8-14 September 2025

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Addressing sensitive issues in the classroom

Recorded session

Queensland University of Technology  Recorded session – available anytime  Teachers cannot ignore sensitive issues. They may be circulating in the community or be part of the curriculum. For example, issues related to consent education, the Voice referendum, wars in foreign lands, climate change, nuclear power, religious discrimination and exemptions for schools, marriage equality, migration, refugees and social media influencer content can all make their ways into the classroom.  How should teachers respond: Is it best to ignore issues raised if they are not part of the curriculum? Should teachers say where they stand on particular topics? Can shutting down some debates protect vulnerable students? Does the raising of issues provide important teachable moments about engaging in civil discourse? Are there some topics which should never be discussed in the classroom? How do we determine age-appropriateness for some topics?  These and other questions were discussed at a recent Q&A panel consisting of academics from QUT’s School of Teacher Education and Leadership and experienced educators working in and with schools.   In this recorded session our panel explores ways to respond to and engage students when sensitive issues are raised in the classroom.  

Ongoing

Making a Difference: How Does Social Change Happen?

Recorded session

Recorded session - available on demand Policymakers confront growing challenges in areas as diverse—and often interrelated—as climate change, social inequality, artificial intelligence, work, migration, declining biodiversity, and new threats to public health. Responses require changes or modifications to deeply entrenched social and economic structures. Consequently, reform attempts often generate conflict and resistance from those with a real or perceived interest in those structures. How can such conflict be managed to deliver urgently needed reforms? This question is central to social scientists, whose work is vital to both the implementation of effective policy, and to understanding the societal implications of policy choices. A panel of six leading social scientists analysed foundations and strategies of policy change in their areas of expertise—including some of the biggest, most difficult and pressing global and national challenges. This panel highlighted the breadth, diversity, and interrelationships within and between, social scientific and other disciplines, and their central importance to addressing these challenges. Each panellist addressed three thematic questions: What is the central conflict or problem inherent to their research topic? How can this be managed or overcome? What skills or insights enable social science to make a difference to public policy—and debate thereof—in their research field? […]

Securing Australian Content in the Streaming Era Summit

ACMI - Cinema Federation Square, Melbourne

Three days of events across RMIT and ACMI focused on Securing Australian Content in the Streaming Era (11th-13th September) It has been nearly ten years since streaming arrived in Australia, with Stan and Netflix launching on our shores in early 2015. The Streaming Industries and Genres Network (SIGN) based at RMIT University is running three days of events to reflect on how a decade of streaming in Australia has changed the local screen entertainment landscape. Alongside research experts, come hear from screen industry leaders, policymakers, creators, and cultural commentators as we think through strategies for the next decade of streaming in Australia. Wednesday 11 September (9am-5pm): RMIT University, FREE, register above via Humanitix  A series of panels will consider the current state and future of streaming video research methods, streaming diversity, and how to understand streaming audiences. Thursday 12 September (9am-5pm + screening): ACMI, $41-48, register here: Australian Content in the Streaming Era Symposium | ACMI: Your museum of screen culture Organised around key screen genres (drama, comedy, reality TV, sport, kids/youth media, and film), this ACMI partnered event features roundtable discussion panels, talks and a screening designed to catalyse conversation. We will look forward as well as back to consider how we can […]

SERC x SSW Research Seminar: Extending higher education recognition programs through a dedicated post-award reflective practice tool

Virtual

Extending higher education recognition programs through a dedicated post-award reflective practice tool Higher education professional recognition programs, which lead to the awarding of such accolades as teaching and learning fellowships, offer participants opportunities to reflect carefully on their practice. However, few resources exist to help participants engage in reflection after the award-receiving stage. This reflection is important in helping participants not rest on their laurels and, instead, build on the practices for which they received recognition. Through a process of collaborative reflection, a group of fellowship-recipients, from different disciplines and higher education institutions, addressed this gap as stakeholder-participant-researchers by developing a transdisciplinary approach to undertaking post-award reflective practice. From this collaboration, a novel two-stage tool was developed using an iterative design methodology. The tool presented in this paper as the result of this research can be understood as a means of supporting self-paced, continued post-award reflective practice; the tool’s first stage guides users through retrospective reflection, looking back on previous achievements, while the second stage leads users through anticipatory planning, looking towards the future, to achieve fresh goals. The tool thus deepens the reflective practice of recognition program awardees and supports their ongoing professional development. This paper reports on the […]

Storytelling for Climate Action

Megaflex 3 Building 8, 124 La Trobe St, Melbourne

Stories matter in climate changed worlds. They matter in how humans and non-humans dwell with, envision and respond to climate change impacts. Storytelling translates and represents lived experiences and scientific projections. In this panel, we consider the forms and roles of storytelling in shaping human relationships to climate change, environmental politics and the non-human world. We explore how science and data without stories and meaning, can lack forms of connection that lead people to act. Brought to you by RMIT University’s Centre for Urban Research and non/fictionLab, this panel brings together storytellers and social scientists engaged in critiquing and envisioning future worlds to discuss the role, power and trouble with storytelling for climate action.

