The Programme
Draft Programme
The Australian Universal Wellbeing Symposium 2026 brings together researchers, educators, policymakers, health professionals, organisational leaders, community practitioners, and wellbeing professionals to explore prevention-focused approaches that strengthen individual, organisational, community, and societal wellbeing.
Across two days, delegates will engage with keynote presentations, seminars, workshops, panel discussions, interactive wellbeing experiences, and emerging research designed to advance Universal Wellbeing theory, measurement, policy, leadership, and practice throughout Australia and beyond.
Final Programme Release: 3 August 2026 (following the close of presentation submissions)
Draft Programme Download
Symposium Themes
Universal Wellbeing Research, Measurement & Evaluation
Exploring the latest developments in Universal Wellbeing theory, wellbeing measurement, evaluation, intervention design, wellbeing literacy, and evidence-informed approaches to understanding and improving wellbeing outcomes.
Leadership, Governance & Systems Change
Exploring prevention-focused approaches to governance, leadership, public policy, risk management, systems thinking, organisational wellbeing, and long-term strategies that support sustainable wellbeing outcomes.
Mental Health, Education & Community Wellbeing
Exploring prevention-focused approaches that strengthen mental health, educational outcomes, workforce wellbeing, social connection, community resilience, inclusion, and the wellbeing of individuals, families, organisations, and communities.
KEYNOTE
The Universal Wellbeing Model (UWM)
This session is presented by the leader of a 17-year wellbeing research programme that underpins the development of the evidence-based Universal Wellbeing Model (UWM). The research programme explored what wellbeing is, how it is influenced, how it can be improved, and how it can be sustained over time. UWM components will be shared alongside emerging applications across education, communities, organisations, and public policy.
Presenter: Susan Stevenson
Director, FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute & New Zealand Curriculum Design Institute
KEYNOTE
Investigating Higher Education Academics' Universal Wellbeing
This presentation introduces a new research project investigating higher education academics' wellbeing. Drawing on experience across diverse faculties, the session will examine the mixed-method Universal Wellbeing Evaluation and Literacy intervention being applied to provide new insights into factors influencing academic wellbeing, workplace safety, engagement, and professional outcomes.
Presenter: Associate Professor Linda Ferrington
School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales
KEYNOTE
Higher Education and the Societal Kindness and Wellbeing Development Project
This presentation explores the role higher education institutions can play in advancing societal wellbeing. Drawing on research into organisational systems, professional identity, and ethics of care, the session examines how universities can foster kinder and more empathetic environments that support wellbeing for staff, students, leaders, and wider society.
Presenter: Dr Gabi Nudelman
School of Management & Governance, University of New South Wales
SEMINAR & WORKSHOP
The Universal Wellbeing Charter: Building Wellbeing Through Prevention
This interactive session explores the actual and potential economic, social, educational, and community benefits of improved Universal Wellbeing at the individual, family, organisational, community, and national levels. Case studies and practical implementation scenarios will be examined.
Presenter: Professor Phil Riley (Pending Confirmation)
Honorary Professor, Faculty of Arts and Education, Deakin University
KEYNOTE
Universal Wellbeing as a Governance Imperative: Applying Risk Thinking to Australia's Most Entrenched Social Challenges
Australia continues to face persistent and interconnected wellbeing challenges, including mental ill-health, suicide, family violence, social isolation, declining trust, and community fragmentation. This keynote explores how these challenges can be understood as systemic risks emerging from complex interactions between social, economic, institutional, and behavioural factors.
Drawing on enterprise risk management principles, behavioural science, and systems thinking, the presentation examines how governance structures and decision-making processes can unintentionally reinforce poor wellbeing outcomes. The session explores how leaders, boards, policymakers, and communities can shift from reactive crisis management towards prevention, resilience, and long-term value creation.
Particular attention will be given to how the Universal Wellbeing Charter can provide a practical governance framework to support this transition.
Presenter: Dr Jolene Morse
Chief Risk Officer, Catholic Education Sandhurst
KEYNOTE
Seeing Mental Health and Wellbeing as a System: From Complexity to Prevention-Focused Action
Many mental health challenges emerge from the interaction of conditions across education, employment, housing, social connectedness, health systems, economic environments, and public policy. Prevention-focused mental health action therefore requires more than isolated programmes or short-term responses.
This keynote introduces systems thinking and systems modelling as practical approaches for understanding complex wellbeing challenges. Drawing on contemporary public health and mental health policy research, the session explores how systems approaches can reveal interdependencies, feedback loops, delayed effects, trade-offs, and leverage points for system-level change.
The presentation will also demonstrate how participatory modelling can strengthen collective understanding, support evidence-informed decision-making, and guide prevention-focused policy development.
Presenter: Dr Hossein Hosseini
Systems Modelling Research Fellow, Mental Wealth Initiative, Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney
President, Oceania Chapter, System Dynamics Society
KEYNOTE
Future Wellbeing Challenges and Opportunities: Digital Innovation, Prevention and Systems Change
This presentation explores emerging wellbeing challenges and opportunities shaping the future of individuals, organisations, and communities. Drawing on expertise in digital mental health, public health systems, wellbeing promotion, and policy development, the session examines how innovation, prevention-focused strategies, and cross-sector collaboration can strengthen long-term wellbeing outcomes.
Particular attention will be given to digital mental health, health equity, systems-level prevention, and improving wellbeing outcomes for marginalised populations, including Deaf communities.
Presenter: Dr M Tasdik Hasan
Policy and Advocacy Lead, Mental Health Council of Tasmania
PhD Fellow in Digital Mental Health, Monash University
KEYNOTE
The Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool (UWET)
This workshop introduces the innovative AI-assisted Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool (UWET), developed to quantitatively measure authentically holistic wellbeing. The tool rapidly identifies wellbeing strengths, capabilities, dimensions, harms, and risks to support evidence-based decision-making and intervention planning.
Examples and emerging applications will be presented.
Presenter: Susan Stevenson
Director, FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute & New Zealand Curriculum Design Institute
INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP
Experiencing the Universal Wellbeing Evaluation
Symposium attendees will receive information, induction, and secure access to the Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool (UWET). Participants will have the opportunity to experience the process firsthand and gain insights into their own Universal Wellbeing profile.
Participants choosing to undertake the full evaluation will receive a confidential post-symposium draft UWET report designed to support wellbeing planning and development.
Facilitator: Susan Stevenson
Director, FREEDOM Wellbeing Institute & New Zealand Curriculum Design Institute
WORKSHOP
Pending Confirmation
What Does My Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Say?
This session explores how Universal Wellbeing Evaluation results can be interpreted and applied at individual, organisational, and community levels. Participants will examine wellbeing profiles, key indicators, and emerging insights generated through wellbeing evaluation data.
KEYNOTE
The Universal Wellbeing Theory of Change and Intervention Programmes
This session examines the Theory of Change underpinning the Universal Wellbeing Model, Universal Wellbeing Evaluation Tool, and associated intervention programmes. The presentation explores how wellbeing literacy, capability development, and evidence-informed action can support individuals and communities to thrive and flourish.
Presenter: To Be Confirmed
PANEL DISCUSSION
Practising and Living the Universal Wellbeing Model
This facilitated discussion provides an opportunity to explore how the Universal Wellbeing Model can be applied in everyday life, leadership, education, workplaces, communities, and public policy.
Using a Socratic and participatory approach, delegates will identify practical applications and implementation opportunities relevant to their own settings.
SYMPOSIUM CLOSE
A reflection on key themes, research insights, partnerships, and prevention-focused opportunities identified throughout the symposium.