Annual Conference

The Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL) Annual Conference is the organisation's flagship professional learning event, bringing together school leaders, principals, deputy principals, and aspiring leaders from across Australia and internationally for three days of keynotes, interactive sessions, and collaborative networking. As Australia's peak professional body for educational leadership, ACEL curates a conference programme that addresses the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing school leaders today. Each year's conference is built around a unifying theme and features input from leading Australian and international experts, provocative sessions designed to challenge conventional thinking, and interactive workshops that translate research into actionable leadership practices. The conference is presented in collaboration with a state education department partner—recent editions have partnered with the NSW Department of Education (2025, Sydney) and the SA Department for Education (2024, Adelaide). Participants engage with the latest research on effective school leadership, organisational culture, instructional leadership, wellbeing, and systemic improvement. The ACEL Annual Conference is widely regarded as a highlight of the Australian educational leadership calendar, offering both established and emerging leaders the chance to deepen their practice and connect with a national community of peers.