Program

The Future Campus team are aiming to bring you the year’s best Australasian conference on HE marketing and comms and operational use of AI in the sector.

The HE FEST 24 conference, to be held in Adelaide on 12-13 September aims to be an event with a difference – we want every session to be one that you don’t want to miss. Of course there will be plenty of time to catch up with colleagues over coffee, but we are setting out to create conversations that you won’t want to miss.

We will be bringing mostly facilitated interviews, panel discussions and some straight presentations, giving you a chance to join the conversation at every turn.

Future Campus hosts Stephen Matchett and Tim Winkler will work to shape relevant, insightful discussions around each topic, extracting insights and key takeaways from speakers drawn from across the sector (and beyond).

The conference will focus on two themes, Advancement; and the practical application of AI across institutions. These topics were each chosen because we believe they are key to not only surviving but having capacity to thrive in times of great change – and we also believe they have been not discussed enough across the sector over the past year (with the exception of AI in learning and teaching and assessment, which has been canvassed widely, and won’t be a strong focus of our program).

This is a conference that goes beyond the interests of those with advancement or AI in their job titles, to the challenges and opportunities facing every staff member, and the strategies they can employ at a time of great change.

We are really excited by the line up of speakers below. Many more speakers, including some shortlisted finalists from the Future Campus 2024 Awards will also join the program.

The Conference Dinner will be a conference highlight, featuring the presentation of the Future Campus Awards and extensive opportunities to network with colleagues from across the sector.

Speaker
You know them from
Topics
Xavier Amouroux
Executive Director of Marketing and Communication at QUT
New Drivers – Insights into the changing face of domestic demand
Karen Ashford
Media and Communications expert from Flinders University
Remaining Real – The enhanced and enduring value of human spontaneity and voice in an increasingly AI-saturated world
Professor Rufus Black
VC and President of UTAS
Keynote
Bev Bury
Chief Marketing Officer at Flinders University
Brand and Customer Experience
Ant Bagshaw
Executive Director of the ATN
May you live in Interesting Times – Challenges for the sector, with insights on key pressure points and opportunities,
David Coltman
CEO of TAFESA
A seamless sector? Accord implications for TAFE and HE
Associate Professor Michael Cowling
AI and technology application expert and Associate Professor of Engineering & Technology at CQU
Beyond Policing Cheating – Considerations of AI use across your uni
Sarah Cutbush
CMO at UniSA
Creating the future – Insights from the Adelaide University merger process
Ray Fleming
Chief Education Officer at InnovateGPT and former Google and Microsoft executive
The future of HE – The future of higher education in a world where gen AI is ubiquitous
Ben Grindlay
CMO from the University of Adelaide
Creating the future – Insights from the Adelaide University merger process
Chamalee Karunanayake
Head of Customer Success at Student Garden
Authenticity in an AI world. In a world where an increasing amount of content is AI generated, there is diminishing trust in some forms of content. How do HE institutions build trust in genuine human-driven content?
Eddie Major
Eddie Major AI Coordinator for Learning and Teaching, University of Adelaide
The place of AI in university
Stephen Matchett
Leading HE journalists from Future Campus, and Founder of Campus Morning Mail
Cut through – what works in HE comms (and what doesn’t)
Rory McLean
Award-winning Creative Director at Adrian William responsible for cutting-edge campaigns across many sectors including HE
Storytelling, identity and results – lessons in strategic brand building and engagement
Professor Maree Meredith
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous), University of Canberra
A million unheard voices unheard – learnings that will define whether the Accord succeeds
Lou Morrissey
Director, Communications and Engagement, Uni of Newcastle
Rebuilding social licence by reimagining partnerships– new approaches to community-based partnership
Pathways to Change – insights into UoN pathway programs that have caught the eye of the PM and Education Minister
Professor Andrew Norton
National leader in higher education policy and ANU Professor in the Practice of Higher Education
Impacts on domestic and international student enrolments as a result of changes in Federal policy.
Franzi Pranke
Senior Account Director – Marketing Solutions – LinkedIn – a nationally-recognised leader in social media application and trends
Social Evolution – latest trends in digital channels from the sector’s dedicated LinkedIn lead
Michelle Weir
CMO at UTAS
Integrating AI into marketing and recruitment activity and Living the Dream – building alternative pathways to turn the Accord dream into reality
Eric Knight
Executive Dean of Macquarie Business School
Building Brand – Bringing the lens of a key emerging leader in the sector to the challenges of building brand and measurably significant engagement.
Professor David Lloyd
Co-Vice Chancellor at Adelaide University & Chair at Universities Australia
The next 12 months – some things you need to know – Keynote address followed by Q&A
Professor Merlin Crossley
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Academic Quality at UNSW
Deep Insights direct from a leadership hot seat.
Kim Paino
Chief Strategy and Engagement Officer of UAC
Student Trends – diving deep into the findings of Australia’s largest survey of year 12’s.
Tim Winkler
Twig Marketing Director, Future Campus Editor
Social Licence – is it lost, where can we find it? Challenges for the coming election year.
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