Third space practitioners in the higher education sector often navigate complex collaboration challenges when driving change projects. We often work without formal authority, making it difficult to lead initiatives. We must build informal leadership skills and foster relationships across various faculties and divisional units. Effective collaboration is crucial, yet it can be hindered by differing priorities, communication barriers, and resistance to change. Despite these, we play a vital role in advocating for and implementing innovative solutions that enhance educational experiences and drive digital transformation within universities.

Join us to explore these challenges and hear tips for working with multiple stakeholders to enhance the student experience.

Speakers

Dr Gavin Beck, Manager, Educational Technology & Strategy (University of Technology Sydney)

Dr. Gavin Beck holds a PhD in Education Technology Futures from the University of Newcastle, Australia. In his role at the University of Technology Sydney, Gavin leads the Education Technology Strategy team, overseeing the selection and prioritisation of pedagogically sound technologies. He is responsible for planning and implementing new learning tools and technologies to meet the requirements of users and stakeholders. As part of this, he manages the stakeholder consultation processes and collaborates with various departments. Additionally, he represents the university in external institutions, user groups, and vendor meetings to advocate for improvements and bring external knowledge into the organisation.

Professor Julie Robert, Dean (Learning & Teaching), Arts, Education and Law (Griffith University)

Professor Julie Robert has nearly two decades of teaching experience in French language, Francophone literature and cultural studies, and supervising undergraduate research in a study abroad setting. Julie’s accomplishments in learning and teaching include an Australian Office of Learning and Teaching Citation for her work to strengthen the link between foreign language curriculum and pedagogy, study abroad and employability and Faculty Enrichment Grants from the Canadian government. She has led major curriculum renewal projects focused on multidisciplinary and dual degrees and initiated a range of L&T projects across undergraduate, postgraduate and micro-credential studies.