University of Melbourne Events Calendar

Join us at this Melbourne launch of Minister Andrew Leigh’s latest book: The Shortest History of Innovation.

From the wheel to gene editing, new ideas shape our world.

In this dazzling, surprising and always entertaining book, bestselling author Andrew Leigh tells the story of innovation.

Innovation shapes almost every corner of our lives, yet we rarely pause to notice it. Someone had to invent nails and wheelbarrows; alphabets and books; glass windows and windscreen wipers; tin cans and synthetic dyes. From tools and technologies to fresh approaches in art and architecture, innovation surrounds us.

Leigh shows that three forces drive innovation: tinkering, teams and trade. He examines hotbeds of creativity, the forces that suppress them, and the surprising ways ideas travel across borders and disciplines. The result is a lively, compact look at the engines powering progress.

A brilliant follow-up to the international bestseller The Shortest History of Economics.

Presented by Professor Yana Sychikova and Professor Igor Lyman in collaboration with Future Campus, this lecture will share critical insights into wellbeing, resilience, and higher education leadership drawn from sustaining a Ukrainian university during occupation, displacement, and ongoing conflict.

Based on research across 40 displaced universities and their lived experience of leading without physical campuses, they argue that wellbeing is not an adjunct to educational continuity, but the central organising principle that enables teaching, research, and community life to endure under extreme conditions.

The session is introduced by reflections from Professor Marek Tesar, whose work on educational borderlands frames the university as a relational, ethical, and lived space.

A panel of Faculty of Education wellbeing experts and scholars will respond to the Ukrainian experience, exploring its implications for wellbeing, trauma-informed practice, and resilience within Australian universities.

Light refreshments will be served in the adjoining foyer to the theatre with presentations commencing at 6pm.

Panellists:

Professor Nikki Rickard, Director Research, Centre for Wellbeing Science, Faculty of Education

Associate Professor Tom Brunzell, Leader in trauma-informed education and wellbeing sciences, Faculty of Education

Associate Professor Catherine McClellan, Enterprise Fellow, Assessment and Evaluation Research Centre, Faculty of Education

Facilitators:

Dr Rachel Colla, Senior Lecturer, Teaching & Learning Innovation Lead, Centre for Wellbeing Science, Faculty of Education

Tim Winkler, Director and Publisher of Future Campus

Content Warning:
This lecture will discuss themes such as war, issues for students during war, experiences of trauma and may include other confronting themes. This lecture may not be suitable for children or all people. Attendee, viewer and parental/carer discretion is advised.

Registration is essential.

ACCESSIBILITY

If you have any support requirements in order to participate fully, please let us know via educationevents@unimelb.edu.au to ensure that we can arrange any reasonable adjustments.

Note: 
Please only register for aseatedticketif you are sure to be attending in person.There is anotherticket type available toreceive a copy of the recordingfor those who are unable to attend in person.