Debbie Terry of The University of Queensland joins fellow VCs John Dewar, Helen Bartlett, Simon Biggs and Chris Moran. They respond to a provocation by Ann Kirschner of City University of New York of the need to innovate to regain social licence and serve student needs. In welcomes and an opening panel at the recent HEDx conference, these 6 public university leaders outline the need to and the form of innovation that can respond to the challenges facing the sector at a time of unprecedented challenge that creates great opportunity. They join Kelly Mathews of UQ and I in a scene setter to the recent HEDx conference at UQ.