Keynote speakers

We are delighted to announce the keynote speakers for the ACAL 2017 National Conference in Darwin. These speakers bring their collective experience working across many continents and diverse domains. Keynotes will canvas issues as varied as the economics of education, critical engagements with diversity, the informal sector of provision and labor studies arrangements as they shape requirements for work and citizenship.

Professor Santosh Mehrotra is a Professor of Economics and human development economist, whose research and writings have had most influence in the areas of labour, employment, skills development, child poverty, and the economics of education. Following an MA in Economics (New School for Social Research, New York) and a PhD (Cambridge University), Santosh was appointed Associate Professor of Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University (1988-1991). He spent 15 years in research positions within the United Nations, heading UNICEF's global research programme at the Innocenti Research Centre, Florence, and as Chief Economist of the global Human Development Report (2002–2005). He was Director General of the National Institute of Labour Economics Research, Planning Commission – India (2009-2014).

Professor Melissa Steyn holds the South African National Research Chair in Critical Diversity Studies and is Director of the Wits Centre for Diversity Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

Her Critical Diversity Literacy framework outlines key capacities for living conscientiously in a world increasingly characterised by being different, together. It involves a set of 'reading practices' – a way of perceiving and responding to the social climate and prevalent structures of oppression.

Dr John Guenther is the Research Leader Education and Training, with Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education. Over the last 14 years John has conducted research and evaluation projects which have focused on remote contexts, particularly in the Northern Territory of Australia. A recurring theme in all his work is the importance of learning for adults, young people and children. His interests include education systems and their impact on learning and understanding the interface between cultures in the ‘red dirt’ context of schooling in remote communities. John uses mixed methods approaches where the powerful combination of qualitative and quantitative data can be used for transformative purposes.

Conference scholarships

Are you an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander educator or emerging researcher from the Northern Territory? Would you like to attend the ACAL Conference in Darwin between September 13th – 14th 2017?

If so, you are invited to apply for a scholarships to cover travel costs to the conference and conference registration fees for the 2 day conference.

If you receive a scholarship you may be asked to support the conference by presenting a paper and you will be asked to write a report after the conference on what you learnt, what was useful and how you have shared the story with your community or organisation after the conference.

To apply for a scholarship complete the application form and return it to info@acal.edu.au by Friday 30th June 2017.