Educators are busy people. We so rarely have the chance to stop and to ask the big questions. This forum is your invitation to be a part of a national conversation about the things in education that matter to you. Be a part of the conversation. Itās free!
When? Tuesday 28 July 10.00am-5.30pm
Where? National Library of Australia Theatre
This forum brings teachers, school leaders and researchers together to explore the purposes of education in challenging times. It explores the shared role that schools, universities and public institutions play in advancing the aims of education within a resilient and forward-looking Australia.
Join us ā including Professor Lisa Kervin AM, Professor Frank Bongiorno AM, Associate Professor David Rousell, Senator David Pocock, US Educator Jess Vance, educational leaders, teachers and researchers - for a day of interactive Q&As, panels, plenaries and spotlight talks to explore the outlook for education now and into the future. School educators, students and teachers represented include NSW Department of Education, Latham Primary School, Narrabundah College and Canberra Grammar School.
Our panel of educators, leaders and scholars will consider:
- What is education for?
- What kind of education do we need in challenging times?
- What role can the humanities and arts play within the new technological order?
This research forum is co-hosted and co-funded by:
Centre for Advanced Studies in Education (University of Canberra)
Australian Association for Research in Education (AARE) - Language/ Literacy and Arts in Education Practice Resarch Special Interest Groups
The University of Canberra Vice Chancellorās Centre of Public Ideas
National Library of Australia
Student Poster Competition:
The event includes a display of student posters on schools reimagined. Prizes will be awarded to students in the afternoon schools-focused session. Due Date: Friday 3 July 11.59pm. See details here.
āFeatured speakers
Students. Teachers. Educational leaders. Researchers.
Youāre invited to join the conversation that matters.
Lisa Kervin, AM
Monash University
Lisa is Professor of early childhood education at Monash University and was previously Director of Early Start Research at University of Wollongong. Lisa's career spans several decades in Early Childhood and Primary literacy and curriculum research. In 2025 Lisa began an ARC Future Fellowship where she focuses on Intergenerational Play. Lisa's current research is focused on young children and how they engage with literate practices, adult and child interactions, young children and writing, and play. In 2024 Lisa was awarded Member of the Order of Australia for "significant service to tertiary education and to research in early childhood digital literacy" in the King's Birthday Honours.
Cindy Valdez
Teach to Learn/ EALD teacher Link
Ben Bowen,
CEO, Indigenous Literacy Foundation Link
Professor Pauline Jones
University of Wollongong Link
Jess Vance
Leading with Inquiry, Link
David Rousell
RMIT
David is Associate Professor of Regenerative Education at RMIT, where he teaches and researches in the areas of climate justice, regenerative art and design, and education futures. A member of the Centre for Urban Research (CUR) and the Digital Ethnography Research Centre (DERC) at RMIT, and founding convener of the Critical Forest Studies Collaboratory. David is a Visiting Research Fellow at Manchester Metropolitan University and adjunct at Southern Cross University's Sustainability, Arts, and Environment in Education (SEAE) research centre. David's collaborative research with children and young people has established an international evidence base for creative, climate-responsive education, including to re-imagine cities in response to the onset of climate change.
Dr Kate Flaherty
ANU/ Humanities for Life Link
Associate Professor Ann Hill
University of Canberra Link
Dr Nikolai Blaskow
Narrabundah College/ Charles Sturt University Link
Associate Professor Carol Carter
Curtin University, Link
Frank Bongiorno, AM
University of Canberra
Professor Frank Bongiorno AM is Director of the Vice-Chancellorās Centre of Public Ideas, University of Canberra, and Donald Horne Professor of History and Public Ideas. He is also President of the Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Distinguished Fellow of the Whitlam Institute within Western Sydney University, and a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and the Australian Academy of Humanities. He has served as President of the Australian Historical Association. Frank is the author of several works of Australian history, including 2013 ACT Book of the year award winner, The Sex Lives of Australians: A History. He also wrote Dreamers and Schemers: A Political History of Australia (2022). His most recent book, Gold Standard? Remembering the Hawke Government was released earlier this year.
Senator David Pocock
Independent senator for the ACT Link
Kimiya Almasi
Year 12 student, Narrabundah College Link
Dave Runge
CEO, Future Schools, Link
Dr Justin Garrick
Canberra Grammar School, Link
Professor Ilyse Resnick
Director, Centre for Advanced Studies in Education, Link
Taylah MacDonald, Gumbaynggirr woman
Latham Primary School, Link
Dr Shu Ohki
University of Melbourne, Link
For bios of panel speakers go to Eventbrite site
ā Our Purpose
A message from the Directors for the Centre of Advanced Studies in Education, UC.
"This forum is a rare opportunity for genuine dialogue across the full spectrum of education, and a reminder that the question of why we educate matters just as much as how"
ā Ilyse Resnick, Director of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Education
"The question of what education is for belongs to everyone, and the lineup for this forum reflects that. A Year 12 student on the same panel as a senator, classroom teachers alongside researchers ā it's a genuinely civic conversation, and I can't think of a better place to have it than the National Library.ā
ā Will Brehm, Deputy-Director of the Centre for Advanced Studies in Education
ā FAQs
Planning your trip to the National Library
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Yes - you must have registered for the event to attend. If you registered for in-person attendance you will be required to check-in. If you registered to attend online, you will be sent the Zoom link the day before.
Student poster winners will not need to register nor do speakers and presenters.
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Yes. There will be plenaries, Q&A panels and practical workshops throughout the day. An agenda will be added and made available to ticket holders.
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National Library of Australia Parkes Place West Canberra ACT 2600 The NLA is in the Parliamentary Triangle in walking distance of Old Parliament House, the NGA, the National Portrait Gallery. Bike racks are near the front entrance and in the carpark. https://www.library.gov.au/visit/getting-here#
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Yes. Paid parking near the Library is managed by the National Capital Authority. All money collected from pay parking and infringements is directed to the Australian Government's Consolidated Revenue Fund. Paid parking hours are 8:30 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday (excluding ACT public holidays).
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This event will serve tea and coffee only. Lunch is available for participant purchase at the NLA Bookplate cafe.
Education is a collaborative project. Across contexts - early childhood, primary and high schools and universities - we can work together to build the education future we want to see.
A vision for the future
Future schools Poster competition
Winners and entries
Coming soon to this pageā¦
Student poster competition poster submissions and winners coming here soon