| E-Newsletter December 2013 | |||
 Registrations are now open for the university sector’s premier event, the Higher Education Conference 2014, to be held at the National Convention Centre, Canberra from 26 to 28 February.With unprecedented and far-reaching changes occurring in higher education both nationally and internationally, Universities Australia's Higher Education Conference 2014 will bring together local and global leaders to discuss the latest developments in the sector. Themed Universities in the new era: stirred not shaken, next year's conference will have a particular emphasis on the effects of accelerating globalisation and will tackle the latest developments in digital teaching and learning. Conference sessions include:
For further information and to register, visit the conference website.
Subsequent editions of this newsletter will introduce our speakers and topics.
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| Early bird registration | |||
| You can save by registering for the Conference before 24 January 2014. We all have a lot of things to do before the end of the year, but this is one thing you don’t to miss out on!
Register online now to enjoy the early bird rate of $1850 (normally $2100). You can register by clicking here.
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| Interested in exhibiting at the conference? | |||
| For the first time ever, next year’s conference will include an exhibition. As the premier event for Australia’s universities, our Higher Education Conference brings together the ‘who’s who’ of the sector – including Vice-Chancellors, Chancellors, senior university and Government representatives, members of the research community and international education specialists.
Exhibiting at the Higher Education Conference 2014 is an opportunity to showcase your company or organisation to Australia’s fourth largest export industry. Universities employ over 100,000 staff and directly contribute around $22 billion to our GDP every year. They are significant contributors to their local communities by providing local employment opportunities and building vital infrastructure. It’s a sector with high growth potential, undergoing and implementing an exciting transformation.
Your involvement as an exhibitor at the Conference cements your support of the sector and will be widely promoted in the lead up to and during the Conference.
Exhibition spaces are limited so secure yours now.
For more information about exhibiting at the Conference contact Tricia Hopkins on 02 6198 3218, or by email to tricia@kaigi.com.au.
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| Magnificent, monsters or malediction? | |||
| With platforms such as Coursera, FutureLearn and edX making access to massive open online courses (MOOCs) even easier, millions of people worldwide are taking up the opportunity to undertake university study.
What does this mean for universities now? For some, there is not much of a middle ground in the debate surrounding MOOCs – you’re either an avid believer or a loathing sceptic.
Undoubtedly, MOOCs will change course delivery and they will change international education. MOOCs may change what a degree looks like and what it costs, but many argue that universities will have the opportunity to drive this change, rather than be driven by it.
Join us at the conference to hear President of edX, Professor Anant Agarwal and FutureLearn’s CEO Simon Nelson’s views on the matter in a plenary session Bricks or clicks – is there a winner? Later in the day Deakin University’s Professor Jane den Hollander, Google’s Engineering Community & Outreach Manager Sally-Ann Williams, The University of Melbourne’s Director of eLearning, Associate Professor Gregor Kennedy and University of New England’s Pro Vice-Chancellor (Educational Innovation and International) Dr Michael Cook will delve further into the subject in a concurrent session MOOCs – magnificent, monsters or malediction?
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| Looking for accommodation | |||
| Hotels in Canberra have a tendency to book out fast when big conferences are in town, so don’t forget to lock in your accommodation early.
To assist delegates, Universities Australia has secured a discounted rate for a number of premier hotels in Canberra.
 The hotels for which we have negotiated special rates are:
For further details about the hotels including location, rates and links to book, click here.
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| Thanks to our sponsors | |||
| Universities Australia thanks our sponsors for their support in bringing this premier conference to light. |
