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand features review articles on online gaming and wellbeing among Pacific youth, considerations and recommendations for ethnicity data, and legal and professional frameworks for health practitioners. This issue also includes articles analysing whether supporting cultural diversity benefits only Māori, perceptions of the ‘good farmer’ and social licence to operate in Aotearoa.
Read here
Student Equity Symposium recordings available
All recordings from the Australian Centre for Student Equity and Access (ACSES) annual symposium are now available online. The recordings provide further insights and reflections into two days of ideas, dialogue and questions on student equity across the higher education sector.
Watch now
Opportunities
Festival of Dangerous Ideas 2026 artistic projects call out
Presented by The Ethics Centre, Festival of Dangerous Ideas (FODI) continues to be a leading festival that goes beyond traditional ‘talks’ formats and seeks ever-evolving formats through which to bring evocative ideas to the general public. FODI is seeking submissions of performance works, interactive artworks or live experiences that must be presentation-ready by August 2026.
Applications are open now until Friday 31 October.
Find out more
Future Fellowships 2026 applications open
Applications for Future Fellowships funding from the Australian Research Council commencing in 2026 are now open. Future Fellowships reflects the Australian government’s commitment to excellence in research by supporting excellent mid-career researchers to undertake high quality research in areas of national and international benefit.
Applications close on Wednesday 5 November.
Find out more
Jobs board
Head of School, Te Kura Toi | School of Arts
The University of Waikato is looking for a Head of School to join our Te Kura Toi | School of Arts. This is a unique opportunity to provide leadership for a dynamic school that embraces creativity, diversity, and indigenous knowledge. Working directly with the Pro Vice-Chancellor to lead the school’s strategic and operational plans, the successful applicant will be responsible for business and academic leadership, staff and resource management, and implementing growth strategies.
Applications close 13 October 2025.
Apply now
dassh Events
Essential Insights
2025 Policy Wrap-Up
Wednesday 19 November
12pm-1pm (AEDT)
Online
Join Professor Lori Lockyer, DASSH Secretary and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice at the Queensland University of Technology for a wrap of the key policy shifts and initiatives that have shaped the higher education landscape in 2025.
James Verdon, DASSH Board member and Executive Dean of Social Sciences, Media, Film and Education at Swinburne University of Technology will be chairing this session.
dassh Networks
Associate Deans (Teaching and Learning) Community of Practice
We’re establishing a Community of Practice for Associate Deans (Teaching and Learning) with a full calendar of events in 2026. We are planning on hosting an initial gathering next month to welcome interested members and select topics for the 2026 events calendar.
Please contact us if you are interested.
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.
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.
Balancing Research Expectations
Tuesday 21 October
12pm (AEDT)/2pm (NZDT)
Online
Implications of De-Casualisation
Thursday 27 November
12pm (AEDT)/12pm (NZDT)
Online
Australian events
Canberra Writer’s Festival
Wednesday 22 October – Sunday 26 October
Canberra
Founded in 2016, the Canberra Writer’s Festival is a non-profit organisation, bringing the writing community together in Canberra and beyond. The festival’s perennial theme ‘Power Politics Passion’ captures the depth and breadth of what makes Canberra unique across a varied program of events includes master classes, dinners, author talks, panel discussions, workshops, book launches, and performances.
See program
Humanities and Creative Practice Symposium
Thursday 13 November – Friday 14 November
University of Technology Sydney
Australian Academy of Humanities
The Australian Academy of Humanities 56th annual symposium will foreground the vital role of creative practice in Australian social, cultural and economic life. The two-day program features keynote lectures and discussion panels.
Annual Conference: Trust, Transparency and Transformation
Tuesday 18 – Wednesday 19 November
Melbourne & online
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
Join TEQSA for their ninth annual national conference, a dedicated networking event focused on assuring the quality and integrity of the higher education sector. Central to this year’s theme, Trust, Transparency, Transformation, is the rapid change in technology, demographics and global pressures facing providers and the Australian community.
Register here
Re-defining open social scholarship in an age of generative intelligence
Tuesday 2 – Wednesday 3 December
Hybrid
Canadian Australian Partnership for Open Scholarship
The seventh annual conference of the Canadian Australian Partnership for Open Scholarship (CAPOS) will coincide with the Australasian Association for Digital Humanities (aaDH) Digital Humanities Australasia (DHA) 2025 conference. This conference aims to mobilise knowledge, research, and professional experience around the benefits and challenges of developing and maintaining open scholarship in the current age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital platforms.
Annual Symposium: Celebrating Community, Creating Legacy
Friday 5 December
Melbourne
The Australian Council of Deans and Directors of Creative Arts
Join the Australian Council of Deans and Directors of Creative Arts (DDCA) at their free and fully catered annual symposium celebrating what makes the creative arts integral. Members will be empowered to remain vital in their practices and to their communities.
Register now
Aotearoa events
Adaption Futures
Monday 13 – Thursday 16 October
Christchurch
Distinguished Professor Steven Ratuva FRSNZ and Professor Bronwyn Hayward FRSNZ are co-convening Adaptation Futures 2025 in Ōtautahi Christchurch. More than 1,300 international climate scientists, researchers, community leaders, and representatives from industry and business will join with a key focus on challenges and solutions for Indigenous peoples and Pacific Island communities.
Find out more
Letters out Loud 2025
Saturday 18 October
Wellington
Friends of the Turnbull Library | National Library of New Zealand
An evening of historical texts as selected letters from the Alexander Turnbull library collections are brought to life by famous voices. Spanning from 1825 to 1974, these letters range from the poignant to the hilarious, offering a captivating glimpse into surprising events over 150 years.
Find out more
Annual Conference: Trust, Transparency and Transformation
Tuesday 18 – Wednesday 19 November
Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency
Join TEQSA for their ninth annual national conference, a dedicated networking event focused on assuring the quality and integrity of the higher education sector. Central to this year’s theme, Trust, Transparency, Transformation, is the rapid change in technology, demographics and global pressures facing providers and the Australian community.
Register here
The DASSH Lounge
Join the DASSH Lounge, our exclusive LinkedIn group for DASSH Members where we share the latest news, jobs and opportunities from DASSH and around the sector.
The DASSH Lounge is reserved for members and is a great place to let people know you’re hiring, hosting an event or working on a collaborative project, so feel free to post any updates. You can also use it to simply engage with colleagues in conversation.