About ACEN

The Australian Collaborative Education Network Limited (ACEN) is the professional association for practitioners and researchers from the tertiary education sector, industry, community and government representatives, involved in work integrated learning (WIL) in Australia. WIL currently exists in various forms including:

  • Internships
  • Cooperative education
  • Work placements
  • Industry based learning
  • Community based learning
  • Clinical rotations
  • Sandwich year
  • Practical projects

ACEN provides strategic leadership for work-integrated learning research, scholarship and practice in Australia, for its members and other stakeholders.

Our People

ACEN is run by a dedicated Board made up of passionate WIL practitioners who are based all across Australia. Our Board lead the direction of ACEN and drive positive change in the advancement of WIL both nationally, and internationally. 

Meet the 2023 Board:

Denise Jackson

Denise Jackson

President

Edith Cowan University

Craig Cameron

Craig Cameron

Chair of Finance and Audit

University of the Sunshine Coast

Franziska Trede

Franziska Trede

University of Technology Sydney

Heather Pate

Heather Pate

Edith Cowan University

Jennifer Rowley

Jennifer Rowley

The University of Sydney

Karen Robinson

Karen Robinson

Griffith University 

Leoni Russell

Leoni Russell

RMIT University

Michael O'Connor

Michael O'Connor

Western Sydney University

Michelle Eady

Michelle Eady

University of Wollongong
Naomi Walsh

Naomi Walsh

University of Tasmania 

Rachael Baron

Rachael Baron

La Trobe University

Will Mackay

Will Mackay

University of South Australia

Past Boards

2022 Board

Part of the 2022 ACEN Board at the ACEN Conference held in Melbourne, October 2022.

L to R: Rachael Baron, Craig Cameron, Karen Robinson, Heather Pate, Franziska Trede, Laura Johns, Denise Jackson, Bonnie Dean, Matthew Campbell, Jennifer Rowley. Absent: Michelle Eady, Will Mackay.

2021 Board

The ACEN Board at the November 2020 Two Day Board meeting held over Zoom.

L to R: (top row) Cate Clifford, Laura Johns (admin), Annette Marlow, Michelle Eady, Bonnie Dean,  (middle row) Anna Rowe, Franziska Trede, Denise Jackson, Leoni Russell, (bottom row) Sharon Scott, Susan Rowland, Matthew Campbell.

2020 Board

ACEN Board Melbourne February 2020

The ACEN Board at the February 2020 face-to-face meeting in Melbourne.

L to R: Bonnie Dean, Matthew Campbell (back row), Sonia ferns(front row), Leoni Russell, Cate Clifford (back row), Sharon Scott (front row), Anna Rowe, Michelle Eady (back row), Franziska Trede (front row), Denise Jackson, Susan Rowland, Annette Marlow (back row), Don MacDowall (Admin). Absent: Robert Ewers (Company Secretary)

2019 Board

ACEN 2019 Board at Brisbane face to face

2019 ACEN Board at a face-to-face meeting in Brisbane, October 2019. Back row: Faith Valencia-Forrester, Judie Kay, Susan Rowland, Chris Gonsalvez, Anna Rowe. Middle row: Franziska Trede, Sonia Ferns, Jude Smith, Don MacDowall (Admin) Front row: Sharon Scott. Absent: Denise Jackson, Robert Ewers (Company Secretary).

2018 Board

ACEN Board members , face to face meeting February 2018

2018 Board