2025 WISE Residential

System leaders are invited to the WISE Residential 2025. Plan for 2026 and network with peers, thought leaders and Department of Education executives.

Why attend WISE Residential?

We Inspire System Excellence (WISE) Residential is the cornerstone event, as part of the 8-month WISE: System Leaders Program facilitated by Dr Simon Breakspear.

• Develop knowledge and understanding of system leadership and collective accountability to influence and lead networks
• Reflect and plan network objectives to lead the network in 2026
• Network with system leaders, thought leaders and executives.

Facilitators and speakers

More speakers to be announced. 

Workshops will also be facilitated by the Academy’s Principals in Residence and network leaders.

Audience

Designed for Victorian government system leaders:

• network chairs
• senior education improvement leaders
• executive directors of school performance
• area executive directors
• regional directors.

Structure

Over 2 days, participants will:

• hear from senior departmental representatives and thought leaders
• participate in workshops facilitated by Academy Principals in Residence
• plan their network activities for 2026 with regional executives
• connect and network with peers, senior government executives, thought leaders and Academy staff.

Venue and travel

Academy's East Melbourne centre, located at 41 St Andrews Place. Please refer to the Academy website for information on public transport and parking.

• Public transport and parking information

Accommodation and subsidies

There are several hotels that are within walking distance to the venue. An accommodation subsidy is also available to selected participants, please refer to the document below for more information.

WISE System Leaders program

We Inspire System Excellence (WISE) aims to inspire and develop leadership excellence within the system and to support the achievement of improvement goals across Victoria’s 57 regional networks.

The WISE: System Leaders program provides professional learning, development and support for system leaders – including network chairs, senior education improvement leaders and network executives – to facilitate networks, collaborate with other schools and improve student outcomes across Victoria.

The program aims to create a consistent focus on collaborative effort for improvement in all networks and schools to meet Education State targets. Networks are supported to use the Network Development Roadmap through the WISE program. The roadmap outlines the strategies for actively building and sustaining relational trust within a network. These strategies are grouped under 3 elements (establish, build and amplify) and 6 components of network development.

The program runs over 8 months and is by invitation only.