From Gathering to Impact
The 2026 Symposium
The 2026 Educational Justice Symposium brought together educators, researchers, university leaders, practitioners, and community partners from Australia and the United States for three days of learning, dialogue, research, reflection, and global exchange.
Guided by the theme “Soaring Together,” the symposium explored how educational systems can become more innovative, equitable, resilient, inclusive, and responsive to the rapidly changing needs of learners and communities.
Hosted at Central Queensland University in partnership with the Educational Justice Institute and Virginia State University, the gathering created a space for ideas to move beyond individual institutions and across national borders.
What We Explored
Ideas Shaping the Future of Education
Across roundtables, presentations, panels, poster sessions, and informal conversations, participants examined educational justice from multiple perspectives.
Innovation & NextGen Learning
Reimagining teaching and learning through emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, interdisciplinary approaches, and student-centered pedagogy.
Equity & Educational Access
Examining pathways into higher education, student belonging, educational opportunity, inclusive curriculum, scholarships, and support for historically marginalized learners.
Global Collaboration
Building relationships across countries and institutions to strengthen teaching, research, student mobility, cross-cultural learning, and international partnerships.
Leadership & Educational Justice
Exploring how leadership, policy, institutional structures, and professional practice influence educational opportunity and meaningful change.
Well-Being & Resilience
Considering educator and student well-being, mental health, self-care, resilience, belonging, and the conditions necessary for people to thrive.
Community & Social Impact
Connecting education with community engagement, social issues, sport, health, youth development, sustainability, and culturally responsive practice.
Symposium Outcomes
What Emerged from Australia 2026
Global Knowledge Exchange
Australian and U.S. educators exchanged research, institutional practices, and perspectives on educational justice while identifying shared challenges and opportunities for collaboration.
Research & Scholarly Exchange
Researchers shared scholarship addressing educational innovation, equity, belonging, leadership, student success, well-being, sustainability, sport, community engagement, and social justice.
Cross-Cultural Learning
Academic sessions were complemented by experiences connecting delegates with Australian communities, First Nations perspectives, regional education, culture, and place.
New Pathways for Global Collaboration
The symposium strengthened opportunities for continued international teaching, research, student engagement, virtual exchange, and institutional collaboration, including exploration of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL).
Three Days of Exchange
Beyond the Traditional Conference
01
Research & Presentations
02
International Roundtables
03
Cultural & Community Experiences
04
Global Partnership Building
Soaring Together
The Conversation Continues
The 2026 Educational Justice Symposium was designed not as an endpoint, but as the beginning of an enduring international conversation about what educational justice can and should look like.
The relationships, scholarship, ideas, and collaborations developed in Rockhampton provide a foundation for continued work across institutions, communities, and countries.
Explore the Symposium
Australia 2026 Resources
Explore the scholarship, presentations, reflections, photographs, and other resources that tell the story of the 2026 Educational Justice Symposium.
View the 2026 Symposium BookletHosted in Partnership
Central Queensland University • Educational Justice Institute • Virginia State University