The Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) is hosting its 2018 national educational leadership conference in Melbourne in October, focusing on the learning theme of Evidence and Experience. The conference will feature world- renowned speakers who will set the learning agenda in experiential learning, evidence-based research and leadership experience.
Professional development is integral to teacher quality, student learning outcomes, and ongoing development of personal leadership capabilities. The ACEL National Conference 2018 presentations and panels aim to encourage attendees to trust their experience, reflect and grow as leaders, and engage with current research to inform key practices and learning environments in schools and systems.
ACEL CEO Aasha Murthy said: “It is a source of great pride and achievement to witness the growing role our National Conference is playing in being the premier conference for educational leaders in Australia and bringing together current and emerging leaders to discuss, share and develop ideas and skills to ‘set the learning agenda’ moving forward.”
In addition to keynote speakers, this year’s conference incorporates a series of concurrent sessions each day, a cocktail networking event, the annual ACEL National Awards evening and the announcement of the recipients of the New Voice Scholarships.
The ACEL New Voice Initiative represents a commitment of $300,000 over 10 years by ACEL. As part of its ongoing pledge to give back to the profession, ACEL has developed a suite of scholarships to provide world-class learning opportunities to up-and-coming leaders.
Scholarships are awarded across four categories – School Leadership, Educational Leadership Research, Indigenous School Leadership, and the recently announced Early Education and Care. Each scholarship aims to welcome the recipients into the ACEL network and support the dissemination of new learning and thought. The recipients will be recognised as forward-thinking, relevant and responsive educational leaders by their peers and the wider education community.
ACEL has invited local and international speakers who are experts in leading and learning, who will bring to life the theme of this three-day conference. Their keynote presentations will be complemented by panel discussions, student performances and reflection and exploration forums.
“We are honoured to have this array of esteemed keynote speakers from across the globe be part of National Conference 2018,” Ms Murthy said. “These unquestionable leaders in their field with admiration and respect on a global level make this an unmissable three days in educational leadership.”
Anthony Mackay, CEO of the Centre for Strategic Education Melbourne and Chair of the Australian Council for Educational Research, will be this year’s conference host.
ACEL also recently announced that this year’s conference will feature a new Australian Showcase.
This will take place on Day 2 of the premier event and feature Australian keynote speakers discussing and presenting their research and perspectives.
ACEL is delighted to present the line-up consisting of influential experts, Scott Eacott, relational theorist Gonski Institute for Education UNSW; Helen Wildy, Dean & Head of the Graduate School of Education, University of WA; Jenny Gore, Laureate Professor, School of Education, University of Newcastle; and Tom Bentley, Executive Director for Policy & Impact at RMIT University.
In another first, Day 1 will feature a forum with both the NSW and Victoria Secretaries of Education on stage together for a combined discussion and Dr Robert Biswas Diener audience question and answer session.
“With this incredible line-up of keynote speakers,the announcement of the Australian Showcase and the array of delegates attending, this is undoubtedly the greatest conference in the history of our organisation and something we could be not be more proud to share with the education profession this October,” Ms Murthy said.
Evidence & Experience is ACEL’s premier event in their conference portfolio which this year also includes the National Disability Summit in June and The Early Childhood Conference in August.
ACEL’s National Conference will be held at Melbourne’s Convention and Exhibition Centre, with 1200 to 1300 educational leaders expected to attend not only from Australia, but also from New Zealand, the United States and Asia.
For more information, please visit the ACEL website.
2018 NATIONAL CONFERENCE KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
• Mark Scott – Secretary, NSW Department of Education
• Dr Robert Biswas Diener – Psychologist, author, researcher
• John Hattie (pictured) – Professor, author and director of Melbourne Education Research Institute
• Gill Callister – Secretary of the Victoria Department of Education and Training and President of IPAA Victoria
• Andy Hargreaves – Author, speaker, leader and Thomas Moore Brennan Chair, Lynch School of Education Boston College
• Elizabeth Ross Hubbell – Educator, author, speaker and Program Manager for Student Affairs at Academic Impressions
• David Kolb – Chairman of Experience Based Learning Systems
• Alice Kolb – President of Experience Based Learning Systems
• Dr Lyn Sharratt – Practitioner, researcher, author and presenter
• Evonne Goolagong-Cawley – Australian icon and inspiration
