Professor Claire Macken, B.A., LL.B(Hons), GCHE, GCAIB, GCIR, MBA, PhD
Senior Academic Director, Student Success
Monash University

Shaping the Future: The Role of Higher Education in a Changing World

In a time of rapid change, shifting global dynamics, and technological advancement, the university of the future must continue to serve as a vibrant hub for innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity. Join us in this closing keynote as we draw together the themes of this year’s Student Success Conference, presenting a positive and inspiring vision for the future of higher education. Together, we will explore the transformative role that universities can play in shaping individual lives and society, addressing current challenges while embracing new opportunities for growth and inclusion.

Biography

Professor Claire Macken has recently joined Monash University Australia as the Senior Academic Director in the Student Experience Portfolio, where she oversees student academic success, disability support services and access, as well as equity and inclusion.

Her distinguished and varied career spans both higher education and industry, with previous positions at RMIT, Deakin, and La Trobe Universities, as well as at KPMG and Apple. She has also led higher education initiatives internationally, including serving as the Provost of Minerva University in San Francisco and as Pro-Vice-Chancellor and General Director at RMIT University in Vietnam, and served as a member of the Auscham Vietnam and ASEAN boards.

A nationally award-winning educator, Professor Macken has received an Australian Award for Teaching Excellence and a citation for her outstanding contributions to student engagement and the first-year student experience. She is a prolific author with 14 published books and numerous articles on higher education and law. Professor Macken holds seven degrees, including a PhD in Law, an MBA, and Graduate Certificates in Higher Education, International Relations, and Artificial Intelligence, along with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Law degrees with Honours.