Conference themes

'Universities of the Future: Global Perspectives for HR' is the theme of this year's ACU HR in HE conference.

During the conference, delegates will discuss how to meet the many challenges facing HR professionals working in higher education today, as well as exploring opportunities for the profession in the future.

The following four sub-themes, which have been identified by HR practitioners from our member universities across the Commonwealth as their key priorities, will also guide discussions:

• HR as a strategic partner

Exploring how HR can transform into a more effective resource for the organisation, enhance its credibility, evolve into a strategic partner, and align business objectives with university goals.

• Leadership and capacity building

Building the capacity to effect change and fulfil the university's mission, engaging and inspiring teams to get the best results, and creating participatory and collaborative processes that develop the abilities of the next generation of leaders.

• HR in the digital age

The impact of technology on human resource management; using digital HR tools and approaches to recruit, develop, and retain a talented workforce, and the changing role of people management in the digital era.

• HR operational excellence

Developing an HR analytics framework to drive strategy, becoming a proactive, collaborative business partner; transforming operations using organisational design theory, identifying and adopting world-class capabilities, and delivering maximum value from your HR function.

These themes provide a broad range of opportunities for HR professionals and academics in the sector to explore existing and emerging challenges and opportunities for HR in higher education.