WIL Awards
2026 WIL AWARDS
WIL Award Finalists 2026
On behalf of the WIL Australia national board, the WIL Australia Awards working party, we are pleased to announce the following finalists for the 2026 WIL Australia WIL Awards. The winners will be announced at the WIL for Impact: Partnering for Scalable Practice conference on the 18-20 October in Adelaide.
Congratulations to all the finalists!
The Local Hero Award is awarded to a partner organisation that is a small-medium enterprise (SME:0-199 employees) whose engagement with a university in WIL and whose contribution to the WIL experience of students, is above and beyond the expectation of the size of their organisation. Successful applications will be able to demonstrate how the partner organisation has tailored discipline-related WIL experiences for students that are innovative and industry-relevant. Local Hero award finalists are:
- Keryn Wright, University of Melbourne, GV Physio
- Melissa Pye, University of New South Wales, Forbes Shire Council
- Ronnie Egan, RMIT University, Tangentyere Family Violence Prevention Division
The Collaboration Award is awarded to a partner organisation that is collaborating with a university to provide a sustained and significant contribution to WIL. Applications will be able to demonstrate how partner organisations have fostered and sustained exceptional WIL experiences for their students and provide a description of the nature and extent of an ongoing relationship with your institution, over the past several years. Collaboration award finalists are:
- Bhavani Sridharan, Australian Catholic University, Medibank
- Shelly Hopkins, Queensland University of Technology, Cherbourg Regional Aboriginal & Islander Community Controlled Health Services
- Lloyd England, RMIT University, Anika Legal
The Innovation and Excellence Award recognises an institution/individual who demonstrates quality and innovative WIL practices across a diverse range of disciplines, models and methods. This application can be submitted as an institution, individual or partnership between institution and industry partner. Innovation and Excellence Award finalists are:
- Elise Ryan, Charles Sturt University, CSU: Part-time WIL for rural Bachelor Nursing students
- Dima Nasrawi, Southern Cross University, SCU: Student managed initiative in lifestyle education team
- Andrew Kidals, University of New South Wales, UNSW business school
We thank all nominees and wish them the very best. We look forward to celebrating the winners and finalists at the 2026 WIL Australia Conference.
2024 Award Winners
Local Hero Award
Winner: Humanitarian Advisory Group (HAG) – nominated by RMIT University
The Humanitarian Advisory Group – nominated by Vandra Harris Agisilaou from RMIT university, is a purpose-driven social enterprise – with connections to United Nations, international NGOs, the Red Cross, and numerous global networks. Their extensive network affords interns from numerous universities an understanding of the working complexity of the humanitarian sector in Australia and internationally.
- Beaufort and Skipton Health Service – nominated by University of Melbourne
- The Digital Guide – nominated by the University of Southern Queensland
Collaboration Award
Winner: NSW Health Agency for Clinical Innovation (ACI) – nominated by University of Tasmania
- Cisco – Innovation Central – nominated by University of Canberra and Curtin University
- Lort Smith Animal Hospital- nominated by Melbourne Polytechnic / La Trobe University
Innovation and Excellence Award
- University of Melbourne – nominated by Timothy Beaumont
- Deakin University Business School – nominated by Pete Williams
- University of Technology Sydney – nominated by Gillian Smith
People’s Choice Award
Winner: UniSA Business Networking Events: Scaling Collaborative Partnerships – Daryl McMahon – University of South Australia
Left to Right: Daryl McMahon, Jamil Ameen, Lesa Hudson, Dr Zhifang Wu, Emma Lee, Emma Verrall, Ben Evans.
Finalists:
- Unlocking Australia’s Potential: The Monash Innovation Guarantee is shaping the next generation of leaders through WIL – Susie Ho, Monash University
- Innovative WIL: Co-creating and embedding a WIL simulation to develop employability – Jennifer Ruskin, Macquarie University
- Keep on “WIL-ggling” – scaffolded and scalable online WIL with a heart – Kim Burley, University of South Australia
- The icare and UTS Business School WIL Partnership: Delivering Positive Social Impact for the Community of NSW – Rosemary Sainty, UTS Business School
Honorary Life Membership
Honorary Life membership recognises significant service and contribution to Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in Australia and or internationally in areas of practice, pedagogy or research.
