FutureFest Adelaide 2026

Conference Program

Welcome to FutureFest Adelaide 2026.

This will be an an epic day of listening, learning, doing, sharing, and networking for primary and secondary educators on Wednesday 20 March 2026. We’re proud to be meeting the on the lands of the Kaurna People at St Peter’s College.

Check out the full conference program below. Every session will be packed full of energy, inspiration and – most importantly – practical tools that will empower YOU to build enterprising mindsets in your classroom.

If you haven’t registered yet, what are you waiting for? Click here to register now to secure places for you and your colleagues at FutureFest Adelaide 2026

Future Fest Adelaide - PROGRAM SUMMARY

Teachers who are delivering The Future Anything Challenge for the first time in 2026 are encouraged to attend parallel sessions marked *

TIME

SESSION

8:00am
Arrival & Registration
8:45am
OPENING SESSION - Welcome to Country & Energiser
9:30am
KEYNOTE - Jan Owen AM Hon DLitt, Entrepreneur, Author & Co-Chair, Learning Creates AustraliaRead More
10:30am
MORNING TEA
11:00am
SESSION 2 (choose from four parallel sessions):
2a: The Origin of AgencyRead more
2b: Curriculum Design for 2030Read more
2b: Fireside Chat with Jan Owen AM Hon DLittRead more
2d: The Future Anything Challenge Essentials*Read more
12.30pm
LUNCH
1:00pm
SESSION 3 (choose from three parallel sessions):
3a: Authentic Voices Panel: Bringing the real world into the classroomRead more
3b: Session to be announcedRead more
3c: Unleashing Entrepreneurship in your Classroom*Read more
2:00pm
SESSION 4 (choose from three parallel sessions):
4a: Narrative Intelligence: Harnessing the Power of Story for Future-Ready Students.Read more
4b: Principal Panel: Leading in uncertain timesRead more
4c: Unleashing Entrepreneurship in your Classroom* (continued)Read more
2:45pm
CLOSING SESSION - Wrap, Feed Forward & Lucky Door PrizesRead More
3pm
FUTURE FEST ENDSRead More

All sessions are subject to change.

Future Fest Adelaide - DETAILED PROGRAM

Arrival & Registration | 8am - 8.45am

Opening Session | 8.45am - 10.30am

Keynote: Jan Owen AM Hon DLitt

with Jan Owen AM Hon DLitt, Entrepreneur, Author & Co-Chair, Learning Creates Australia

Jan shares her inimitable insights into the latest global best practice driving equitable transformation in education. In a world changing faster than ever – for students and for all of us –  she’ll explore what this rapid shift means for the future of work and learning. Jan will challenge us to rethink how we recognise growth and capability beyond the ATAR, and share practical ways educators can respond with clarity, courage and action.

Morning Tea | 10.30am - 11am

Session 2 | 11am - 12.30pm

ROOM A

THE ORIGIN OF AGENCY

with Nicole Dyson, Future Anything

In the 2025 Resilient Youth: State of the Nation Report, of 140 000 respondents only 18 per cent of primary and 16 per cent of secondary students reported having a ready to learn mindset. Leveraging Future Anything Capability Framework, we’ll explore the capability that is at the heart of building agency in the classroom; agility.

ROOM B

CURRICULUM DESIGN FOR 2030

With Future Anything

BYO unit to this practical session as we use a unique combination of research backed pedagogies to re-imagine your chosen unit of work in real-time so that it is curriculum aligned and ‘future- ready’. 

ROOM C

FIRESIDE CHAT WITH JAN OWEN AM HON DLITT

An exclusive fireside chat with our keynote speaker.

This session is closed for returning Future Anything Challenge teachers only.

Please note this Fireside chat will last 45 minutes with the second half covering levelling up the Future Anything Challenge.

ROOM D

THE FUTURE ANYTHING CHALLENGE ESSENTIALS*

with Future Anything

A special session exclusively for new The Future Anything Challenge teachers covering everything you need to know to set up for success including delivery timelines & key dates, accessing the curriculum, contextualising for your school and troubleshooting.

Lunch | 12.30pm - 1.00pm

Session 3 | 1.00pm - 1.45pm

ROOM A

AUTHENTIC VOICES PANEL: BRINGING THE REAL WORLD INTO THE CLASSROOM

With Katrina Axford (Findon High School), Tricia Yandell (Loxton High School) & Thalia Wesselingh (St Martins Lutheran College)

We bring together a panel of industry leaders to step through a ‘cheat sheet’ of practical ways you can engage your local (or global) community in your classroom.

ROOM B

SESSION TO BE ANNOUNCED

More information coming soon.

ROOM C

UNLEASHING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN YOUR CLASSROOM*

With Future Anything

Learn tricks of the design thinking trade and get all the resources and tools you need to take students from picking a problem through to pitching an innovative solution. There might even be a prize or two up for grabs in this creative and collaborative session!

*Please note this workshop will extend over session 3 & 4 finishing at 2.45pm

Session 4 | 2pm - 2.45pm

ROOM A

NARRATIVE INTELLIGENCE: HARNESSING THE POWER OF STORY FOR FUTURE-READY STUDENTS

with Joel McKerrow, Creativity Specialist & Author

This session is NOT just for English teachers. Ha ha. Why? Because STORY is far more than just the stories we read in books, watch at the movies, and hear around the dinner table. STORY is the very way that EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US makes sense of our world. We think in stories. It is the operating system of our consciousness. And it is also THE way that we shape collective identity (for better or for worse). Yet few of us have been taught of its incredible shaping force in our lives.

So, if we want to equip students to navigate the 21st century with clarity, empathy, self-understanding and critical thinking, we MUST empower them with a foundational understanding of STORY. This is what narrative intelligence is all about. It is a framework for both becoming aware of the shaping force of STORY and learning how to harness it well within ones life. A framework we will be unpacking in this session.

ROOM B

PRINCIPAL PANEL: LEADING IN UNCERTAIN TIMES

with David Nolan (St Peter’s College), Mark Staker (Pembroke School) & Karen Taylor (SASY)

What does it mean to lead a school in a post-COVID education landscape? Join three inspiring Principals as they step through the challenges of leadership, and practical, tried and tested strategies for every teacher or leader to build culture, community and connection.

ROOM C

UNLEASHING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN YOUR CLASSROOM* (CONTINUED)

*Please note this workshop will extend over session 3 & 4 finishing at 2.45pm

Closing Session | 2.45pm - 3pm

Wrap up and lucky door prize winners

with Nicole Dyson, Founder & CEO, Future Anything

Join us for our final session of the day for your chance to win a bunch of awesome prizes – including a stream of the Future Anything Challenge for your students

Meet your facilitators

Jan Owen AM Hon DLitt

Entrepreneur, Author & Co-Chair, Learning Creates Australia

Joel McKerrow

Creativity Specialist & Author, Joel McKerrow Creative

Nicole Dyson

Founder & CEO, Future Anything

Karen Taylor

Chief Executive, Specialised Assistance School for Youth (SASY)

Daniel Dempsey

Program Director (Professional Learning), Future Anything

Tricia Yandell

Lead Teacher - Digital Strategy, Loxton High School

Katrina Axford

Principal, Findon High School