Welcome to the Noticeboard
Welcome to the September 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
Essential Insights: Strengthening Social Licence
Wednesday 14 October
12pm (AEDT)
Online
In our final Essential Insights webinar for 2026, Professor Simon Adams, Professor of Human Rights at Murdoch University and former President and CEO of the Center for Victims of Torture will propose pragmatic steps to foreground the intellectual courage that universities contribute 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.
Annual Report 2025-26
Our Annual Report for the 2025-26 financial year is now available. Highlights from the past year include:
- An ongoing census project mapping the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities across Australia and Aotearoa
- Six policy submissions informed by member engagement and one government inquiry
- A new Teaching and Learning Network and new Bachelor of Arts working group
Conference registrations closed
The 2026 DASSH annual conference is now sold out. We look forward to welcoming all attendees to Melbourne this month, between Tuesday 15 and Friday 18 September.
Around the traps
International collaboration rules tightened
Under changes to the Foreign Relations Act 2020, universities will be obliged to report all dealings with specific foreign institutions writes Natasha Bita for The Australian. The Australian Security Intelligence Organisation will no longer have to notify universities or academics when their research ties are investigated.
Read more (paywall)
Australian Research Council Strategy 2026-2035
The new Australian Research Council Strategy recognises the vital role of research in building national capability, driving innovation, informing decision-making and delivering long-term benefits for Australia.
Read here
Universities Australia calls for autonomy
Universities Australia Chair Professor Carolyn Evans warned against the increasing regulatory oversight and loss of autonomy in higher education during her recent National Press Club address.
Read more
Social Sciences key to Australia’s future
A new report from the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia highlights the importance of these disciplines in addressing complex national and global challenges. In 2024, 51% of all university enrolments were in a social science program.
Read the report
Quality teaching crucial
In response to Emeritus Professor Liz Johnson’s report Enhancing Professional Practice in Australian Higher Education Teaching, ATEC will establish a Teacher Quality Advisory Committee bringing together teaching and learning experts consider potential initiatives to boost teacher quality.
Learn more
Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities skills prized
Skills commonly found in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences degrees such as “communication, curiosity, creativity, ethical reasoning and collaboration” give graduates an edge as AI reshapes the labour market, reports Sally Rawsthorne for the Sydney Morning Herald.
Read more
Part-time students need support
The Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (ACSES) recommends greater flexibility, logistical support and financial support for part-time students, following report recommendations from Associate Professor Kelly Linden from Charles Sturt University.
Find out more
Cultural data stewardship for the future
A new report by From Creative Histories to Futures provides a comprehensive picture of how the arts, creative and cultural sector creates, manages, shares and uses data.
Read more
Creative New Zealand reset
Creative New Zealand will change its operating model and reduce staffing. The changes are designed to ensure the organisation is well positioned to deliver on the ambitions, while responding to the evolving needs of the arts sector and communities across Aotearoa.
Learn more
Curiosity-led research championed
Australian Research Council CEO Professor Ute Roessner AM FAA writes in the Australian Financial Review that all Australians benefit from curiosity-led research, including Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities research that “helps preserve and understand Australia’s history, cultures and identity.”
Read the article
TESQA Corporate Plan (2026-30) released
The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TESQA) has outlined its new strategy, Advancing together: Adapting regulation for a changing higher education sector. TESQA will seek to reduce unnecessary administrative burden and enforce compliance.
Read more
New First Nations Commissioner for the Australian Tertiary Educated Commission
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has announced the appointment of Professor Mark Rose as First Nations Commissioner of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission.
Read the press release
Cultural participation increasing
Dr Ben Eltham, Professor Justin O’Connor and Associate Professor Tully Barnett report in The Conversation that “nearly every Australian engages with arts and culture.” Analysing government statistics, they find that 77% of Australians value arts education.
Read more
Gig-work the new norm in Aotearoa universities
The Aotearoa Tertiary Education Union (TEU) is calling for more secure employment to be part of this year’s collective bargaining at universities. The TEU says that insecure jobs puts student learning and the health of universities at risk.