Who’s on top? Inequality for the rich and poor

Macquarie University 25 Wally's Walk, North Ryde

Economic inequality shapes all our lives. But how does it play out at the top and bottom of the global economic order? This presentation uses three studies to examine this question. Hangyoung Lee will look at top wealth households in the United States and China, showing how the elite in these two countries have very different compositions. Jarvis Zhuo will present a study of one million Covid-19 deaths in the United States and show how between one in ten and one in seven deaths appear to be due to the low educational backgrounds of some of the most disadvantaged communities in the United States. Nicholas Harrigan will present a study of 10,000 residents of eight low-income villages in Cambodia, and show how inequality within villages shapes subjective wellbeing, with inequality having the most negative effects on the poorest households within these villages. Together, these three studies show the causes and consequences of inequality in a diverse range of settings, with the unifying insight that inequality changes lives and shapes the societies in which we live.​

Free

Child protection in the age of AI

Esme Timbery Creative Practice Lab UNSW Kensington Campus, Sydney

AI has been lauded as the next technological paradigm shift, yet it has been released to the public with little thought about its impacts on children and child sexual abuse. This panel discussion brings together expert voices from the areas of advocacy, law, policing and criminology to examine the looming challenge that AI poses to child protection. How are child sex offenders responding to the emergence of AI? What does this mean for law enforcement? Is current Australian legislation up to the task of addressing the intersection of AI and child sexual abuse? Is AI just a problem, or could it be part of the solution? Join us for a discussion at the cutting edge of children’s online safety. Facilitator: Michael Salter Professor Michael Salter conducts world-leading national and international research on child sexual exploitation, gender-based violence and complex trauma. He is the Director of Childlight UNSW, the Australasian hub of Childlight, the Global Child Safety Institute, which undertakes research for impact on child sexual abuse and exploitation. Panel: Grace Tame Grace is an activist and advocate for survivors of sexual assault. She is the founder of the Grace Tame Foundation, which aims for cultural and structural change to eradicate […]

QUT Commercialisation Club – Robotics and AI Investment

Room Three Sixty QUT Level 10 Y Block, QUT Gardens Point, 2 George Street, Brisbane

FREE ENTRY Join us for an expert discussion on the state of Robotics and AI Investment in Australia Current state of robotics investment in Australia and globally - who are the main players and what are the significant trends Impact of the recently released national robotics strategy and impact on ecosystem How can researchers position themselves for commercial success HOST: Ali Buchberger - Director, Industry Engagement, QUT (Science & Engineering) GUESTS: Stefan Knight - Director of Queensland, Antler Stefan has had roles in dev, product, marketing, sales and corporate development. He has been super early (founder once, single digit employee several times), scaled-up and exited (unicorn IPO, sell off and wind down). He has also pitched for and raised capital (Seed, Series A) with the companies he has been in raising +$400M USD along the way. Professor Cori Stewart - Founder and CEO, Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub Cori Stewart is the CEO of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing (ARM) Hub, an Australian-first, not for profit technology commercialization company. She works in executive and advisor roles across industry, government, the research sector and through university and industry collaboration. Cori is a member of the Industry Innovation Science Australia Board and a current ‘Superstars of STEM’ […]

Free

Solidarity and the right to protest: student encampments for Gaza

Esme Timbery Creative Practice Lab UNSW Kensington Campus, Sydney

Join us for an insightful panel discussion on the global phenomenon of student solidarity encampments for Gaza. Australian university students erected eleven encampments in campuses across Australia. Panellists will reflect on the encampments, position them within the long and rich history of student protests and activism in Australia and globally, and explore legal questions these encampments raise in relation to the right to protect, freedom of expression, and right of assembly. Chair: Prof Ben Golder, School of Law, Society and Criminology, Faculty of Law & Justice, UNSW Ben's work is situated at the intersection of critical legal theory, contemporary political theory, and critical engagements with international law and human rights. Panel: Rand Katib, student representative and community organiser Rand is a student representative and grassroots community organiser. She was active in the Sydney University encampment Dr Elizabeth Strakosch, School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Melbourne Liz's work examines the dynamics of race and settler colonialism in public policy. She is currently an ARC DECRA fellow and co-director of the Institute for Collaborative Race Research, a board member of the Institute for Postcolonial Studies, and an Executive Officer of the Jewish Council of Australia. Prof Luke McNamara, School of […]