Keynote Speakers

We are excited to announce the first Keynote Speaker for the 2026 Conference.

Professor Braden Hill
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students and Education)
Edith Cowan University

Professor Braden Hill (he/him) is a Noongar (Wardandi) man from the south-west of Western Australia and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students and Education) at Edith Cowan University (ECU), where he leads a portfolio spanning teaching and learning, student experience, access and equity, student success, and graduate outcomes. A trained secondary teacher, Professor Hill brings both professional expertise and personal insight to conversations about educational access, pathways and opportunity. Having entered university through a non-ATAR pathway, he is a strong advocate for broadening participation and ensuring higher education remains accessible through diverse entry pathways.

He has held several senior leadership roles at ECU, including Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Equity and Indigenous), Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Equity and Indigenous), and Head of Kurongkurl Katitjin, ECU’s Centre for Indigenous Australian Education and Research. Prior to joining ECU, he was Director of Aboriginal Education, Equity and Inclusion at Murdoch University.

Professor Hill is nationally recognised for his leadership in Indigenous and LGBTQIA+ research, and for his work advancing equity, inclusion and student success across higher education. He also reaches a wide public audience through social media, with more than 70k followers on TikTok, using the platform to translate education, equity and policy issues for broader community impact.