June 5, 2024

Global Collaborate Conference brings together students from across UOW’s global network

UOW Global Enterprises hosts student-directed event on the “Empowering the Future Generation of Leaders”

In a change from previous years, the 2024 UOW Global Collaborate Conference was a student-directed event and centred around the theme “Empowering the Future Generation of Leaders”.

The Global Collaborate Conference, born during the era of online learning and COVID-19 lockdowns, initially served as a platform for academic staff across the UOW Global Network to share research updates and teaching strategies. This year, however, the focus shifted towards addressing student concerns.

Hosted by UOW Global Enterprises it brought together students from UOW campuses in Australia, Dubai, Hong Kong and Malaysia, to discuss topics chosen by the students.

Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor David Currow praised the event's focus on student engagement and international collaboration.

“The Global Collaborate Conference exemplifies our commitment to fostering an inclusive, forward-thinking community. By empowering students to take the lead, we are ensuring that the future of education and leadership is in capable hands,” Professor Currow said.

Organised by students and staff from UOW Australia (UOWA), UOW College Australia (UOWCA), UOW Dubai (UOWD), UOW College Hong Kong (UOWCHK), and UOW Malaysia (UOWM), the conference aimed to engage the student community in planning and designing the event’s themes, topics, and activities.

Key session topics included Artificial Intelligence in Education, Student Mental Health, and Career Readiness. The event also featured a Culture Sharing Video Competition and an online panel discussion on the Challenges of Future Careers.

The conference activities were held both online via Zoom Webinar and in-person across various campuses. At the Wollongong campus, in-person workshops and presentations took place, with a highlight being the combined online panel discussion featuring alumni, academics, and industry experts from each campus.

All UOW staff and students were invited to participate in the conference via Zoom Webinar and encouraged to attend local 'watch-parties' of the webinar in-person. Each campus organised their own in-person events tailored to their local contexts.