Anne Younger
Left to Right: Anne Younger and Judie Kay
Anne has made a significant and sustained strategic contribution to advancing WIL practice and policy nationally. Anne’s leadership, vision and commitment to the transformative role WIL can play and her proactive work through the AiGroup has enhanced the practice of WIL nationally for all stakeholders. Anne’s numerous contributions include: driving national WIL strategies, supporting WIL research and resource development and advocating to governments for incentives for SMEs to recognise the time and resources allocated to quality WIL.
Honorary Life Membership
Honorary Life membership recognises significant service and contribution to Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in Australia and or internationally in areas of practice, pedagogy or research.
Franziska Trede
Left to Right: Franziska Trede and Denise Jackson
Franziska has made a significant contribution to WIL domestically and internationally through learning and teaching, research, and service to work integrated learning. Franziska was the President of ACEN in 2021 and 2022 and remained on the Board of ACEN as Immediate Past President in 2023. Franziska has an impressive research record across multiple academic disciplines from Science, Health, and Engineering to the Creative Arts. Her WIL leadership through ACEN and beyond has ensured an ongoing focus on equity, and inclusiveness practices through quality WIL initiatives.
2022 Award Winners
On behalf of the ACEN national board, the ACEN Awards committee are pleased to announce the following winners and finalists for the 2022 ACEN WIL Awards. The winners were announced at the Beyond 2022: Creating the Future with WIL conference dinner on the 24th October, 2022 in Melbourne.
Congratulations to all finalists!
Local Hero Award
The Local Hero Award is awarded to a partner organisation that is a small-medium enterprise (SME:0-199 employees) whose engagement with an institution through WIL and whose contribution to the WIL experience of students, is above and beyond the expectation of the size of their organisation.
Winner: DataSauce – nominated by RMIT University
DataSauce is a fast-growing digital marketing agency based in Melbourne. Since their inception, DataSauce has partnered with RMIT to provide university students a Work Integrated Learning (WIL) program that aims to challenge, excite and mentor students in a supportive environment. Collaboration consists of internship experiences through the intensive WIL DataSauce Academy Program, paid roles, partnered projects, presenting to students as guest speakers and a leadership role as part of the RMIT Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) for the Master of Communication. Following their internship, Datasauce has subsequently offered ongoing employment to many RMIT students. This recognition is testament to DataSauce’s incredible commitment to nurturing emerging talent and providing a highly valuable and structured learning experience.
Finalists:
- Micro X Ltd. – nominated by Flinders University
- The Society Inc by Sibella Court – nominated by Torrens University Australia
Collaboration Award
The Collaboration Award is awarded to a partner organisation that is collaborating with an institution to provide a sustained and significant contribution to WIL.
Winner: Department of Families, Fairness and Housing – nominated by LaTrobe University
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing has been involved in WIL for over 15 years. This award nomination was a focus on a unique initiative that broadened the scope of students eligible for placements. In 2012, DFFH approached Latrobe University (LTU) School of Psychological Science about developing a partnership offering undergraduate psychology students WIL experiences specifically for them. DFFH has now provided 423 LTU psychology students with high-quality WIL experiences. The initiative has increased the pipeline of suitably qualified graduates in critical human services professions such as Child Protection in metropolitan and rural areas.
Finalists:
- Nestle – nominated by the University of Sydney
- Thales Australia – nominated by University of Technology Sydney
Innovation and Excellence Award
The Innovation and Excellence Award recognises quality and innovative WIL practices across a diverse range of disciplines, models and methods. The publication of a WIL case study on the ACEN website constitutes a submission for the award.
Winner:
- Town Camp Architecture Studio – Dr Chris Tucker, University of Newcastle, Michael Klerck, Denise Foster, Anna Flouris, and Vanessa Napaltjarri Davis, Tangentyere Council
Finalists:
- Griffith Tax Clinic: Engaging and assisting the community to reduce the fear of tax – Professor Brett Freudenberg and Dr Melissa Belle Isle, Griffith University
- The Marketing Clinic: Work Integrated Learning in a student-led community clinic – Vivien Chanana and Professor John Dawes, University of South Australia
Honorary Life Membership
Honorary Life membership recognises significant service and contribution to Work Integrated Learning (WIL) in Australia and or internationally in areas of practice, pedagogy or research.
Sonia Ferns