Featured speakers
Keynote speaker
Professor Richard M. Ryan
Richard Ryan, Ph.D., is a Professor at the Institute for Positive Psychology & Education at the Australian Catholic University, North Sydney, where he has been acknowledged by The Australian as one of Australia’s top researchers listing him on the Lifetime Achievers Leaderboard. He is also a Distinguished Professor in the College of Education at Ewha Womans University, in South Korea, and Visiting Professor at Imperial College London. A clinical psychologist and co-developer of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Ryan is a leading expert on motivation and vitality — how we cultivate high-quality motivation and engagement, foster positive change, and enhance vitality and wellness. Ryan lectures frequently on the factors that promote motivation and healthy functioning in areas as work and organizations, education, health, sport and exercise, and technology use.
Reflective of Ryan’s influence internationally and across disciplines, he has been recognized as one of the eminent psychologists of the modern era and is listed among the ‘World’s Top 20 Scientists’, across all fields. He is also the most cited psychological scientist today having authored over 500 papers and books in the areas of human motivation and well-being, Ryan has also been honored with multiple lifetime achievement awards for his work on motivation, personal meaning, and self and identity, and has received an honorary Doctorate from the University of Thessaly, and honorary professorships at the University of Bath, UK and Northeast Normal University – Changchun, China.
Speakers and moderators
Jillian Craven
Drawing on her extensive knowledge and experience in strategic policy development and legislation, Jill Craven has dedicated her career to improving public administration in Australia. Since joining the Office of the Commonwealth Ombudsman, Jill has been instrumental in Australian Government policy, law reform and Budget processes, federal parliamentary processes, and designing and delivering complex national functions including the NSO. Jill has been a critical part of the NSO since its inception. Working closely with the Department of Education and Attorney-General’s Department she led the design of the function and the Office’s engagement in the development of NSO legislation. Jill led extensive national stakeholder engagement to implement the NSO, securing letters of exchange with every state and territory Ombudsman. Jill also forged strategic national partnerships with more than 20 state and territory human rights, equal opportunity and integrity bodies. Jill’s skill navigating complex inter-jurisdictional environments positioned the NSO nationally as the primary escalated complaint handling service for higher education students.
Professor Merlin Crossley
Merlin Crossley is Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Quality) at UNSW, a Professor of Molecular Biology, and an enthusiastic teacher and science communicator. He has worked or studied at the Universities of Melbourne, Oxford, Harvard, and Sydney. He has been recognised by numerous awards, including a Rhodes Scholarship and the Australian Academy of Science's Gottschalk Medal. He was instrumental in establishing the Education Focussed academic pathway and the Scientia Education Academy at UNSW. He is also on the Board of The Conversation, and is an Honorary Associate of the Australian Museum, who named a new species of squid after him – Iridoteuthis merlini, Merlin’s Bobtail Squid.
Ashlyn Horton
Ashlyn Horton is the 2025 President of the National Union of Students (NUS). Originally from Nambour, Queensland, Ashlyn is a 4th year student at the Australian National University (ANU), studying maths and international relations. Ashlyn has been involved in student unionism and activism and is committed to fighting for a tertiary education system designed for students, not driven by profit.
Dr Sally Baker
Dr Sally Baker is Founder and CEO of Refugee Education Australia and an adjunct Associate Professor of Migration and Education. Sally's work centres on policy and practice related to equity in higher education, particularly with students with forced migration backgrounds. Sally is co-leading the new Refugee Student Settlement Pathway to Australia.
Professor Gregor Kennedy
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education (DVCE) provides strategic leadership in the development and delivery of the University's undergraduate and postgraduate programs, driving excellence in education and the student experience across teaching, learning and assessment, teaching and learning infrastructure and academic quality. Prior to taking on the position of DVCE, Professor Kennedy has undertaken a range of senior leadership roles including Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning), Pro Vice-Chancellor (Educational Innovation), and Director of eLearning.
Professor Jane Gunn AO
Professor Jane Gunn AO is a distinguished academic general practitioner and inaugural Chair of Primary Care Research at The University of Melbourne where she is also Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences. Her leadership has raised the profile and rigour of primary care research in Australia.