Forum

Public Health Futures: Equity | Innovation | Sustainability | Identity

CAPHIA represent thousands of public health educators, researchers, practitioners, and students across Australasia. Our annual Teaching and Learning Forum is our flagship event, providing opportunities for our community of practice to come together to create education which equips the public health workforce with the skills and knowledge required to improve the public’s health, and tackle current and future challenges. The 2026 Teaching and Learning Forum is hosted by Curtin University in Perth, and co-chaired by A/Prof Justine Leavy and Dr Emmanuel Badu.

Date: Thursday, 12 and Friday, 13 November 2026
Theme: Public Health Futures
Streams: Equity, Innovation, Sustainability and Identity
Format: In-person only.
Location: Curtin University, the Lantern Perth Campus, Western Australia. Find out more. 

Theme:

Public Health Futures: Equity, Innovation, Sustainability, and Identity 

Streams:

1. Equity | Decolonising the Curriculum: Integrating Indigenous Knowledge Systems into Public Health Pedagogy. Dominant public health education frameworks have historically privileged Western epistemologies, often at the expense of indigenous, local, and diverse ways of knowing. Achieving health equity requires a fundamental shift. One that recognises and respects the validity of diverse knowledge systems and embeds them authentically into teaching and learning. This sub-theme invites educators to share how they have critically examined their curricula, challenged colonial legacies, and co-designed culturally safe and inclusive learning environments that reflect the communities they serve. Submissions may explore Indigenous-led pedagogy, community partnerships, and approaches that embed cultural humility, reciprocity, and social justice within public health education.

2. Innovation | Digital Frontiers: Leveraging Technology for Transformative Public Health Education.The rapid evolution of digital technology is reshaping how knowledge is created, shared, and applied. Public health educators can no longer afford to teach at the margins of this transformation; they must lead it. This sub-theme explores how emerging technologies, from artificial intelligence and simulation tools to digital platforms and data visualisation, can be intentionally integrated into public health curricula to enhance learning outcomes, broaden access, and prepare graduates for a data-rich, digitally enabled, and rapidly evolving public health practice environment. Submissions may also explore ethical considerations, digital equity, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in education and public health practice. 

3. Sustainability | Public Health Without Borders: Teaching ‘new’ conceptsa Complex Global System. Public health does not operate in isolation. It is shaped by the forces of international law, trade agreements, geopolitical conflict, climate change, economic systems, and democratic governance. Yet these intersections remain underrepresented in most public health curricula. This sub-theme calls on educators to share teaching methodologies and practices that expand the boundaries of public health teaching by equipping students with the systems thinking, policy literacy, and interdisciplinary capabilities needed to navigate and influence the complex global systems that determine population health outcomes. Submissions may explore innovative approaches to teaching global health diplomacy, planetary health, and transnational public health governance. 

4. Identity | Nurturing the Next Generation: Supporting Student Success, Identity, and Belonging in Public Health Education. Public health education must cultivate professional identity, foster a genuine sense of belonging, and create equitable learning environments where every student can thrive. This sub-theme centres the student experience as a strategic priority, challenging educators and institutions to move beyond content delivery and become active architects of inclusive, supportive, and empowering educational journeys. From retention strategies and mentorship models to equity-responsive teaching and career development, this theme invites reflections on student wellbeing, professional identity formation, workforce readiness, work-integrated learning and the cultivation of future public health leaders. 

The Forum has a range of interactive and engaging session types, including:

• Keynote speakers
• An Expert Panel
• Oral Presentations
• Challenge Rooms
• Solution Rooms
• Curated Table Presentations
• Student Session