Keynote Speaker: Professor Alister Jones

Professor Alister Jones

Professor Alister Jones is Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waikato and currently leads international engagement and delivery with a strong focus on the Asia-Pacific regions including development of off-shore programmes and campuses. He is a former Dean of Education and was previously Research Professor and Director of the Wilf Malcolm Institute of Educational Research. He has managed and directed research projects that have informed policy, curriculum, and teacher development in New Zealand and internationally. His main areas of research are curriculum, teaching, learning and assessment and he has over 300 publications. In 2000, he was awarded the NZ Science and Technology Medal for his significant contribution to the development of technology education both nationally and internationally. Professor Jones also holds an Hon. Doc. from Kasetsart University in Bangkok.

Professor Alister Jones
Deputy Vice-Chancellor
University of Waikato

Keynote Speech

Keynote Title: Challenges for Universities in Reframing Science, Technology and Society for Innovation: Lessons for the Future

Abstract

Universities face multi-layered issues as they navigate a rapidly changing global environment that includes financial challenges, demographic changes, rise of AI, public trust, technological challenges and rapid climate change. The interaction of Science, Technology and Society can lead to transformative ways of working and but also create tension in how it might be delivered. This session examines the challenges and considers how we might consider STS as part of transforming the way we approach learning, teaching and research to have greater impact on policy and society.

Post-Conference Workshop

Title: Developing Interdisciplinary Approaches to Global Issues: Building Long-Term Capability

Synopsis

This conference has set out a number of challenges in a wide range of areas, from sustainable futures, innovation, health, governance, education, AI and interdisciplinary approaches to global collaboration. This workshop explores ways in which we might approach both research and academic organization to approach these issues in an interdisciplinary way to create impact on society as well as contribute to policy at the regional, national and international level. This interactive workshop will examine emerging issues through problem solving and consider how to build interdisciplinary centers for global impact. This session is for experienced researchers looking for collaboration and building expertise as well as early career researchers looking to create the next step. We will consider curriculum changes and approaches to research collaboration in interdisciplinary teams.

Objectives

1) Explore interdisciplinary approaches to addressing complex global challenges in areas such as sustainability, innovation, health, governance, education, and artificial intelligence.
2) Identify effective strategies for fostering interdisciplinary research collaborations and building long-term research capability within and across institutions.
3) Examine approaches to establishing interdisciplinary research centers and partnerships that generate societal impact and inform regional, national, and international policy.
4) Develop practical ideas for integrating interdisciplinary thinking into research, teaching, and curriculum design to strengthen future collaboration and innovation.