2022 CAUDIT Awards Recipients

Outstanding leadership in a professional role and supporting diversity in the cyber security industry.

Nivedita (Nivi) has led the establishment and embedding of a mature cyber security governance and risk management practice at the University of NSW (UNSW), recruited an additional 6 team members (trebling the size of the team), and fostered a highly professional and collaborative culture through mentoring and coaching. Nivi has also established a pathway for UNSW cyber security students to gain experience within the broader cyber security function as part of their degree courses. Beyond her professional leadership at UNSW, Nivi has also shown industry leadership through its conception in 2021 to the establishment of the Tangible Uplift – Women in Cyber Security program, that is coaching approx. 50 women across Australia to pass the CISM exam in 2022, broadening and deepening their understanding of the diverse roles available within the industry and assisting them with career progression.

The EcoCommons Australia team is leading the development of a world-first collaborative commons that will become the platform of choice for analysing and modelling ecological and environmental challenges. EcoCommons will empower Australian practitioners and researchers to use trusted datasets, modelling tools, and training resources to produce high-quality research that will inform and accelerate evidencebased policy and decision-making for the environment. Twelve months ago, Biosecurity Commons partnered with EcoCommons to leverage the core platform architecture and infrastructure the team had developed and build the world’s first virtual laboratory for the biosecurity sector. This new Biosecurity project will build on and extend the functionality of the existing workflows in EcoCommons and deliver a cloud-based decision-support platform for modelling and analysing biosecurity risk and response.

The StandOut Program focuses on the opportunity to take advantage of IT Services as a professional services provider of the University, as they represent corporate functions of a typical and modern organisation with deep relationships with global technology partners and suppliers. IT Services aims to deliver exceptional student experience by preparing graduates for life in an increasingly interconnected society, as well as inspiring student experiences to ensure that students develop life and career skills that will make them stand out in the workforce.

Life-ready students need a range of transferable skills that will enable them to work collaboratively across professions and transition between careers. The StandOut Program is about ensuring that students graduate with a clear understanding of their value and skills, knowledge, and capabilities to prepare them for life. Experiential workplace learning opportunities promote skills development, build self-awareness, fosters innovative thinking, assists in career planning, and support student transition into the world of work.

Positioned in the growing field of learning analytics, iLearn Insights is an active and innovative tool for addressing the challenge of engaging and supporting student learning. It enables teachers to monitor student engagement in iLearn (Macquarie’s Moodle-based LMS), by identifying both high-achieving students, and those whose level of activity may put them at risk of failure. The iLearn Insights tool facilitates learning reinforcement and early intervention, triggering a range of automated communications to commend high-achieving students and offer additional assistance to lower performing students. With just three clicks of the mouse, academic staff can instantly send a personalised email aimed at re-engaging students who might have otherwise dropped off the radar. In session 2, 2021 iLearn Insights was used by approximately 542 users across 40 departments, learning support areas and 917 course units (subjects), sending over 225000 targeted emails to encourage students to engage with the learning or offer support.

The new student portal was gifted the name Pūaha, which means “mouth of the river”, and is the new digital entry point for students at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellingon. It was developed as part of the Student Success Programme sponsored by the University Provost and provides students a personalised place where they can find all the information and services they need on a day to day basis. Pūaha follows students through their journey at the University, starting with prospective students applying for admission, scholarships and accommodation all the way through to graduation. Once a student starts studying, it provides a single timetable for all lectures, tutorials, labs and exams along with important notifications, a record of their study and access to new digital services. Pūaha provides students with a digital experience that is personalised, empowering and second to none. Pūaha has been built using Microsoft PowerApps talking to Dynamics CRM and integrated with over ten different university systems. It took 18 months to complete starting with a codesign sprint involving staff and students.