2024 Partner Conference

Collaborative Horizons Partner Conference logo

Thursday 1 & Friday 2 February 2024

Federation University Australia

SMB Campus, Ballarat

Event overview

The 2024 Federation Partner Conference, whilst being a professional development opportunity for Federation University and partner staff, is a great opportunity to network and create a collegial environment between Federation and partners. It is also a chance to share ideas, to enhance student success and the scholarship of teaching and learning. It also provides an opportunity for participants to view presentations on best practice, research outcomes, and accomplishments that have been implemented for initiatives such as student retention, study skills and student support, quality, administration and operations, and anything else that may be identified as of interest to the Federation/ Partner community. It is also an opportunity to workshop discipline specific opportunities or issues.

The first Partner Forums (now called Partner Conference) were hosted by Federation Business School in 2011, 2012 and 2013. In 2016 the Partner Forum was renewed, but this time managed by the Centre for University Partnerships (now a part of the Global Professional School) with representation across the teaching areas. The 2023 Partner Conference was our best yet with 101 delegates (our most ever) across 5 partners, Institutes, university portfolios such as CAD, Library, ASSD and Advancement.

Our feedback from the 2023 Partner Conference was very positive, and it would not have been possible without all of our wonderful presenters and the information that they gave. Below is some of the feedback we received:

"I would say 2023 Partner Conference is probably the best partner conference I attended so far. We made a lot of new connections as well."

"Thank you and your team very much for organizing such a successful event! I look forward to the conference next year."

"Thanks for a wonderful conference, an amazing variety of presentations and a great opportunity to meet with colleagues from both the Partners and remote campuses. I thoroughly enjoyed myself."

Final conference program

Everything you need to know about the two-day event! Where to park, when to go and where, and how to vote on the People's Choice Award.

Program

8:00am - 9:00am
Registration: Building T, Reception/Lobby area (map) (pdf, 695 kb)
  Building T, Seminar Theatre
9:00am

Welcome to Country and housekeeping

  • Associate Professor Jason Giri – Dean, Global Professional School
  • Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation elder
9.10am

Opening Address

  • Professor Duncan Bentley – Vice-Chancellor, and President, Federation University
9.30am

Keynote

Global Strategy and Partners

  • Carolyn Chong – Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global and Engagement)

View presentation (pdf, 1.9pdf)

10.15amMorning Tea
10.35am

Plenary Session

What does the Co-Op model mean for curriculum

  • Associate Professor Lara Wakeling – Director of Learning and Teaching, IISS

View presentation (pdf, 1.4pdf)

11.30am

Plenary Session

Digital Transformation of the Learner Experience

  • Samantha Bartlett – Chief Learner Experience Officer (CLXO)

View presentation (pdf, 2.0pdf)

 Building A 
12.20pm

Concurrent sessions

Session A

Transforming student communications

  • Cindy Cash – Director, Retention, Innovation and Student Experience

View presentation (pdf, 1.7pdf)

Session B

Co-operation makes it happen: Co-operative education and third-party degree delivery partnerships

  • Associate Professor Jason Giri – Dean, Global Professional School

View presentation (pdf, 0.4pdf)

12.50pm Lunch
1.40pm

Concurrent sessions

Session C

Navigating the student experience

  • Lydia Bou-Ghosn – HR Operations & PY Academic Manager, ATMC
  • Monika Sharma – Career Development Centre Coordinator, ATMC

View presentation (pdf, 4.8pdf)

Session D

The need to inform academic integrity education

  • Sharon Reid – Discipline Leader in Science & Engineering, GPS,
  • Dr Grant Meredith – Discipline Leader in IT, GPS
  • Mengyao Li – Lecturer & Director of Student Affairs Office, Hebei University of Science and Technology (HeBUST)

View presentation (pdf, 2.4pdf)

2.20pm

Concurrent sessions

Session E

Empowering student engagement and English proficiency: Insights from Federation University's Joint Information Engineering Institute in Hebei, China

  • Dr Grant Meredith – Discipline Leader in IT, GPS &
  • Yunshan Chi – Executive of the Language Centre (HeBUST) and Lecturer for the Federation Joint Information Engineering Institute.

