Program (subject to change)

Download the final Program here

To help with your selections download Session Outlines here

The program consists of 3 principal themes – People, Promotion and Philanthropy which are broken into 6 streams. This is to enable a higher concentration on specific interest group topics. We have also added a Practical stream to enhance delegates' ability to develop their overall skills and knowledge with a practical focus.

People will include elements to address Alumni & Community and alongside this will be sessions encompassing Managing People/Work Life Balance. This theme will embrace issues relevant to the tertiary sector as well as our communities in general with a special emphasis in trying to get the all important work/life balance into focus.

Promotion has the two themes of Marketing & Communications as well as sessions specifically dedicated to registrars with Enrolments as the second component of this track.

Philanthropy is divided into Fundraising & Philanthropy as well as sessions devoted to Future Proofing. This theme will enable the inclusion of some exciting philanthropists and corporate donors and should appeal to all elements of the educational community.

Download Conference brochure here 

Pre Conference Streams and Activities

Leaders/Senior Practitioners Forum (Tuesday 7 September)

Download the final program

Chair: Professor Robin Williams, the Director of Alumni and Development at RMIT University in Melbourne and also Executive Director of the RMIT Foundation.  

Objective: To bring together the experience, intellect and vision of Australian and International Advancement Professionals and construct a long term vision for the development of Educational Institution Advancement and to agree on the steps to achieve the vision including resourcing and professional educational requirements

Structure: Four one hour forum/workshops will be conducted throughout the Leaders Day. Three of which will focus on one specific aspect of the vision. The final session will draw on the day’s discussions and workshops to provide a summary of the Leaders Day outcomes.

Outcomes: Statement of accord, steps for achievement of vision and media statement

Each session will have 3-4 speakers from schools and universities that address each aspect of developing the vision. We will be using many of the speakers from the main program but drawing on their expertise in leadership etc to unroll the vision and stimulate discussion.

Who should attend:

• university leaders: V-C, pro V-C etc
• school leaders and senior executives: Heads, Deputy Head, Senior team members etc
• experienced advancement practitioners - Development Managers, Head of Advancement, Head of External Relations, Community Relations Managers etc
• business managers, finance managers, bursars 

About the Chair, Professor Robin Williams:

Robin Williams is currently the Director of Alumni and Development at RMIT University in Melbourne and also Executive Director of the RMIT Foundation. 

He has responsibility for supporting a network of 400,000 alumni in over 100 countries and for leading the University’s fundraising efforts.  In the three years in this role he has established a fundraising office and professionalised the RMIT Foundation, built the perpetual endowment from $5.9M to $22M and secured nearly $10M of direct support for staff and students. As an expert in communications Robin has applied his skills to connecting with alumni and fundraising. He led the selection and implementation of Raiser’s Edge and NetCommunity to support the alumni and fundraising objectives of the University; established a successful on-line appeal, and initiated the use of Facebook, Twitter and Second Life.

Prior to his role in alumni and development Professor Williams was the Dean of the Faculty of Art, Design and Communications which involved the direction, management and academic leadership of one of the largest and most comprehensive faculties of its kind in the world. Throughout his career he has been an innovator in communications technology having designed and installed the first ever interactive television network based on fibre-optic technology, initiated the first experiments of HDTV in medicine, and been one of the pioneers of digital photography and multimedia.

Robin was responsible for the conceptualisation and establishment of the Interactive Information Institute, a world-class research facility which addressed the technical, creative and social issues which underpin the global information economy.  This task involved raising over $7 million of government and industry funding.

He is a recognised leader in the field of new media and was the UNESCO Professor of Communications from 1997 to 2002.  He has acted as adviser to various State and Federal Ministries on the on-line economy.  He was, for example, a member of the ‘Task Force’ which advised the Premier of Victoria on multimedia and communications, a member of the National Information Economy Advisory Council and a member of the Prime Minister’s National IT Skills Task Force. He was responsible for the development of the design initiatives in Victoria that lead to the establishment of the Digital Design Lab at RMIT with Victorian Government support and worked with the Victorian Schools Innovation Commission on developing creativity in Victorian Schools.

Robin was educated in England at the King Edward VIth School and the Universities of London and Cambridge.    His primary qualifications were in scientific photography but he later obtained Masters and Doctoral degrees in Medicine.  He is currently a Fellow – the highest level of membership – of no less than seven learned societies including the Royal Society of Medicine.  Robin has presented over 400 papers at National and International conferences on a wide variety of subjects and is the author of over 70 published papers, chapters, or books. He is on the editorial Board of two prestigious international journals. 

Discover Development - 2 Day Workshop (Monday 6 & Tuesday 7 September)

Discover Development is a practical and stimulating 2 day course that focuses on providing newly appointed development professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue a career in educational philanthropy. Numbers are limited to 30 to ensure interaction and personalised contact.

Conference Week Program