University of Melbourne Events Calendar

Digital Futures: Rethinking Health and Care

Digital Health Week is an opportunity for anyone interested in digital health to share research and ideas.

As digital innovation accelerates, the future of health and care is being redefined. 

Digital Health Week 2026 is a collaboration between The University of Sydney, UNSW, UQ, and The University of Melbourne, returning for its sixth year.

It is an informative and provocative showcase of innovation in digital health, bringing together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and technologists to explore how emerging technologies are reshaping healthcare—including AI, data analytics, remote monitoring, virtual care, social media, and more.

Join us for critical conversations, cutting-edge insights, and collaborative opportunities that will drive positive change and improve health outcomes for everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Keynote Speaker: Dr Peter Steel

Learning health system strategies in the AI era

Dr Peter Steel, MA, MBBS, FACEP
Vice Chair of Clinical Services, Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medical Center

As healthcare systems face rising costs, fragmented infrastructure, and rapid digital disruption, the imperative to translate data into measurable value has never been greater.

In this keynote, Dr. Peter Steel explores how the Learning Health System (LHS) offers a bold yet practical blueprint for health systems to thrive in the AI era. By treating clinical data as a strategic asset—not just a byproduct of care—LHS models enable continuous learning, agile innovation, and scalable impact.

Drawing on global examples and recent U.S. policy shifts, this talk will unpack how healthcare leaders can embed research, digital infrastructure, and adaptive workflows to turn real-time data into system-wide improvement.

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.