View presentation (pdf, 4.1pdf)

Session F

Integrating student needs and prospects into the curriculum

  • Emma Derainne – Program Coordinator, Federation Online

View presentation (pdf, 1.2pdf)

3.10pm

Concurrent sessions

Session G

Enhancing Engagement: Strategies for effective collaboration between Federation and HeBUST in China

  • Dr. Vidya Saikrishna – Scholarly Teaching Fellow, IT, GPS
  • Dr. Mehdi Naseriparsa – Scholarly Teaching Fellow, IT, GPS
  • Dr. Naga Dasari – Scholarly Teaching Fellow, IT, GPS

View presentation (pdf, 1.5pdf)

Session H

Collaborative quality assurance practices with Bold Learning and Teaching Practice 3.0

  • Sara Warren – Learning Designer, BOLD
  • Anthea Groessler – Learning Designer
  • Julian Laffey – Analyst Programmer

View presentation (pdf, 1.8pdf)

3.40pm Afternoon Tea
4.00pm - 5.00pm Building T, Seminar Theatre
4.00pm

Plenary Session

Student Voices: Transforming education experiences in the 21st Century

  • MC: Dr. Alan Labas - Senior Lecturer, Management, Global Professional School
5.00pm Day 1 formal end
5.15pm Ballarat Old Gaol Tour - Optional. RSVP essential
6.00pm Conference Dinner:  Prospects Restaurant, J Building, SMB Campus. RSVP essential.

Please note: This program may be subject to change.

8.30 - 9.00am
Registration: Building T, Reception/Lobby area (map) (pdf, 695 kb)
9.00am - 10.20amBuilding T, Seminar Theatre  
9.00am

Welcome / Housekeeping notes

  • Dr. Alan Labas - Senior Lecturer, Management, Global Professional School
9.10am

Keynote:

Research and Research Training opportunities in partnership with Federation
  • Prof Syed Islam – Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation – Strategic Research),
  • Professor Shane Thomas – Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation),
  • Professor Wendy Wright – Dean, Graduate Research School,
  • Professor Andrew Barton – Deputy Dean, Graduate Research School

View presentation A (pdf, 1.5pdf)

View presentation B (pdf, 4.3pdf)

 Building A  
10.20am

Concurrent Sessions

Session I

Student-led Pop-Up health checks improve student experience and community access to prevention screening.

  • Nicole Coombs – Research Fellow, Collaborative Evaluation and Research Group (CERC)
  • Lauren Sewell – Project Manager, Gippsland Community Health organisations

View presentation (pdf, 2.2pdf)

Session J

Discovering New Horizons: Your guide to the new Federation University pathways.

  • Jason Rogers – Manager, Global Pathways

View presentation (pdf, 0.8pdf)

10.50amMorning Tea
11.10am

Concurrent Sessions

Session K

Giving psychology away: Psychological Literacy in the real world.

  • Danielle Wagstaff – Senior Lecturer, Psychology
  • Justin Timora – Lecturer, Psychology
  • Kieran Thorpe - Lecturer, Psychology

View presentation (pdf, 0.8pdf)

Session L

Generative AI-Resistant Assessment Design

  • Mr. Nadil Sundarapperuma – Academic Manager, IIBIT
  • Dr Naga Dasari - Scholarly Teaching Fellow, IT, GPS

View presentation (pdf, 0.7pdf)

 Building T, Seminar Theatre  
11.50am

Plenary Session

The impact and outcomes of partner quality assurance on the student experience

  • Professor Nina Fotinatos – Advisor to the Vice Chancellor (Special Projects)
  • Associate Professor Jason Giri - Dean, Global Professional School

View presentation (pdf, 1.4pdf)

12.30pm

Plenary Session

Bridging Academia and Industry: The Power of Partnerships in Co-operative Education

  • MC: Leigh Kennedy – Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Engagement
1.30pmLunch
2.00pm

Wrap-Up and Award presentations

  • Associate Professor Jason Giri, Dean, Global Professional School
2.30pmConference End

Please note: This program may be subject to change.