Australian Leadership Development Summit 2027
Insight to Impact: Celebrating and Advancing Leadership Development in Australia and Beyond
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8-10 February 2027
Three connected summit days in Melbourne CBD.
A Summit for the Leadership Development Sector
The Australian Leadership Development Summit is a rare space where evidence and practice converge, relationships form, and the field moves forward together.
Now in its third iteration, the Summit has become a keystone event for Australia's leadership development ecosystem. It brings together the researchers, practitioners, funders and organisational leaders shaping the future of the field in Australia and beyond.
This year's theme, Insight to Impact, asks us to close the loop: between what we know and what we do; between the research being conducted and the programs being designed; between individual development and systemic change.
We are at a moment when leadership challenges are acute, the evidence base is deepening, and the community of practice is maturing. This Summit is where that convergence happens.
Meaningful collaboration, practical access and field-shaping work.
This is a high-trust, working summit that offers meaningful collaboration, and the opportunity to shape the field. It is aligned with leading national and international leadership organisations and will attract high-quality, in-demand voices.
Three connected but distinct days in the Melbourne CBD
Each day can be attended separately. Leadership development practitioners and researchers are strongly encouraged to attend all three days to experience the full arc of the Summit.
Day 1
Leadership Forum
Monday 8 February · Open registration · Leaders, leadership development practitioners and researchers
A curated day of keynotes, provocations and showcases from emerging Australian thought leaders, researchers and practitioners.
Focus: what characterises leadership development in Australia now, and what does our context demand next?
Register interestDay 2
In the Work
Tuesday 9 February · EOI / Call for Proposals · Leadership development practitioners and researchers (interactive engagement)
A smaller, more intimate cross-sector day for people in the work: researchers and practitioners in meaningful dialogue through fishbowls and facilitated activities.
Focus: evaluation, leader emergence, purpose, impact, access, equity and collaboration.
Register interestDay 3
Research and Practice Streams
Wednesday 10 February · EOI / Call for Proposals · Leadership development practitioners and researchers (parallel sessions)
Parallel research and practice streams will give participants a focused pathway into the issues most relevant to their work.
Focus: presentations, clinics, pitches and working sessions that progress ideas, not just present them.
Register interestPartner Organisations
The Summit is designed for the researchers, practitioners, funders and organisational leaders working across the academic, public, private and community sectors.
Summit Co-Chairs
Katherine Ellis
CEO,
Leadership Victoria
Her career includes senior roles in the youth sector, including CEO of YACVic, Director of Youth Affairs at the Commonwealth of Nations, and CEO of the Reach Foundation. She has also worked in strategy, analysis and corporate social responsibility roles in Australia and internationally.
Sen Sendjaya
Head of Department, Professor of Leadership,
RMIT University
His research focuses on servant leadership and leader(ship) development, and he works with senior leaders across sectors (e.g., government, transport, finance, healthcare, higher education, not-for-profit) delivering executive education and workshops in Australia and internationally to drive lasting leadership impact.
Toby Newstead
Senior Lecturer, Management / Leadership,
University of Tasmania
President,
Leadership Advocacy and Research Australia (LARA)
She is ranked in the top percentile of leadership researchers globally, and translates her scholarship directly into practice: coordinating UTAS’s Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Organisational Capability and regularly delivering keynotes and workshops for organisations navigating real leadership challenges. Her work has shaped national volunteering policy and is used in leadership development programs worldwide.