16th Biennial Association for Academic Language and Learning Conference 2023
– Online

Professor Rowena Harper

Professor Harper’s experience spans over 20 years of practice, research and professional service in higher education. She has taught in arts and humanities, enabling education and academic language and learning. She has also led services in the areas of learning support, staff development, curriculum innovation, and learning technologies. She is a former President of the Association for Academic Language and Learning (AALL), and co-founder of the International Consortium of Academic Language and Learning Developers (ICALLD). As an active researcher, Professor Harper is perhaps best known for her work in academic integrity, having co-led a Strategic Priority Commissioned Project on contract cheating and published numerous articles in the area. She has also researched in educational development in digital learning environments, and English language and communication development. Most recently she has been contributing to national debates about artificial intelligence in education.

Professor Michelle Picard

Michelle Picard currently serves as Pro-Vice Chancellor Learning and Teaching Innovation at Flinders University. Michelle Picard has been working in the fields of Higher Education and Academic Language and Learning since 1989. She has taught at every level from Primary and Adult Basic Education and Training to Researcher Education programs to PhD and post-doctoral fellows. Her university work has spanned enabling/Foundation programs, ELICOS, academic language and learning and lecturing and supervising within Schools of Education, Arts and Social Sciences.

Michelle has lived and worked in Australia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and The Sultanate of Oman and regularly taught programs in Singapore.

Her fields of expertise include all levels of academic literacy development including academic integrity, TESOL, higher education, online and blended learning and English for Academic Purposes and supervises in the fields of Education, Applied Linguistics and Media.

Michelle has held various leadership positions prior to joining Flinders including Associate Dean of the Faculty of the Professions and Director, Researcher Education at the University of Adelaide, Director of Studies at two ELICOS centres and numerous coordinator positions. She served as Deputy Director within the English Language and Foundation Studies Centre at the University of Newcastle from July 2016 to July 2019. She then worked as Dean of Teaching and Learning in the College/Faculty of Arts, Business, Law and Social Sciences at Murdoch University from July 2019 to October 2022 as well as Acting Executive Dean from March to October 2022. Michelle was an active AALL member from 2006 to 2016.

Professor Romy Lawson

Romy Lawson is the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Students) at Flinders University. Her portfolio encompasses Learning and Teaching Innovation; Curriculum Impact; Academic Quality and Enhancement; Student Experience and Management; Marketing and the Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement.

Prior to joining Flinders, Romy was Provost at Murdoch University and, before that, Deputy-Vice-Chancellor (Education). Earlier roles include Pro Vice Chancellor Education at Edith Cowan University, and Director of Learning, Teaching & Curriculum at the University of Wollongong. She has been actively involved in teaching and learning development in higher education for over 20 years in both the UK and Australia. Romy led the National OLT Strategic Priority Project on Strategies for Curriculum Mapping and Data Collection for Assurance of Learning, and has been a team member in other ALTC funded projects including: Embedding Professionally Relevant Learning in Business Education; and Facilitating staff and student engagement with graduate attribute development, assessment and standards in Business Faculties.

In 2013 Romy was awarded a National OLT Teaching Fellowship for work on Curriculum Design for Assuring Learning. She has been an associate editor for the HERD Journal, senior editor for the Journal of University of Teaching and Learning Practice and she has also held executive roles with national associations including HERDSA, CADAD and ALTF.