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.

TEQSA - The 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.