Melbourne Institute Director's Conference

2018 welcomes the first ever Melbourne Institute Director's Conference!

Date:  Thursday 1 – Friday 2 March 2018
Venue: Sofitel Hotel, 25 Collins Street, Melbourne

The Melbourne Institute and the Victorian Government’s Department of Premier and Cabinet have partnered to put together a conference program that promotes engaged discussions on topics of relevance to Australian economic and social policy by bringing together key Australian and international researchers, policy analysts, and policy influencers in a small group setting.

The conference is being offered as four interactive sessions whereby you will not only hear from key Australian and International speakers, but you will also be able to take part in an open floor discussion. Registration is by session.  Please feel free to register for one, two, three or all four sessions by clicking here.

Tickets are complimentary, but limited; secure yours by registering now.

Program & Speakers

More than 25 experts will gather to discuss topics of relevance to Australian economic and social policy. The four key topic areas are:

Session 1: Promoting Human Capital Development and Income Stability Through Education and Training

Human capital development is considered a basic right and our educational system actively supports intellectual growth and the attainment of skills.  And yet we remain concerned with promoting and achieving the best outcomes for our children.  We continue to observe social constructs like poverty passed from generation to generation.  Moreover, with economic downturns, changes in industrial capacity and/or growth, and being in an era where we are observing rapid increases in technology and innovation, education is no longer something that is focused on just children and youth.  This session will focus on the role of formal and informal education to promote human capital development and to assist in addressing issues tied to income disparities, be they temporary or permanent. Find out more.

Session 2: Population Growth and Community Resourcing. Meeting the Challenges of Increasing Diversity

As our population grows and becomes more complex, so do social problems such as housing, healthcare, and the potential for ethnic and racial tensions. Culturally and socially diverse cities, such as Melbourne, depend on their government to plan and provide systems to manage the challenges associated with such large population growth. This session will explore the impacts that population growth and immigration has on communities, and the public services provided to those communities, and what may (or may not) need to be done moving forward. Find out more.

Session 3: Mothers and Children. Promoting the Best of Early Years in Development and Education

With more mothers of young children going back to the workforce, the use of childcare centres has increased over the last few decades. Research shows that early education and development has a direct impact on how well a person succeeds in life; both in terms of health and emotional well-being, and their education and working life. This session will consider the link between early childhood development later outcomes such as cognitive and social development. Find out more.

Session 4: Gender Issues in the Workforce and Family Matters

Despite it being 2018, gender inequality in the workforce is still widespread across Australia in both the private and public sectors.  There remains a concern that women are not pursuing high profile jobs and that there continues to be a glass ceiling in many respects.  This session will focus on gender issues that relate to the workforce and career development.  We will also explore issues linked to household decisions that affect female labour force participation as well as touch on how issues such as family violence can impact women and families. Find out more.

Registration Details

This is a free event.

Registrations are now open - book your ticket(s) online by using EventBrite.

Registrations will close 48 hours before the event date.

For queries, please contact Caitlin Hindmarsh melb-conf@unimelb.edu.au (03) 9035 8135.