HERDSA 2026 Conference Day Two Conference Welcome & Keynote: From societal impact as an outcome to a pedagogical approach: rethinking optimism in higher education
| Wednesday, July 8, 2026 |
| 8:50 AM - 10:00 AM |
| Stephen Riady Centre (SRC) UTown Auditorium 2 Level 1 |
| Sponsored By: |
Overview
Professor Sarah Maddison Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education & Student Experience), University of New South Wales
Stephen Riady Centre (SRC) UTown Auditorium 2 Level 1
+ Live Stream is also available in Stephen Riady Centre (SRC) Lecture Theatre LT50, Lecture Theatre LT51, Level 1 and Lecture Theatre LT52, Lecture Theatre LT53, Level 2
Details
SPONSOR ADDRESS
Assurar
Mr Gene Blackley, Cofounder & Head of Learning Technology, Assurar
KEYNOTE
Professor Sarah Maddison Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education & Student Experience), University of New South Wales
From societal impact as an outcome to a pedagogical approach: rethinking optimism in higher education
In an era defined by overlapping global crises where universities are under pressure to demonstrate their societal value, this keynote argues that societal impact should be understood as a form of pedagogy —one that actively engages students and educators in shaping more optimistic futures.
Much of higher education continues to treat ‘impact’ as an outcome of research, rather than as a core feature of learning and teaching. Drawing on global and Australian frameworks, we explore how universities can embed impact within curriculum, academic practice, and partnerships. A model for delivering societal impact at scale is presented, which incorporates curriculum design, staff recognition and incentives, and community partnerships, illustrating how these elements can be aligned through practices such as project-based learning, transdisciplinary education, and impact-oriented assessment to help frame optimism as a capability rather than an attitude.
Importantly, we also address key tensions facing the sector, including the relationship between impact and academic autonomy, the risks of extractive community engagement, and the challenge of sustaining optimism in conditions of uncertainty. Rather than resolving these tensions, which is not possible, we propose considerations of designing within them.
By repositioning societal impact as integral to student learning, rather than a ‘nice to have’ add on, this offers a reframing of higher education’s role in fostering agency, responsibility and optimism in our students and graduate in uncertain times.
Speaker
Prof Sarah Maddison
University of New South Wales
From societal impact as an outcome to a pedagogical approach: rethinking optimism in higher education
9:00 AM - 10:00 AMBiography
Professor Sarah Maddison is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education & Student Experience) at UNSW Sydney, providing executive leadership for the university’s education strategy, shaping learning and teaching, curriculum innovation, and the overall student experience. Her work focuses on reimagining pedagogy and learning ecosystems to deliver inclusive, digitally enabled and globally impactful education at scale. With more than 25 years’ experience across teaching, research and senior university leadership, Sarah has led institution-wide transformations in digital education, student experience, and innovative pedagogy. Prior to UNSW, she served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education, Experience & Employability) at Swinburne University of Technology. A prominent voice on the future of university education, Sarah advocates for evidence-led practice that responds to technology advances, societal complexity and the evolving needs of global lifelong learners to achieve long-term educational impact
Keynote chair
Gene Blackley
Cofounder & Head Of Learning Technology
Assurar
Plenary chair
Mark Gan Joo Seng
Associate Director
HERDSA Conference Co-Convenor, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology, National University of Singapore
Misty So-Sum Wai-Cook
HERDSA Conference Co-Convenor, Centre for Teaching, Learning and Technology, National University of Singapore
