One of the great privileges of my role as Director of Capability and Experience at CAUDIT is helping create opportunities for people across our sector to connect, learn and share with one another.
The recent Stronger Together conference in Brisbane, delivered jointly by CAUDIT and QUDIT, showed just how powerful those opportunities to connect can be when people come together with openness, energy and willingness to contribute.
What stood out most to me throughout the three days of the conference was the constant buzz of conversation. Everywhere you went, people were talking, sharing ideas, catching up with colleagues, making new connections and laughing. It created an incredible energy that stayed with the conference from beginning to end.
That sense of engagement was evident right from the start. We expected the pre-conference workshops to be a little quieter before the official opening, but instead every room was full. That was a wonderful sign of how invested people were in making the most of the experience, not just as delegates, but as active contributors to the conversations shaping our communities.
Every session I attended was packed, and what struck me just as much was how energised the speakers were. Many commented afterwards on how much they had enjoyed sharing their stories and how valuable the conversations had been with those who attended their sessions. The conversations inspired by the presentations did not end when the slides did. They continued in hallways, over coffee and between sessions.
Looking at the program beforehand, the breadth of topics seemed ambitious. But once the conference was underway, it all came together beautifully. Moving from room to room, you could see the connections between technical implementation, leadership, strategy, people, governance and innovation. It reflected the reality of higher education IT, where every piece contributes to something much bigger than itself.
Even after the closing session, nobody seemed ready to head home. The foyer remained full for almost an hour as conversations continued and people squeezed in those last catch-ups before saying goodbye. That is always a sign of a conference that has truly connected people.
On a personal level, it was especially rewarding to see so many familiar faces, particularly graduates from the CAUDIT Managers Program. In my role, I have the privilege of seeing people grow through our capability programs, so watching many of them step onto the stage as presenters, sharing their expertise and experiences with confidence, was something I felt incredibly proud to witness.
The support and leadership provided by the Chairs and Co-chairs of CAUDIT’s Communities of Practice played a key role in the conference’s success. Their encouragement of Community members to take part, contribute and connect, combined with their constant presence on the ground, exemplified the commitment to collaboration that underpinned the event from start to finish.
More than anything, Stronger Together reinforced why I feel so proud to do this work. The collaboration, generosity and willingness to share never faded across the three days. It was a powerful reminder that while we often talk about our Communities of Practice, what we are really building is a genuine community, and it is a privilege to help support and be part of it.
Check out the Stronger Together wrap page for more images and presentation links!
Can't wait to see everyone at the next one!
Cassandra Spencer
Director, Capability & Experience
CAUDIT
