One Hour to Share Ideas and Spark Conversation!

Do you enjoy bringing people together to pick apart a puzzle, untangle the enigma, or crowdsource some creativity? Think you’ve got the perfect idea for an ASPIRE workshop bubbling away in your brain? Then we want to hear from you! 

We are welcoming submissions from all corners of the Waipapa Taumata Rau community. If you think you’ve got what it takes to host a 1-hour workshop at ASPIRE – twice – then step right up, this is your moment to give it a go! 

ASPIRE 2025 Workshop submissions are now open!  

2025 theme: HIKITIA | ELEVATE

Are you ready to take the next step, to challenge yourself, to elevate yourself and others?

Hikitia | Elevate signifies growth, innovation and the pursuit of excellence. It encourages us to rise to new challenges, improve our skills, and to think beyond our current roles, envisioning new possibilities for ourselves and for Waipapa Taumata Rau. It is all about taking what you’ve built, what you’ve learned, what you know, and what you do, and taking it to the next level! It is about driving your own development by using the resources around you and drawing on the strengths of your peers and teams.

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei

Seek the treasure which you value dearly. If you should bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.

This whakataukī challenges us to pursue our dreams and goals, to persevere through adversity and only slow down if the obstacle is truly great. It sets a wero (challenge) to think about goals, barriers, desires and aspirations. It encourages us to step up and to elevate those around us.

Hikitia | Elevate has 3 streams:

Elevate your…Career

Do you have insights to share about skills development, career planning or crafting, identifying and building on strengths, growth, adapting to career change – planned or unexpected, how to have meaningful career conversations, or making network-boosting connections? This is your stream!

Elevate your…Storytelling

If you love weaving a yarn or two and think you have something others would find useful, this stream is for you! Think creativity in the workplace, communication skills, influencing skills, success stories (how did you, your team, or a team you admire do it?), how to find your own story, narratives surrounding our communities and how to ensure the great ones get airtime, tips on how we can better share stories across Waipapa Taumata Rau.

Elevate your…Wellbeing

Could you show others how you’ve elevated YOUR wellbeing? Perhaps you have found that elusive work-life balance, survived change, worked on your EQ or made successful healthy lifestyle changes. Are you knowledgeable about accessibility in the workplace, digital wellbeing, staying safe online, using AI to make the most of your time, supporting others facing challenges, or promoting resilience?

When writing your workshop submission abstract, please think about the following:  

– How does your workshop relate to the conference theme and stream? 
– What do you want people to think or feel after attending your workshop? 
– How will you structure the session? What will happen?”
– How will you break the ice with your audience?
– What equipment and/or space do you think you will need?

If you have any questions you’d like answered before you submit, please email aspireconference@auckland.ac.nz. 

Submissions close: Thursday, 24 April 2025

Submission Results Notified: Friday, 9 May 2025

Conference date: Tuesday, 1 July 2025