Bringing colleagues together to celebrate progress and build connections

With semester two of the academic year now underway and spring just around the corner, it's the perfect moment to come together as a Lab community — to reflect on what we’ve achieved in 2025 and build connections between people and projects.

This year, through the CARE Program, Beyond the Bell, other projects, and our policy nodes, we’ve continued to shape a bold ecosystem of policy research and development. Guided by our 2024–2027 Strategy, we’re modelling community-centred approaches to policymaking that bring together diverse forms of expertise. This is a deeply collaborative endeavour.

We invite you to an inaugural Sydney Policy Lab Showcase — a chance to learn about colleagues’ work, celebrate progress, and connect with others across the Lab’s growing academic network.

The afternoon will begin with an informal lunch followed by presentations from across our programs, projects, and nodes, showcasing our key initiatives from 2025.

Presentations will be given by Associate Professor Alyssa Milton on Beyond the Bell, Professor Brendan McCormack on the CARE Program, and Dr Nikita Simpson on Housing Distress - our collaboration with CAMHRA at SOAS. There will also be presentations by Co-convenors of the International Education, Wellbeing of Schoolteachers, and Adaptive Policy Systems nodes.

We want this to be an opportunity for the wider Policy Lab community to come together and forge new connections, so please linger afterwards for afternoon tea and further discussion after the formal presentations conclude.

Date: Monday 15 September 2025

Time: 12.30– 3.30pm AEST

Schedule
Lunch: 12.30 – 1.00pm
Showcase presentations: 1.00 – 3.00pm
Afternoon tea: 3.00 – 3.30pm

Location

Seminar Room 203, RD Watt Building (A04), Science Road, The University of Sydney, NSW 2050.

See more information about getting to the Lab.

Accessibility

We are committed to ensuring our spaces are safe, accessible and enjoyable for all. The RD Watt building is fully accessible for people who use wheelchairs or other mobility aids and service animals are welcome. Enter via the rear door of the RD Watt Building, near the entrance to the Social Sciences Building at the University of Sydney. Our meeting and events space is equipped with PA and assistive listening systems.

If you have any other access requirements, please do let us know when you register.