‘Decolonising academia’ will be the major theme at this year’s Leading Together conference, held at the Melbourne Global Centre in Delhi from 16-17 December 2024.
Launched in 2021, this annual conference brings together staff and students from the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Arts and its four partner institutions in India — Tetso College in Nagaland, Stella Maris College in Chennai, Savitribai Phule Pune University in Pune, and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati Campus.
The conference facilitates discussion about the role of young people in leadership across health, technology, education and sustainability.
This year’s theme aims to critically examine and confront the structures, knowledge systems, and power dynamics in higher education that are rooted in colonial histories and legacies and which present barriers to inclusivity, diversity and innovation.
Professor Bina Fernandez, Program Director of Development Studies at the Faculty of Arts said: “The Leading Together conference is a valuable opportunity for students in Australia and India to collaborate and address the defining challenges of our time.”
“Students will explore how we can make academia more inclusive, equitable, and reflective of diverse perspectives, particularly those that have been marginalised or excluded.”
“The goal is to dismantle colonial ideologies that continue to shape research, pedagogy, curricula, and institutional practices”.
The ongoing partnership between the five institutions is a significant initiative for the Faculty of Arts and demonstrates the University’s commitment to fostering international collaborations that support research, learning and teaching, and engagement.
Learn more about the Leading Together conference and explore past events on the dedicated website.