HEDx

Students with disabilities are the fastest growing equity cohort in Australian tertiary education yet they continue to experience lower satisfaction, access, success, attainment, completion and employment outcomes than their higher education peers.
In this episode of the HEDx Student Experience Podcast, Student Leader Jennifer Lowe and Student Voice Australasia’s Belinda Brear sit down with Professor Sally Kift to explore one of the sector’s quiet success stories: the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET).
 Together, they unpack why national, quality assured, co-designed resources are essential as the demand for and complexity of disability, belonging and inclusion grow; why universal design is fast becoming a regulatory expectation, not a “nice to have”; and why cross-institutional collaboration is critical if we’re serious about equity, accessibility and student success.
A hopeful, practical conversation about doing accessibility, affirmation, accommodation and inclusion better for students, staff and the sector.

Alex Elibank-Murray of UniSC hosts a panel of colleague Leah Barclay, industry partner Tracey Whitelaw and student Callum Phillips to argue that the future of higher education may not be a classroom at all. In this episode, we explore immersive learning, XR technologies and the rise of virtual campuses — revealing how universities are already being transformed by AI, storytelling and real-world industry collaboration.

Jason Clare launches a new 2050 Alliance grouping of universities focused on students, communities and the future, HEDx joins them to define AI coalitions in Australia. George Williams ,Chair of the Alliance and its CEO Paul Harris reflect on the launches from Canberra. And ACU Provost Julie Cogin reflects on how AI presents opportunity to dramatically improve retention. This event progresses global universities joining forces to recreate the transformed university model to serve future learners.

Helen Bartlett Vice-Chancellor of University of the Sunshine Coast joins industry partner Yas Nemet of Microsoft and staff and student colleagues, They showcase a best practice example of universities and TAFE working in partnership with employers to provide workplace relevant skills. Described alongside feedback from a learner and teacher, this episode explores new models of how industry engaged learning can serve the needs of an AI era.

Four weeks from the June event saw us visit Melbourne to plan our first AI innovation coalition in Australia. Catching up with partners of 5 years OES and their CEO Jon Davey was followed by visits to Sam Jacob at Collarts and Laura-Anne Bull and Llew Mann at Swinburne. Day 2 saw feedback from Gail Bray of VU and Marcia Devlin on the importance of keeping the human dimension in these innovations and of partnering. And good feedback from Catherine and Cherie at OUA, PK at FSO and Theo and colleagues at LTU on pitfalls and the need for a clear value proposition in ventures like this. All concluded with our first VET coalition partner in Laura Macpherson CEO of BKI.