The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) has been nationally recognised for its leadership and innovation in academic development.
UniSQ's Lift Fellowship Scheme – a joint fellowship initiative between UniSQ and Central Queensland University (CQU) – was awarded the top honour at the 2025 Council of Australasian University Leaders in Learning and Teaching (CAULLT) Academic Development Awards in Melbourne.
The CAULLT Academic Development Awards recognise innovation and measurable impact in academic professional development across the Australian higher education sector, with institutions nationwide competing for recognition in teaching excellence and learning innovation.
Jointly led by UniSQ’s Associate Professor Seb Dianati and CQU’s Marie Foreman, the scheme demonstrates the capacity of regional universities to develop nationally significant professional development frameworks.
Associate Professor Dianati said the recognition reflected sustained institutional collaboration and shared commitment to teaching excellence.
“This recognition is the culmination of years of collaboration, reflective practice, and our shared commitment to enhancing professional learning across regional higher education,” he said.
“I've been fortunate to build on the strong foundation established by Associate Professor Ian Davis and Professor Kate Ames, and to partner with Marie Foreman, whose exceptional leadership has been pivotal in establishing the Lift Fellowship as a national model for academic development across the sector.”
Over an 18-month accreditation process, the Lift Fellowship team designed a comprehensive system that incorporated mentoring, structured reflection, peer review, and professional recognition, aligned with international standards.
Developed in partnership with Advance HE, the international body that accredits higher education professional development programs, the scheme enables both universities to award Advance HE Fellowships at Associate Fellow, Fellow, and Senior Fellow levels, recognising excellence in teaching, leadership, and reflective scholarly practice.
UniSQ's innovative work in contemporary pedagogy received further national recognition when the UniSQ Artificial Intelligence Pedagogy Project (AIPP): Community-driven transformation, was also named a finalist in the CAULLT Academic Development Awards.
Initiated by Dr Julie Lindsay and Associate Professor Lisa Jacka, the project shifted the focus from AI solely as an academic integrity issue to embracing its potential for supporting good pedagogical practices in learning and teaching.
It has since created a culture of innovation, curiosity, and collaboration, giving staff members both pedagogical insight and practical confidence in embedding AI.
The project exemplifies UniSQ's commitment to exploring emerging educational technologies through community-engaged approaches to pedagogical innovation.
UniSQ staff interested in the 2026 Advance HE Fellowship cohort can contact lift@unisq.edu.au for program details and application information.