Read here
Aotearoa Arts sector loses funding
Dr James Wenley reports in The Conversation that Creative New Zealand’s latest funding round granted less than half of the requested funding to applicants in the top two funding tiers. Concerned that this will have detrimental cultural and economic outcomes, he suggests extending tax incentives to the arts.
Read more
Interdisciplinarity an advantage against AI
Delaying specialisation may offer students an edge against AI, argue Dr Hanoku Bathula and Patrick Dodd. Writing in The Conversation, they encourage universities to prioritise cross-disciplinary learning and deep expertise.
Learn more
AI integration risky for higher education
Hasty transitions towards AI integration risk losing the true purpose of higher education, write Assistant Professor Jelena Belic and Assistant Professor Kritika Maheshwari for Times Higher Education.
Read more (paywall)
Opportunities
Call for New Editor:
International Sociology Reviews
The editor should have a vision of the kinds of themes and debates that contribute to the advancement of sociology today. Responsibilities include assessing review proposals and reaching out to scholars globally. The position starts in January 2027 for a term of three years with the possibility of renewal.
Submit an expression of interest by Thursday 10 September.
Submissions open:
Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence
Submissions are open for the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence. The Committee invites contributions on topics such as “the workforce and skills implications of AI including the adequacy of Australia’s education system” and “intellectual property and copyright laws, including the use of Australian creative, cultural and media content in the training of AI models.”
Submissions close Wednesday 14 September.
Submissions open:
Horizon Europe implementation
The Department of Science, Industry and Resources is seeking feedback on how Australia can maximise Horizon Europe opportunities. The Department is inviting submissions on practical structures, support and coordination mechanisms to help Australian researchers, industry, businesses and government organisations succeed.
Submissions close Friday 18 September.
Survey open: AI in Research
Science & Technology Australia is conducting a survey in partnership with researchers from the MetaMelb Research Group to build an evidence base on how artificial intelligence is being used across Australia’s research sector, including across disciplines, institutions and career stages. The survey takes only a few minutes to complete and covers a range of AI uses across the research lifecycle.
Survey closes Friday 25 September.
Fullbright New Zealand Scholar Awards
Applications for the two Fullbright New Zealand Scholar Awards are now open. The Awards are both for New Zealand academics, artists or professionals to lecture and/or conduct research at US institutions. Awards valued at up to US$37,500 are granted each year, towards three to five months of lecturing and/or research. The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Scholar Award is restricted to scholars in the field of Indigenous development.
Applications close Thursday 1 October.
Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser Visiting Professor of Australian Studies, Harvard University
Harvard University seeks to appoint a distinguished scholar to the Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser Chair in Australian Studies for the 2028-2029 academic year. The program seeks to further understanding of Australia in the United States.
Applications close Thursday 15 October.
dassh Events
‘The First Inventors:
How People Shaped a Continent’
Tuesday 15 September
6.30 – 7.45pm (AEST)
RMIT The Capitol, Melbourne
Join us on Tuesday 15 September in Melbourne as Larissa Behrendt AO, Billy Griffiths and Sean Ulm challenge long-held assumptions about Australian history by discussing their book. Engage with 65,000 years of innovation, diplomacy and design, and research that helps us understand Australian society.
Register here
Essential Insights:
Strengthening Social Licence
Wednesday 14 October
12pm (AEDT)
Online
In our final Essential Insights webinar for 2026, we will welcome Professor Simon Adams, Professor of Human Rights at Murdoch University. This session will be chaired by Professor Deborah Gare, Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Law, Arts & Social Sciences at Murdoch University.
Register here
dassh Networks
If you are interested in joining any of our working groups or Communities of Practice events, please reach out to us at office@dassh.edu.au.
Bachelor of Arts working group gathering
Friday 18 September
9 – 10.30am (AEST)
Melbourne
The BA Working Group will meet in person alongside the DASSH Conference in Melbourne. This member-led session provides an opportunity to connect with colleagues, continue discussions on shared priorities for the Bachelor of Arts, and raise emerging issues in an informal, collaborative setting.
