2025 Summit Update

Get Ready for the 2025 NSW/ACT Summit – Our Best Yet!

The countdown is on for the 2025 NSW/ACT Summit, happening 23–24 October at the Novotel, Homebush – and it’s shaping up to be our most exciting and impactful event yet.

This two-day gathering of Advancement professionals will offer fresh perspectives, expert insights and powerful connections across our key streams: Marketing & Communications, Admissions, Alumni, Fundraising, and People & Culture. Whether you’re a long-standing member or just discovering Educate Plus, there’s something here for everyone.

We’re thrilled to welcome Mark McCrindle, renowned social researcher, who will unpack the latest trends in education, economics and demographics – a must-see for anyone wanting to understand the changing landscape.

Joining him is Dr Adam Fraser, with his compelling keynote, The Third Space, exploring how to thrive in the transitions between work, life and leadership.

And in a very special highlight, we’re proud to present Kerri Pottharst OAM OLY, Sydney 2000 Olympic Gold Medallist. Kerri will share powerful strategies to cultivate a high-performance mindset, develop leadership that drives action, and implement Gold Medal habits for success, both personally and professionally.

Breakout sessions will dive into hot topics, including:

Harnessing the latest AI tools in education and advancement
Building meaningful fundraising engagement with your community
What education professionals want (and how to attract and retain them)

We’re also including the very popular, stream-specific Round Tables – a chance to connect more deeply with peers in your field, share challenges, and swap practical ideas in a supportive environment.

And, for the first time, we’re offering a dedicated People & Culture Leadership Stream across the full two-day program. This Stream has been specifically designed to support those leading and managing people-focused functions in schools.

Session highlights include:

The Employee Journey: What Education Professionals Really Want
Digital Strategies to Attract & Retain Educational Professionals
The Daily Juggle: Tools & Tactics for Operational Calm in the Chaos
Legal Watch-Outs and Learning for People& Culture
Managing CulturalChanges in the. Workplace

Celebrate the achievements of your colleagues (and maybe even yourself!) at the Recognition Awards. We have extended nominations for these Awards until Friday 29 August – so please do consider nominating a colleague today! Also extended are Bursary Applications, as we truly want as many of our Chapter Members to attend the Summit as possible!

And yes – there’ll be plenty of time to reconnect with familiar faces and make some new ones.

Check out the full Program and secure your spot today. This is the one event in 2025 you won’t want to miss.