November 2024

Recent and future hosts of HEDx Conferences are Professors Kris Ryan DVC A of UQ and Jessica Vanderlelie DVC A of La Trobe. A fireside chat with them had them comment on the impact on equity of AI strategies. These are explored by a panel at Future Solutions led by Shamit Saggar of ACSES joined by colleague Ian Li and equity experts in Kylie Austin of EPHEA, Paul Harpur of UQ and Lyndin Francis of Vygo. As Jessica says “equity isn’t just a priority, its the foundation of a future ready university” meaning the implications of AI advances are critical.

Professors Jessica Vanderlelie, Allie Clemens and Rorden Wilkinson as DVCAs of La Trobe, Monash and Macquarie join the podcast to reflect on the impact of AI on the future of education. As a panel at the Microsoft HE Summit they share with Katie Ford and I a response to a provocation by George Siemens of what an AI-first university means. Changes to teaching and assessment mean the days of being a content business is over. They point to leadership, vision, culture and commitment to implementation are key to using AI to respond to current system challenges as the way forward for universities.

This episode showcases innovation from beyond public universities into the tertiary system including in innovative partnerships involving employers, global universities and private providers. It also demonstrates how partnerships with network, employer and tech companies can allow tertiary providers to thrive. Christy Collis is joined by Kerri-Lee Krause, Sam Jacob, Scott Luckett and Bijo Kunnumpurath in a panel for diversity and Guy Littlefair leads Alex Elibank-Murray, May Lim, Tash Stoeckel and Tim Burt in a panel on partnerships in two further excerpts from the recent HEDx conference at UQ.

Debbie Terry of The University of Queensland joins fellow VCs John Dewar, Helen Bartlett, Simon Biggs and Chris Moran. They respond to a provocation by Ann Kirschner of City University of New York of the need to innovate to regain social licence and serve student needs. In welcomes and an opening panel at the recent HEDx conference, these 6 public university leaders outline the need to and the form of innovation that can respond to the challenges facing the sector at a time of unprecedented challenge that creates great opportunity. They join Kelly Mathews of UQ and I in a scene setter to the recent HEDx conference at UQ.