UNSW Medicine & Health, in collaboration with NSW Health, the Future Workforce Unit and the International Centre for Future Health Systems at UNSW, proudly presents the Future Health Skills Summit.

This summit shifts the focus from what the research is to how we build the future workforce skills and job redesign needed to translate it at scale. We are looking beyond the lab and into the clinic, the community and policy spaces to shape a Future Health Skills roadmap. From Professor Michael Kidd’s keynote on the changing needs and skills of Australia’s future health workforce to the panel’s insights on person‑centred care, mental health, technology and interdisciplinary teamwork. The recording is now available to share with colleagues and friends - enjoy! Thank you for your engagement and for helping shape a more connected, equitable and future‑ready health system.

What will tomorrow’s hospitals look like? Forget the traditional, centralised model - the future of healthcare is shifting towards person-centred, technology-enabled systems. From digital health and AI, to precision medicine, sustainability and community-based care, we’re entering a new era of innovation and opportunity.

But with opportunity comes challenges. How do we ensure innovation is equitable? How do we ethically and morally embrace AI and genomics without losing the human touch? And how do we build health systems that are resilient, responsive, and truly sustainable?

Join us as leading voices from Australia and around the world explore the hospital of the future, and what it means for patients, professionals, and communities.

This event is proudly presented in partnership with the International Centre for Future Health Systems (ICFHS) at UNSW Sydney.

From silent suffering to systemic change, endometriosis is finally being heard. But is it truly understood?

In this powerful conversation, Sydney Morning Herald Health Editor, Kate Aubusson, leads a panel of leading gynaecologists, women’s health specialists, and passionate advocates in unpacking the often-overlooked realities of endometriosis — a chronic condition affecting millions around the world.

From misdiagnosis and fertility challenges to the emotional toll, the panel explores the deep gaps in women’s healthcare, research, and funding.

But this is also a story of hope and change.The discussion highlights emerging insights and innovations, including the launch of the Ainsworth Endometriosis Research Institute at UNSW, a world-first initiative dedicated to improving the lives of those affected by endometriosis.

From playtime to screen time, today’s youth are growing up in a world of swipes, scrolls, and constant connection. But at what cost?

In a discussion led by award-winning host and producer of All in the Mind, Sana Qadar, a panel of leading psychologists, psychiatrists and industry experts, explored how digital technology is shaping the mental health and wellbeing of children and teens. They unpacked the science behind addictive design, the rising prevalence of mental disorders, and the real-world harms linked to online behaviour.

But it’s not all doomscrolling. This timely conversation also highlighted how technology is being used to support young people — from early interventions to innovative digital tools that improve access to mental health care.

As digital technology becomes ever more embedded in young people’s lives, discover how the risks can be better understood, the benefits harnessed, and young minds supported in navigating an increasingly connected world.

In today's health landscape, consumer involvement is crucial for high quality and impactful clinical research. Funders now recognise the importance of including consumer voices in grant applications. While meaningfully interweaving community needs and lived experiences into research can be challenging due to factors like rigid organisational processes and knowledge gaps, researchers are increasingly looking for innovative strategies and best practice approaches to bridge these gaps. This growing commitment is paving the way for greater levels of involvement and more effective partnerships between people with lived experience and health researchers.

In this discussion led by Janelle Bowden, Community and Consumer Research Consultant, experts from diverse research backgrounds and lived experiences including Emma Tinkler, a consumer advocating and living with Parkinson’s Disease and Multiple Sclerosis; Karena Conroy, Manager of the Consumer and Community Involvement Program at The George Institute; Robert Monaghan, the inaugural Manager of First Nations Health Research at the Kirby Institute; and Steven Marsh, Consumer Chair for Consumer and Community at NeuRA—highlighted the importance of engaging consumers and people with lived experience in research. They explored why genuine collaboration between researchers and those with lived experience not only enriches the research process but also drives more relevant, meaningful, and transformative outcomes.

Munira Tabassum Ahmed is Winner of the UNSW Culture Awards, Art Collection Writing Prize - for her breathtaking poem ‘The Overlaying’ in response to the artwork ‘Desert rain 2’ by artist Michelle Teear who painted this artwork based on a trip to the Pilbara in north Western Australia.

Munira Tabassum Ahmed is an established writer and poet. Her work has been published, she has received numerous awards, residencies and scholarships, she’s currently working on her first novel and is a second-year medical student at UNSW

By imagining and planning for the future, we can create a more resilient, adaptable and innovative workforce that is well-prepared to meet the health challenges and opportunities of tomorrow. In a discussion led by Dr Louise Messara, NSW Health Strategic Medical Operations Unit Director, experts from across the Australian health landscape, including NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant, Dr Jan Fizzell, Ms Karen Booth, Dr Michael Wright and Professor Eleanor Beck shared insights into the future health workforce in Australia.

Proud partners of this MedConnect: NSW Health, the Future Workforce Unit and UNSW International Centre for Future Health Systems.

International Women’s Day has become a collaborative effort of people across the globe calling for action to accelerate women’s equality. And while there's still work to be done to close the gender gap, the day also provides us an opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Celebrate the stories of three inspiring women who are making an impact in STEMM: Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research & Technology at UNSW Sydney; Hannah Beder (B.Eng ’18), Learning Designer and Research Lead at Creatable; and Scientia Professor Anushka Patel, Chief Executive Officer at The George Institute for Global Health, UNSW Sydney.

Join host ABC journalist Tegan Taylor in conversation with Professor Jason Wu, UNSW Professor and Head of Nutrition Science at The George Institute for Global Health, and Vanessa Matthijssen, Deloitte Asia Pacific ‘Future of Food’ lead for a fascinating look into how the power of nutrition can be harnessed to revolutionise health and wellbeing.

Join our host ABC journalist Tegan Taylor as she talks to the chair of the Dementia Australia Board Professor Graeme Samuel, and geriatrician Dr Stephanie Ward, UNSW Senior Research Fellow from the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) about the challenges imposed by this disease. Without a medical breakthrough, dementia will cost the economy $6 billion this year in healthcare and loss of productivity. And that number is set to triple by 2050. What can we, as researchers, clinicians, employees, loved ones and the community, do in the battle to tackle it?

Hear some of the world’s leading experts discussing what you and your loved ones can do to help put the brakes on this cruel and debilitating disease.

This event is presented by UNSW Medicine & Health.