Last week, Curtin celebrated the creativity, dedication and innovation of its teaching community at the Celebration of Innovation in Learning and Teaching 2025, co-hosted by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic and the Curtin Academy.

The event showcased outstanding teaching practices that continue to drive student success with presentations across four key themes, with a winner chosen for each category.

Best Paper Presentations

  • Celebrate the Enhancement of Graduate Capabilities – Showcasing authentic and industry-focused approaches to enhancing graduate capabilities
    • Winner: Rob Lilley – Bringing Doctrine to Life: Building Professional Capability Through Clinical Assessment in an Undergraduate Succession Law Unit
  • Celebrate Learning and Teaching Practices – Showcasing innovative approaches that enhance student learning
    • Winner: Dr Kerreen Ely-Harper – Creative practice as a reflective tool: an interdisciplinary collaborative pilot study
  • Celebrate Digital Enablement and Engagement – Exploring how technology transforms the learning experience
    • Winner: Associate Professor Naomi Cocks – Bringing Case Studies to Life: Using Generative AI to Transform Health Sciences Education
  • Celebrate Adaptive and Inclusive Learning – Recognising efforts to create accessible, flexible, and inclusive education
    • Winner: Associate Professor David Garratt-Reed – Enhancing Student Engagement  

Best Poster

  • Winner: Associate Professor Milo Barham – Skills and thrills – capability growth through broadening professional development and student-led project experiences

A big thank you to Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Professor Paul Brunton and Curtin Academy Co-Chairs Associate Professor Ben Milbourn and Associate Professor Sherry Bawa, as well as all staff who presented and contributed to the success of this inspiring event.

Six people stand in a line outside in a courtyard and smile.
L-R: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Dale Pinto (Curtin Academy Advisory Board Chair), Associate Professor Ben Milbourn, Professor Rachel Sheffield (Curtin Academy Executive Fellow), Associate Professor Sherry Bawa, Professor Natalie Gasson (Curtin Academy Executive Fellow) and Associate Professor Jun Chih (Curtin Academy Executive Fellow).
Seven people grouped in the front of a lecture theatre and smile.
L-R: John Curtin Distinguished Professor Dale Pinto, Associate Professor Ben Milbourn, Professor Sally Kift (Keynote speaker and President, Australian Learning & Teaching Fellows), Professor Katrina Strampel (Keynote speaker and Director, Centre for Learning and Teaching, Edith Cowan University), Aunty Liz Hayden (Balladong Wilman Elder), Associate Professor Sherry Bawa and Professor Paul Brunton.