by: Dr Michelle Mosiere

Universities Australia hosted its Solutions Summit 2025 on 25–26 February. Below is a list of headliners from participants and takeaways from three of the summit’s highlights for those of you who were unable to attend.

Keynote address

‘The university sector has allowed itself to be sidelined.’ Catherine Livingstone AC, Chancellor, University of Technology Sydney

• The Universities Accord presented an opportunity to reset our understanding of the university sector’s role – perhaps ATEC will clarify this role instead.
• It is imperative that universities:
  • facilitate innovation
  • demonstrate the importance of place
  • refocus on students and graduate outcomes
  • use research.
• A whole-of-system approach is needed if the sector is to build innovation capability.
• Universities need to be involved in a systematic, scalable employability system with schools to address workforce shortages.
• Research must be adaptive, meaning it must be integrated into teaching and learning.

Voices of tomorrow: re-defining the student experience

‘Campus life and human contact are important. Students still need to get messy at the pub.’ Professor Ngaire Brown, Chancellor, James Cook University

• Students are digital natives.
• Artificial intelligence can help students to access support services on their terms./li>
• It is essential to drive social connections online and on campus./li>
• Peer engagement in digital and physical spaces is key to student success./li>
• Peer networking also improves mental health outcomes for students./li>

Building a future ready workforce

‘Universities need to partner with business more strongly.’ Christine Holgate, CEO, Team Global Express

• Champion international students and what they bring to the sector and the economy.
• Decide where growth resides – the future may be offshore.
• Decisions need not be framed as either/or propositions.
• Offshore delivery helps to address affordability constraints for students.
• Commercialisation of ideas is essential to the sector and the country. This means building relationships with the private sector.

(Photo credit from Universities Australia)