International Women’s Day 2018

This year again we participated in the International Women’s Day celebration held National Surveyors House in Deakin, Canberra.

Organised by the Australia India Business Council ACT ‘Women in Business’ Chapter, the event celebrated the ‘Colour of Versatility’ and was lead by Anna Palathinkal from our Member Professional Association the Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI). Special guest for the evening was The Honourable Speaker for the ACT Legislative Assembly, Ms Joy Burch. The event was attended by a number of successful women influencers from the ACT, inlcuding our CEO Ms Liz Lang who gave a short speech.

National Accreditation Best Practices Summit

In February 2018 we convened the inaugural National Professional Accreditation Best Practices Summit. The Summit was hailed by the participants as a very timely event with more than 140 participants, many intensive discussions between the higher‐education thought leaders in Australia and a communiqué ap‐ proved in the closing session.
The Summit was opened with a video address by Education Minister Birmingham

Minister Birmingham favourably mentioned the Summit in his speech to the ~1150 attendees at the University Australia Conference held a week later in Canberra, saying “Just last week, Professions Australia held a National Professional Accreditation Best Practice Summit, which was a great opportunity for participants to discuss the relationship between our higher education system, professional associations, industries and employers and students. This was an important and impressive initiative that demonstrates the commitment of the professional and university sectors to a collegiate approach regarding identification and adoption of good practice in professional accreditation.
Keynoters included Professor Mike Woods, Emeritus Professor Christine Ewan AM, the Hon Trish White, Anthony McClaran from TEQSA, Professor Kerri‐Lee Krause from Universities Australia as well as the Deputy Chairs of the Washington and Seoul Accords, Emeritus Professor Elizabeth Taylor AO and Pro‐ fessor Michael Johnson.

Sustainable Development Goals Briefing

Today we held a Member Briefing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, generously hosted by our Member the Australian Library and Information Association.

The Sustainable Development Goals, developed and promulgated by the United Nations, are a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for our planet ant its people – now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for sustainability action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership.

AFR Client Choice Awards 2016

As a sponsor of the prestigious AFR Client Choice Awards since their inception in 2004, our President Michael Catchpole presented the 2016 ‘Best Professional’ Award in front of an audience of more than 300 professional services attendees.

The award category winners were:
– Martin Jones (Ferrier Hodgson)
– Quentin Digby (Herbert Smith Freehills)


For more information on our support of the Client Choice Awards, please contact us on 1300 664 587 or CEO@Professions.org.au.

Modern Professional Practice and its Future

Today we attended the UNSW “Modern Professional Practice and its Future” Conference hosted by Allens in Sydney which was an outstanding program. It was great to see many of our ACoP members there.

Professor Richard Susskind, via video-link from London, outlined the arguments of his co-authored book “The Future of the Professions”. He contends that there will be a steady decline in the need for human professionals over the next 20-30 years, that machines will become increasingly capable taking on new tasks and decision-making, and that para-professionals with empathetic listening skills will rise in importance.
Other panel commentators Graham Greenleaf, Lyria Bennett-Moses, and Deen Sanders did not paint such a bleak future for the professions, instead contending that Richard Susskind is overly optimistic about the role of machines (“Artificial Intelligence”) and that humans will always have a need for trusted advice/professional engagement.

The one-day conference showcased the ARC linkage research on professions, professional obligation and regulation in the 21st century by a team combining academics from leading Australian and overseas universities and professionals from the Professional Standards Councils.

The conference explored topics such as:

  • Professional Indemnity Insurance: Compensating Consumers and Regulating Professionals?
  • Structural Types of Professional Regulation – Comparative Examples from Australia and the UK
  • Inventing the Future: Professions and Digitally Enabled Work.


Professions Australia (ACoP) is leading the discussion around the future of the professions – read about our November 2015 Forum on the Future of Professions and Professionalism.

New Horizons – The Future of Professions and Professionalism

Professions Australia members and their guests met in Sydney on 4 November to explore and discuss the Future of the Professions and Professionalism in the Age of Digitisation – a compelling and crucial topic for the professions.

Mr Alex Malley delivered the keynote address on the Future of the Professions and Professions Australia President, Mr Michael Catchpole, led a thought-provoking panel discussion with special guest panellists:
– Dr George Beaton, Executive Chairman, Beaton Research + Consulting
Ms Brenda Aynsley OAM, President, Australian Computer Society


Read the ACS press release here.
Read the ACoP press release here.