HERN is a national and global leader in higher education research that responds to the changing demands of learning and teaching in a rapidly evolving world. We work at the intersection of equity, innovation, and transformation, driving research that informs impactful policy, reimagines practice, and supports the success and wellbeing of all students.
At HERN, we champion research that interrogates and redefines access, participation, and success for diverse student populations, particularly those historically underrepresented in tertiary education. Our capabilities span nine research clusters, where interdisciplinary teams collaborate to address higher education’s most urgent and complex challenges.
Research clusters
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Assessment
The HERN Assessment Cluster operates as part of HERN and is dedicated to investigating, improving, and implementing assessment strategies at UniSA—and, in the coming years, at Adelaide University. Its mission is to take a multidisciplinary approach to assessment practices that enhance student learning and engagement. Key themes include assessment design, academic integrity, inclusive and authentic assessment, and feedback for learning. A central focus is the impact of technology-enhanced learning on assessment, with particular attention to digital platforms, learning analytics, and online modalities. The cluster actively explores how technology can support timely, meaningful feedback and scaffold student learning.
A critical and emerging theme is the ethical and responsible use of generative AI in assessment. The cluster facilitates dialogue and research on the implications of AI for academic integrity, authorship, and assessment validity. It investigates avenues to support staff and students in navigating these tools responsibly, ensuring AI use aligns with pedagogical goals and institutional values. Activities are anticipated to include collaborative SoTL research, co-creation of resources, and professional development. Through workshops, seminars, and publications, the cluster will foster a culture of reflective, future-oriented assessment practice that responds to evolving technological, ethical, and educational challenges in higher education.
Cluster Lead
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Digital Learning
The Digital Learning & AI (DLAI) Cluster, co-led by Dr Nick Fewster-Young and Dr Malgorzata Korolkiewicz, explores the transformative impact of digital learning technologies and artificial intelligence in higher education. Our cluster is focused on fostering and pursuing critical inquiry and collaborative research into how digital technology is utilised in higher education. In particular, there is a strong contemporary focus on AI—how it can enhance learning and teaching, support institutional strategy, and inform ethical and governance frameworks.
Our key areas of interest include pedagogical innovation, digital capability building, academic integrity, generative AI, learning analytics, and the design and evaluation of online and hybrid learning environments. We are also exploring the broader implications of AI adoption in education, including staff and student wellbeing, assessment design, and institutional readiness.
As we establish our 2025 agenda, the DLAI Cluster aims to build a collaborative research community within the education concentration of HERN, and to expand our work at Adelaide University and beyond. We welcome contributions from academic and professional staff interested in digital education, and invite members to join topic-based engagement groups to co-develop projects, contribute to future cluster presentations, or present at relevant conferences. The DLAI Cluster offers an inclusive platform to exchange ideas, generate research outputs, and shape the future of digital learning in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.
Cluster Leads
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Employability, Graduate Transition & Work Integrated Learning (WIL)
The HERN Graduate Employability, Work Integrated Learning (WIL), and Transition Cluster was established to support higher education’s critical role in enhancing graduate employability and facilitating smooth transitions from education to employment.
The specific aims of the cluster include:
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Facilitating collaboration among academics interested in WIL, employability, and graduate transitions to foster research, share best practices, and exchange resources.
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Advocating for cross-disciplinary activities, projects, and research approaches within and beyond the cluster.
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Enhancing understanding of existing strategies and approaches to graduate employability and WIL programs across the university and broader sector.
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Strengthening support systems for students transitioning from academic settings to the workforce.
The cluster seeks to build knowledge and research capacity in graduate employability, WIL, and education-to-employment transitions by fostering knowledge sharing; facilitating networking among academics, industry partners, and policymakers; supporting relevant research and innovation; offering professional development opportunities; and advocating for effective policies and practices in WIL and graduate transition pathways.
Membership is open to academics and researchers from all Academic Units, as well as staff involved in the design, implementation, and evaluation of WIL programs, policies, or initiatives that support graduates in their transition from education to employment.
Cluster Lead
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Equity, inclusion and access
The central concern of this cluster is student equity in higher education—a longstanding and evolving priority in the Australian context. Since 1972, equity has played a significant role in shaping higher education policy, with renewed momentum under the Australian Universities Accord (2024), which places a strong emphasis on improving access and opportunity for underrepresented groups. Members of the cluster bring diverse research interests that reflect a shared commitment to advancing equity. These include enabling pedagogy and the ADEPT framework, as well as innovations in teaching that support digital inclusion and the development of essential literacies. Researchers are also focused on academic reading literacies within the University of Opportunity (UO) model and on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) projects that centre equity students' experiences.
Additional areas of expertise include learning support strategies tailored to students from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and refugee backgrounds, culturally responsive support mechanisms for both students and educators, and initiatives to address structural inequalities faced by trans and gender-diverse youth in higher education. Another key area of focus is facilitating equitable transitions for students from equity backgrounds as they enter and navigate new university environments.
The cluster’s activities aim to build a community of like-minded researchers and practitioners who are committed to equity in higher education. This includes collaborating on research studies and joint publications—such as systematic reviews—as well as hosting talks and webinars that share insights and foster dialogue. Importantly, the cluster seeks to leverage the current momentum generated by the Australian Universities Accord (2024) to drive forward impactful, equity-focused research and practice across the sector.
