Early bird registration closing 31 March 2025 - Save $100!
Registration is open for the 2025 Australian Catholic Education Conference to be held at the Cairns Convention Centre from Wednesday 20 August to Friday 22 August 2025.
National Catholic Education Commission is partnering with host diocese, Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns to offer an engaging professional learning experience for an anticipated 1,500 Catholic educators, leaders, clergy, parents and others from the broader Church involved in Catholic education.
With the theme ‘hope, anchored in faith’, the conference will focus on the strategic vision and mission of Catholic education across three key areas – Faith, Excellence and Access. We will be featuring 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.
Conference Details
Dates:
Wednesday, 20 August - Friday, 22 August 2025
Location:
Cairns Convention Centre
Registration:
Early Bird Registration: 1 October 2024 - 31 March 2025
Standard Registration: 1 April 2025 - 15 August 2025
Sponsorship & Bursary Program Enquiries:
Email: events@ncec.catholic.edu.au
Conference Enquiries:
Phone: 1300 79 20 30
International: +61 2 4201 0447
Email: 2025acec@conferencenational.com.au
Headline speakers announced
The National Catholic Education Commission and the Diocese of Cairns are pleased to announce some of our headline speakers for the 2025 Australian Catholic Education Conference:
Sr Nathalie Becquart xmcj, Undersecretary for the General Secretariat of the Synod, Vatican
Prof Dylan Wiliam, Emeritus Professor of Educational Assessment at the UCL Institute of Education
Dr Simon Breakspear, Educational expert and founder of Strategic Schools
The conference MC will be former ABC reporter Philippa McDonald.
Enhance your experience
Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns has been partnering with Traditional Owners and Elders of the region to create Spirituality and In and On Country experiences as part of their work on Truth-telling, Healing and Reconciliation. You are invited to join one of these experiences pre or post conference to deepen your understanding of First Nations Ways, connection to country and your role in truth-telling. The experiences include:
Encounter In Country Kaurareg (six day immersion in Torres Strait)
Seasons of Creation Laudato Si’ Retreat Day Kuku Yalanji Country at Mossman Gorge (one day)
Encounter Gunggandji on Fitzroy Island (one day)
Encounter Gimuy on Country Experience in Cairns (one day)
Stay connected
Subscribe to our 2025ACEC mailing list for the latest information and notice of early bird registration.
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.
Photos from the 2022 Conference in Melbourne
