{"id":1263,"date":"2026-04-04T12:16:29","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T01:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/educateplus-vic-tas\/?post_type=article&#038;p=1263"},"modified":"2026-04-07T17:54:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T07:54:34","slug":"from-the-vic-tas-president","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/educateplus-vic-tas\/article\/from-the-vic-tas-president\/","title":{"rendered":"From the VIC\/TAS President"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Welcome to an Exciting Year with the VIC\/TAS Chapter!<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">One of the most common things\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been hearing\u00a0from our members, colleagues, and Advancement peers this year is simple:\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0busy. The year has\u00a0kicked off at a fast\u00a0pace, and for many,\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0a sense of\u00a0powering through\u00a0to that first\u00a0well-earned\u00a0pause at Easter.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">It happens every year, and yet it still manages to catch us off guard. The encouraging part is that\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0not navigating it alone. Across our community, many of us are facing similar challenges, burdens&#8230;\u00a0and often discovering shared strengths as well.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0where\u00a0<strong>educate+\u00a0<\/strong>plays such\u00a0an important role: connecting us with peers who understand the rhythm of this work, who we can learn from, share with, and turn to when we need to debrief with people who truly get it.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">And now we&#8217;ve arrived at the long-awaited break! I hope this serves as a gentle reminder to take the opportunity to pause and reset, but also to lean into the strength of our network when we get back into gear after the short break. Whether through events, conversations, or simply reaching out, these connections are what make our VIC\/TAS community so valuable. With more than 700 members across over 150 institutions, there is a wealth of experience, insight, and support available to us all.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">With this in mind, the 2026 VIC\/TAS events program has been thoughtfully designed to support you. A key highlight will be the upcoming\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.educateplus.edu.au\/epevent\/vic-tas-chapter-vic-learning-exchange\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">VIC\/TAS Learning Exchange<\/span><\/b><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, taking place on <strong>Thursday 21 May<\/strong><\/span><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"><strong>\u00a0a<\/strong>t the Catholic Leadership Centre<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. This\u00a0professional development day\u00a0will bring together members from across all streams, featuring a keynote and a series of targeted breakout masterclass sessions designed to provide practical insights and fresh perspectives.\u00a0We\u2019re\u00a0excited to have confirmed speakers from<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> MGR&amp;CO, DGB Global, TEDxMelbourne,\u00a0Blueboat, Kingswood College, and The University of Melbourne, with more to be announced soon.<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Alongside this, we will continue to create opportunities for cross-stream discussion, informal networking, and shared learning, ensuring connection\u00a0remains\u00a0accessible and relevant for all members across Victoria and Tasmania.<\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">A defining moment this year will be the <strong>educate+ <a href=\"https:\/\/www.epbrisbane2026.org\/event\/f9e83764-438b-43e3-bd2d-260582421384\/summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">International Conference in Brisbane this September<\/a>.<\/strong> This is a significant opportunity to connect nationally, strengthen networks and bring leading practice back to your institutions. <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">With the &#8216;Grace Period&#8217; for Early Bird registrations closing on 17 April, I strongly encourage you to secure your place as soon as you can!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">And, as we move further into the year, I also encourage you to take advantage of opportunities to contribute to the broader Advancement conversation, including participation in our sector surveys and initiatives that help build a clearer picture of our profession. These insights are invaluable in strengthening our collective voice and supporting strategic conversations within your own organisations. <\/span><strong>To complete the State of the Sector Survey,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/survey.confirmit.com.au\/wix\/p406849081438.aspx\">click here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">This Chapter thrives because of its engaged and generous members. As a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.educateplus.edu.au\/chapters\/victas\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Committee<\/a>, we remain committed to ensuring your membership delivers meaningful value through relevant professional development, strong peer networks, and opportunities to connect.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Please\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0hesitate to introduce yourself\u2013I\u2019m\u00a0always keen to hear your ideas, experiences, and what matters most to you as we continue to shape and strengthen our VIC\/TAS community together.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"auto\">Thank you for being part of such a dynamic and supportive network!<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1032\" src=\"https:\/\/d1dfwahqlx324v.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/04\/FERNANDO-Kaushini-200x200-BW.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"201\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/d1dfwahqlx324v.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/04\/FERNANDO-Kaushini-200x200-BW.jpg 201w, https:\/\/d1dfwahqlx324v.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/04\/FERNANDO-Kaushini-200x200-BW-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/d1dfwahqlx324v.cloudfront.net\/uploads\/sites\/24\/2025\/04\/FERNANDO-Kaushini-200x200-BW-151x150.jpg 151w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 201px) 100vw, 201px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/kaushinifernando\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><span data-contrast=\"none\">Kaushini\u00a0Fernando<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/a><br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">VIC-TAS Chapter President<\/span> | Educate+<\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"none\">Alumni and Community Manager <\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span data-contrast=\"none\">Carey Baptist Grammar School\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;335551550&quot;:1,&quot;335551620&quot;:1,&quot;335559738&quot;:240,&quot;335559739&quot;:240}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to an Exciting Year with the VIC\/TAS Chapter!\u00a0 One of the most common things\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0been hearing\u00a0from our members, colleagues, and Advancement peers this year is simple:\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0busy. The year has\u00a0kicked off at a fast\u00a0pace, and for many,\u00a0there\u2019s\u00a0a sense of\u00a0powering through\u00a0to that first\u00a0well-earned\u00a0pause at Easter.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 It happens every year, and yet it still manages to catch [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","class_list":["post-1263","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/educateplus-vic-tas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/1263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/educateplus-vic-tas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/educateplus-vic-tas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/educateplus-vic-tas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/educateplus-vic-tas\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}