Cluster Leads
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Mental Health and Wellbeing
The Mental Health and Wellbeing cluster in the Higher Education Research Network focuses on promoting research and practices on wellbeing for students, staff, and the wider academic community. Themes include mental health and resilience among students and staff, equity in health and wellbeing outcomes, and the role of curriculum, pedagogy, and institutional policies in shaping wellbeing experiences. The cluster also investigates how digital technologies influence mental health, as well as how higher education institutions can foster cultures of care, community, and pedagogical support.
Grounded in interdisciplinary approaches, the cluster draws from education, psychology, public health, sociology, and policy studies. It emphasises participatory and ethical research methods that centre the voices of those within and beyond the higher education sector. It explores the intersections of physical, mental, emotional, and social health within the unique pressures and opportunities of university life. A key focus is on understanding and addressing the structural and cultural factors that affect wellbeing in higher education—such as academic stress, workload, inclusion, belonging, and access to support services. The goal is to generate evidence-informed insights that not only improve wellbeing but also contribute to the development of inclusive, supportive, and sustainable higher education environments.
Cluster Leads
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Reflective practice, professional development and academic development
The Reflective Practice cluster was established to advance higher education research that supports educators in critically inquiring into their own practice. Through examination and self-study, the HERN Cluster provides a platform for educators to discuss how they are engaging in a process of critical reflection and to interrogate their role as both learner and educator. The Reflective Practice Cluster supports educators to explore challenges, ideas, and concepts to come to new understandings that shape teaching and learning experiences.
The Reflective Practice Cluster aims to enhance:
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Knowledge Sharing: Create an interdisciplinary platform for sharing knowledge, experiences, and best practices related to reflective practice.
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Networking: Facilitate networking opportunities among UniSA academics, industry partners, research experts, and policymakers.
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Research and Innovation: Promote and support research initiatives that contribute to the understanding and improvement of reflective practice. Share current research projects within the cluster and consider collaborations within this.
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Professional Development: Provide opportunities for professional development for Cluster members through workshops, seminars, shared readings, and conferences.
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Policy Development: Advocate for policies and practices that support effective reflective practice.
Cluster Leads
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Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
The TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Research Cluster within the Higher Education Research Network (HERN) investigates the linguistic, cultural, and pedagogical dimensions of English language education and learning, particularly for international, migrant, and refugee learners in both domestic and international classroom settings. While the primary focus is on tertiary and vocational education contexts, school-based research is also welcomed.
Grounded in sociolinguistic theory and interdisciplinary perspectives, the cluster addresses contemporary issues in English language teaching, learning, planning, and assessment. Key themes include:
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Multilingualism, Plurilingualism, and Translanguaging
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Systemic Functional Linguistics
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Culturally Responsive Pedagogies
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Intercultural Communicative Competence
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English Medium Instruction (EMI)
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Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)
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English for Academic and Specific Purposes
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English as an Additional Language or Dialect
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English as a Second or Foreign Language
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Technology-Enhanced Language Learning
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Human-Machine Communication and Translation
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Semiotics and Inter-semiotic Translation
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Multimodality and Intertextuality
The cluster provides a platform for collaborative research, knowledge exchange, and cross-sector partnerships. We welcome engagement from scholars, educators, and industry partners interested in advancing inclusive, theoretically informed, and practice-oriented approaches to English language education in diverse global settings.
Cluster Lead
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Transition to University
The HERN Transition Cluster brings together higher education researchers and educators interested in understanding and improving the transition into and through university. Our members' interests span the diverse pathways students take into higher education, from traditional school leavers to those entering via alternate and enabling routes. We explore the academic, social, and emotional challenges students face, alongside the institutional practices and policies that support—or inhibit—successful transitions.
Our goal is to foster interdisciplinary collaboration to investigate themes such as student retention, sense of belonging, curriculum design, and graduate outcomes. We are committed to equity, inclusion, and evidence-informed practice that enhances student success. We welcome partnerships with colleagues across disciplines and institutions who share our interest in shaping more accessible, supportive, and effective transition experiences in higher education.
Cluster Lead
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Neurodiversity
The Neurodiversity in Higher Education HERN Cluster provides a research-focused platform designed to inform both policy and practice. It enables practitioners to collaborate with researchers to collect and analyse evaluation data on neurodiversity-related initiatives. This data can support continuous improvement and also contribute to academic publications related to the experiences of neurodiverse students, academic staff, and professional staff.
The Neurodiversity Cluster is part of the Neurodiversity at UniSA Special Interest Group (SIG), which holds a broad vision of advancing the neurodiversity agenda—initially at UniSA and, in the future, at the new Adelaide University. Current and ongoing research projects include autoethnographic studies and scoping research on neurodiversity-affirming workplace practices, with the goal of informing inclusive policies and procedures at Adelaide University.
Research emerging from both the Neurodiversity Cluster and the SIG is expected to contribute significantly to raising awareness and enhancing professional development. These efforts aim to build the capacity of all staff to better support neurodiverse students and colleagues within higher education environments.
Cluster Lead