Research Community gathering
Friday 18 September
9 – 10.30am (AEST)
Melbourne
The Research Community of Practice will come together in person during the DASSH Conference in Melbourne. Led by members, this informal gathering is an opportunity to build connections, exchange ideas, and discuss current research policy and leadership issues with colleagues from across the sector.
Teaching and Learning Network gathering
Friday 18 September
9 – 10.30am (AEST)
Melbourne
Join colleagues for an in-person Teaching and Learning Gathering alongside the DASSH Conference in Melbourne. This member-led session offers a collegial space to share experiences, discuss current challenges and opportunities, and strengthen connections across our teaching and learning community.
Australian events
Peter Fensham AM Memorial Lecture: How can education help shape a more just, inclusive and connected future?
Wednesday 23 September
6 – 8.30pm (AEST)
Melbourne
Join one of Australia’s most respected educators and storytellers, Shelley Ware, a proud Yankunytjatjara and Wirangu woman, for this lecture on education. She will share powerful insights into the role education plays in truth-telling, celebration of cultures, traditions and the importance of strengthening belonging and identity while creating lasting change.
Register here
Council of Australasian University Librarians Council Meeting
Thursday 24 September
Online
The Council of Australasian University Librarians (CAUL) invites all staff from member institutions to join the second day of their council meeting. This is an excellent opportunity to hear about how library impact can be leveraged to support advocacy, engagement, and strategic decision-making. There will be a trans-Tasman Update which will explore how CAUL is working towards greater inclusivity and opportunity across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Learn more
Read more
Hancock Lecture: Let’s Talk About Flex
Thursday 1 October
6 – 7.15pm (AEST)
Sydney
Drawing on extensive research and real-world insights from workers, employers and government, Professor Rae Cooper will examine how well-designed flexibility can improve gender equality, support career progression, build workforce sustainability and deliver better outcomes for workers and organisations.
Register here
Exploring the Arts for Social, Cultural and Educational Value from Cradle to Grave
Friday 9 October
1 – 2pm (AEDT)
Online
This Australian Council of Deans and Directors of Creative Arts webinar addresses this rich interpretation of the value of arts across the human lifespan through the research of four leading researcher-practitioners. More than an inquiry, this collective research presents a compelling manifesto for socially engaged arts as a catalyst for collective participation and social change.
Register here
Early-to-Mid Career Researcher Conference
Tuesday 24 – Thursday 26 November
The University of Wollongong (Wollongong Campus)
This national conference is committed to championing and elevating the next generation of academics and researchers. The conference includes three sub-themes: Human, Environmental and Biological Health; Education, Policy and Social Transformation, and Infrastructure, Energy and Sustainable Futures. Abstract submissions close Wednesday, 12 August. Early bird registration ends Monday, 21 September 2026.
Read more
Aotearoa Events
Nelson Tasman Climate Action Festival
Friday 18 – Sunday 27 September
Neslon | Whakatū
The Nelson Tasman Climate Forum is a community-led initiative open to everyone and aims to “get everyone in our climate change response waka paddling quickly in the same direction.” Hands-on workshops, inspiring talks, film screenings and community gatherings make up the program. This year’s festival theme is ‘Our Place, Our Power.’
View the program
Verb Readers and Writers Festival 2026
Wednesday 23 – Sunday 27 September
Wellington | Pōneke
Writers and artists from all over Aotearoa and the world share their ideas and their stories with curious readers. Over fifty writers and artists will contribute to a weekend filled with inspiring conversations and joyful events; where creativity bursts off the page. Book launches, workshops and lively, crafty activations will be set up in satellite venues, all in the heart of Pōneke’s CBD.
Read more
Open Forum: A school beside the school?
Saturday 26 September
1 – 2.30pm (NZST)
Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau
Hosted at Artspace Aotearoa, this open community forum considers the questions: What might art education look like if it were built today? Could an art school exist beside the university, embedded within communities, artist-run initiatives, galleries, studios, and other forms of collective practice? This reflection on the current state of arts learning in Aotearoa welcomes diverse experiences and perspectives, including from arts educators.
Register here