Friday, 22 August 2025 Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns Queensland
Conference Registration: Conference Enquiries:
CLOSED
Phone: 1300 79 20 30
International: +61 2 4201 0447
2025acec@conferencenational.com.au
The 2025 Australian Catholic Education Conference was held at the Cairns Convention Centre from Wednesday 20 August to Friday 22 August 2025.
National Catholic Education Commission partnered with host diocese, Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns to offer an engaging professional learning experience for more than 1,400 Catholic educators, leaders, clergy, parents and others from the broader Church involved in Catholic education.
With the theme ‘hope, anchored in faith’, the conference focused on the strategic vision and mission of Catholic education across three key areas – Faith, Excellence and Access. It featured a broad range of speakers, presentations and workshops focused on Catholic identity, mission and formation; learning and teaching; leadership and governance; parent engagement; parish and community engagement; resourcing and infrastructure; advocacy and marketing; and more.
2025 Australian Catholic Education Conference headline speakers
Dr Simon Breakspear, Educational expert and founder of Strategic Schools
Dr Jordana Hunter, Education Program Director, Grattan Institute
Philippa McDonald, former ABC reporter will be the Master of Ceremonies
Sr Nathalie Becquart xmcj, Undersecretary for the General Secretariat of the Synod
Prof Dylan Wiliam, Emeritus Professor, UCL Institute of Education
Dr Steve Constantino, Family Engagement Expert
2025ACEC is proudly supported by Principal Partner:
About the conference logo
The conference logo and branding features the artwork ‘Tenacious Dreaming’ of local First Nations artist Susan Reys, and reflects the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in far north Queensland.
