Regional Connect: Showcasing Education and Technology for All

Date: Wednesday, 30th October  

Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM  

Location: Innovation Central Canberra, Level 1, Building 27, University Drive, University of Canberra  

Join us as we showcase the achievements made possible by the CreatEquity Grant in 2024!  

This showcase will highlight the incredible projects we've worked on throughout the year, thanks to the support of the University of Canberra (UC) CreatEquity Grants — a UC funded program thanks to the Commonwealth Government’s Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program (HEPPP). 

In collaboration with our global technology partner, Cisco, this event will spotlight our efforts to address Australia’s technical skills shortage. Through the National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN), we are committed to realising digital opportunities that benefit Australians nationwide, with a strong emphasis on regional and rural areas.

This event is a must-attend for anyone passionate about the intersection of technology, education, and regional development. We look forward to showcasing the future of education and technology and generating interest to further expand our initiatives in the coming year.

Project Spotlights:  

Virtual Reality (VR) for rural and regional areas: Our current project integrates cutting-edge VR to create immersive learning experiences for high school students in regional and rural areas. This initiative targets Years 9 -12, focusing on bridging the digital divide and promoting skills in digital literacy, problem-solving, and understanding emerging technologies such as AI. Developed from Cisco Networking Academy courses, our educational content aligns with the Australian Curriculum, ensuring students receive authentic and authorised knowledge.  

Holiday Tech Days: Learn about the hands-on workshops designed for high school students to understand the basics of cyber security and app development. For app development, participants were taken through the basics of python, whereas participants in the cyber security program engaged in a hands-on simulated hacking experiences. We look forward to continuing to offer this program into 2025.

Keynote Speakers:  

• UC Student Equity & Participation team - will share insights into how the grant has impacted projects and contributed to educational equity.  
• Hear from a student who has directly benefited from the services and supports, highlighting the transformative power of these initiatives.  
• Emma Walker - Regional Manager Cisco Networking Academy - will talk about how the Cisco Networking Academy is shaping the future workforce.
  
• Country University Centre Snowy Monaro- Han Worsley will share how the partnership and programs implemented have positively impacted the Cooma region.

Networking & Technology Demonstrations:  

Explore hands-on technology demonstrations, including our immersive VR learning module designed for regional high school students.  

Connect with like-minded professionals, educators, and researchers over drinks and canapés, and discuss how we can keep these projects moving forward into 2025.