Meet the presenters - Equity @ ACU Symposium

At ACU, equity is everyone’s business. Equity, inclusion and social justice are at the core of our mission and who we are. The online Equity @ ACU Symposium offers a unique opportunity to engage with leaders and experts from across the sector and within ACU. Presenters will share expertise, examine issues of (in)equity, and collaboratively explore future focused approaches to widening participation in higher education.

Professor Denise Wood

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching Futures), University of the Sunshine Coast, Order of Australia (AM), Adjunct professorial research at Central Queensland University, Equity Research and Innovation Panel.

Professor Denise Wood AM was appointed to the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor (Students) at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) in 2019, and she is currently Pro Vice- Chancellor (Learning and Teaching Futures) at UniSC. Prior to her appointment at UniSC, Denise was Engaged Research Chair and Director of the Centre for Learning, Equity, Access, and Participation at Central Queensland University. Professor Wood’s research focuses on strategies for improving educational access, participation, and success, and social, health and well-being outcomes, particularly for under-represented populations including those in regional and remote locations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and those with disabilities. Professor Wood is a Ministerially appointed member of the Commonwealth Equity in Higher Education Panel, and an inaugural member of the Equity Research and Innovation Panel.

Denise received a Member of the Order of Australia Award (AM) in 2017 for significant service to education as an academic, researcher and practitioner in the field of participation, inclusion and access.

Professor Denise Wood will be speaking on “advancing the equity agenda in higher education through the lens of ‘Transition as Becoming’ and the ‘Six P’s Framework’ for improving the access, participation, retention and success of people from underrepresented backgrounds”.
 

Professor Ryan Naylor

Associate Professor, University of Sydney, Academic Coordinator (Education Quality) and Professor of Higher Education in the Sydney School of Medical and Health Sciences. Fulbright Scholar, and Principal Fellow, HEA.

Ryan Naylor is Academic Coordinator (Education Quality) and Professor of Higher Education in the Sydney School of Health Sciences. He is a Fulbright Scholar, and Principal Fellow, HEA. Professor Naylor is also a member of the Editorial Board for the Q1 journal, Student Success. His current research focuses primarily on understanding and addressing barriers to success in higher education and has published widely on issues of access to higher education, equity interventions and their evaluation, and the experiences and expectations of students.

Professor Ryan Naylor will be speaking on “Getting your house in order: Moving beyond group-based metrics to foster inclusive academic environments”.

Professor Sally Kift

Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law (FAAL), and President of the Australian Learning & Teaching Fellows (ALTF).

Professor Sally Kift is a Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (PFHEA), a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law (FAAL), and President of the Australian Learning & Teaching Fellows (ALTF). She has held several university leadership positions, including as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at James Cook University.
Professor Kift is a national Teaching Award winner, a Senior Teaching Fellow and a Discipline Scholar, Law. In 2017, she received an Australian University Career Achievement Award for her contribution to Australian higher education. Professor Kift was a member of the Australian Qualifications Framework Review Panel that reported to Government in September 2019. Since, 2017, she has been working as an independent higher education consultant. Professor Sally Kift will be speaking on “Equity and the Accord: Expanding opportunity to all” .

Darlene McLennan and Darren Britton

Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training

Darlene McLennan is the Manager of the Australian Disability Clearinghouse on Education and Training (ADCET). ADCET provides national leadership, information and professional development for educators and support staff in the inclusion of people with disability in Australia's Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector. Darlene completed her Master of Business with the University of Tasmania and has a post-graduate degree in Careers Education through RMIT. Darlene has nearly 35 years of experience working in the disability sector, of which 19 years are within the tertiary disability sector. Darlene has a Specific Learning Disability, which provides her with a personal insight into some of the challenges and opportunities faced by students with disability when accessing and succeeding in tertiary education.
Darlene and Darren will be speaking on “How AI is transforming assistive technology”

ACU Provost Professor Julie Cogin will provide the official welcome and opening remarks to the Equity @ ACU Online Symposium on Wednesday 9 October.

Join our presenters for a discussion of one of the most pressing issues in Australian higher education by registering here and stay up to date with the latest Equity @ ACU Symposium news.

Attendees have the flexibility to join for the full two days or select individual sessions.