6 October 2026
Skills for the future
Preparing for an uncertain world
- Prof Steven Warburton
- Prof Sherman Young
- Prof Ruth Bridgstock
Students First Symposium
The Students First Symposium
Nine years of asking people who run universities what students need.
Now in its ninth year, the Students First Symposium brings together the people who run universities to think about student and staff wellbeing, academic integrity, support, and models for delivery and assessment, with students first.
Sessions are free to attend and the recordings stay up afterwards. They are listed below, most recent first.
2026
Thriving in uncertain times
Student wellbeing and AI
May 2026
- Prof Adeeba Kamarulzaman, Monash University Malaysia
- Ms Megan Pozzi SFHEA, University of Southern Queensland
- Dr Georgina Maddox, Flinders University
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
2025
Arriving and thriving
Supporting international students to succeed
- Prof Damon Salesa, Vice-Chancellor, Auckland University of Technology
- Prof Jennifer Milam, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), University of Waikato
- Chris Carey, Executive Director, Global Engagement, Massey University
Educational integrity
- Lee Griffin, Academic Director (Postgraduate Taught), University of Warwick
- Dr Marzia Coltri, GUS Fellow and Lecturer, Arden University
- Dr Mary-Claire Kennedy, Academic Integrity Lead, University of Limerick
- Dr Shiva Sivasubramaniam, Deputy Dean, University of Roehampton
NZ perspectives: GenAI in higher education
Supporting first-year success
14 May 2025
2024
Shaping our future
Voices and insight from Indigenous leadership
8 October 2024
- Adam Goodes, GO Foundation
- Sarah Scott, University of New South Wales
- Prof Braden Hill, Edith Cowan University
- Chair: Mark Heiss, GO Foundation
Forging a path to improved student wellbeing
21 October 2024
- Dr Ainsley Carry, Vice-President Students, University of British Columbia
- Dr Anne Duffy, Director, U-Flourish Research Centre, Queen’s University
- Dr Andrea Levinson, Director, Psychiatric Care, University of Toronto
Driving belonging and persistence
The keys to student success
6 August 2024
- Prof Michelle Lincoln, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic, University of Canberra
- Dr Joey Crawford, Senior Lecturer in Management, University of Tasmania
- Lisa Bolton, Director of QILT Research & Strategy, Social Research Centre
AI and academic integrity in Canada and the US
20 June 2024
- Dr Simon Bates, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President, University of British Columbia
- Dr Tricia Bertram Gallant, Director, Academic Integrity Office & Triton Testing, UC San Diego
- Dr Julia Christensen Hughes, President and Vice-Chancellor, Yorkville University
Integrity in the age of AI
How can the sector keep academic integrity, human experience, and learning at the heart of the student experience?
8 May 2024
- Dr Helen Gniel, Director, Higher Education Integrity Unit, TEQSA
- Prof Jennie Shaw, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic), University of Adelaide
- A/Prof Jason Lodge, Deputy Associate Dean (Academic), University of Queensland
2023
Advancing student wellbeing in 2024
- Prof Kylie Readman, DVC and Vice President, Education & Students, UTS
- Mr Scott Pearsall, University Registrar, ANU
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs, Chief Academic Officer, Studiosity
Beyond borders
Toward a shared student experience
16 May 2023
A thoughtful response to robot writing
7 February 2023
2022
Academic integrity at scale
Whole-of-institution policy and best practice
- Dr Helen Gniel
- Prof David Sadler
- Prof Mark Hoffman
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
Navigating the perfect storm
Academic integrity beyond 2023
- Prof Rowena Harper
- A/Prof Christine Slade
- Dr Guy Curtis
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
Exploring degrees of partnership with students post-2020
- Prof Jennie Shaw
- Prof Mitch Parsell
- Prof Theo Farrell
- Jean-Baptiste Philibert
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
2021
Student wellbeing in Canada
A pulsecheck and panel discussion on how students currently feel and how institutions can support
- Verity Turpin, CPA, CMA, Dalhousie University
- Dr Anne Duffy, Queen’s University
- Dr Andrea Levinson, University of Toronto
- Joshua Xavier, MSc Candidate, Ivey Business School
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
UK student wellbeing
Testing times
The future of assessment, for students’ wellbeing, integrity, and success
- Prof Claire Macken, RMIT University
- Prof Merlin Crossley, UNSW
- Prof Lynn Bosetti, University of British Columbia
- Prof Julia Christensen Hughes, Yorkville University
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
Belonging in practice
Strengthen the invisible community: ‘belonging’ in a digital context
- Em Prof Beverley Oliver
- Prof Sherman Young
- Prof Chris Tisdell
- Gavan Watson
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
Staff in mind
Student wellbeing in 2021
A panel discussion on new challenges and best practices
- Prof Patrick McGorry AO, University of Melbourne
- Prof Anne Duffy, Queen’s University
- Dr Deirdre Pickerell, Yorkville University
- Prof Kylie Readman, Murdoch University
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
2020
The new academic integrity law
- Prof Jane den Hollander AO, then Vice-Chancellor, Deakin University
- Dr Guy Curtis, University of Western Australia
- Stephen Erskine, DESE
- Greg Simmons, TEQSA
- Chair: Prof Judyth Sachs
How QUT embraced a ‘digital at heart’ student experience
- Prof Kevin Ashford-Rowe
- Dr Caroline Rueckert
Embracing and effectively leveraging online student support
- Prof Philippa Levy
Edith Cowan University’s holistic student support ecosystem
- Prof Angela Hill
- Prof Rowena Harper
The role of AI in writing feedback applications
- Dr Stephen Wan