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Professional associations

Professional Associations

HERDSA - The Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia is a scholarly society for people committed to the advancement of higher and tertiary education. It promotes the development of higher education policy, practice and the study of teaching and learning.

 AALL - The Assocation for Academic Language and Learning provides a forum for professional development, networking, and information for the association which represents academic language and learning educators working in higher and further education institutions.Members play a valuable role by providing teaching both inside and outside curricula to assist students in developing appropriate academic skills; by collaborating with other academic staff in the development of curricula so that they provide better learning opportunities for students' development of academic skills; and by contributing to the development of policy in relation to academic language and learning.

AARE - The Australian Association for Research in Education is an association of academics engaged in and reporting education research into schools, higher education, learning, teaching, teachers and students. This site contains articles, conference papers (the AARE conference is held annually at the end of the Australian academic year), the AARE journal The Australian Educational Researcher, news, book reviews, research data and analyses of educational research. The association plays a critical role in supporting and strengthening major research partnerships and networks for the Australian educational research community.

ACODE - The Australasian Council on Open, Distance and E-learning is the peak Australasian organisation for universities engaged or interested in flexible and e-learning. Its mission is to enhance policy and practice in open, distance, flexible and e-learning in Australasian higher education.

ASCILITE - The Australasian Society for Computers in Learning in Tertiary Education aims to be a sustainable and vibrant society that encourages and supports quality research into, and exemplary use of technologies for teaching and learning in tertiary education throughout Australasia. . It holds an annual conference, as well as the annual ASCILITE awards which recognise exemplary use of electronic technologies in teaching and learning in tertiary education.

ATEM - The Association for Tertiary Education Management is the pre-eminent professional body in Australasia for tertiary education administrators and managers. Members hold a commitment to the highest standards of professional practice within management of the higher education sector. ATEM publishes the Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management.

The Department of Education is responsible for national policies and programmes that help Australians access quality and affordable childcare; early childhood education, school education, post-school, higher education, international education and academic research. This portal includes sections on Higher Education Research and Higher Education Teaching. The Department also administers the Higher Education Research Data collection (HERDC)  which is designed to ensure the Australian Government’s research block grants are allocated in a fair and transparent way and to support the policy intent of the funding.

IEAA - The International Education Association of Australia strives to empower professionals, engage institutions and enhance Australia’s reputation as a provider of world-class education.

ODLAA - The Open and Distance Learning Association of Australia is a professional association of educators, instructional designers, educational researchers, education consultants, and administrators dedicated to advancement of research, practice, and support of education ‘across time and space’. Includes all educational sectors plus commercial training providers and training units in the corporate sector. 

OLT - The Office of Teaching and Learning is part of the Department of Education. It promotes and supports change in higher education institutions for the enhancement of learning and teaching. This includes providing grants to explore, develop and implement innovations in learning and teaching and to develop leadership capabilities, commissioning work on issues of strategic significance to the higher education sector to inform policy development and practice, managing a suite of awards to celebrate, recognise and value teaching excellence and programs that enhance student learning, funding fellowships and secondments for leading educators to address significant national educational issues. The Australian Awards for University Teaching are designed to recognise quality teaching practice and outstanding contributions to student learning. It is intended that recipients, with the support of their institutions, will contribute to systemic change in learning and teaching through ongoing knowledge sharing and dissemination, for example, presentations within the learning and teaching community, collegial mentoring, pairing and networking, and involvement in university and higher education committees.

PESA - The Philosophy of Education Society of Australia adopts an inclusive approach to philosophical work in education, and welcome contributions to the life of the Society from a variety of different theoretical traditions and perspectives. The Society publishes a journal, Educational Philosophy and Theory, and holds an anual conference.

TEQSAThe Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency regulates and assures the quality of Australia’s large, diverse and complex higher education sector. It registers and assesses the performance of higher education providers against the Higher Education Standards Framework. The Framework comprises five domains: Provider Standards, Qualification Standards, Teaching and Learning Standards, Information Standards and Research Standards. TEQSA will undertake both compliance assessments and quality assessments.

ASHE - The Association for the Study of Higher Education promotes collaboration among its members and others engaged in the study of higher education through research, conferences, and publications, including its journal, The Review of Higher Education. ASHE is headquartered at Michigan State University.

CGHE - The Centre for Global Higher Education is a research partnership of international universities, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE) and based at the UCL Institute of Education (UK). It aims to inform and improve higher education policy and practice. Researchers are based in nine countries across five continents, including Australia.

Educause is a US based non-profit association whose mission is to advance higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology. Membership is open to institutions of higher education, companies and organisations serving the higher education information technology market. Educause programs include professional development activities, print and electronic publications, strategic policy initiatives, research, awards for leadership and exemplary practices and online information services.

EERA - European Educational Research Association fosters the exchange of ideas amongst European researchers, promotes collaboration in research, and offers independent advice on educational research to European policy-makers, administrators and practitioners. EERA publishes the European Educational Research Journal (EERJ), and several European Commission publications.

HEA - The Higher Education Academy works with the UK higher education community to enhance the student experience and to be the first choice of the sector for knowledge, practice and policy relating to the student experience in higher education. The site provides access to information about nationally funded programs, research and accreditation, subject networks, thematic work, resources and networking. You can access information about your particular subject network through a drop-down menu.

JISC The Joint Information Systems Committee supports further and higher education in the UK by providing strategic guidance, advice and opportunities to use ICT to support teaching, learning, research, and administration. The site is the source of current research projects, reports and case studies.

NZARE - New Zealand Association for Research in Education aims to foster a high standard in the practice of educational research in New Zealand. Membership includes the journal New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies. Annual conference proceedings are accessible online.

NZCER - New Zealand Council for Educational Research is an independent educational research organisation. This site provides access to research projects at NZCER, advice on educational and psychological tests and access to assessment resource banks in english, mathematics and science. NZCER publications can be purchased online through this site.

SRHE - Society for Research into Higher Education This association is an independent society that aims to improve the quality of higher education through the encouragement of debate and publication on issues of policy, on the organisation and management of higher education institutions and on the curriculum, teaching and learning methods. The Society publishes Studies in Higher EducationHigher Education QuarterlyResearch into Higher Education Abstracts, and SRHE News and International News.

Subjects: Education
Tags: education, higher education, research, tertiary education