Victoria University - Footscray Park Campus
Melbourne, Australia
14 - 15 November 2025
Victoria University will host Contemporary Perspectives in Early Childhood (Co-PEC) International Conference 2025 on Friday November 14th & Saturday November 15th, at the Footscray Park Campus in Melbourne, Australia.
The primary theme of the conference is Contemporary Perspectives in Early Childhood Education. With the aim of sharing and grasping new evidence-based knowledge and research-based practice, the conference provides a platform for researchers, academics and early childhood practitioners, educational policymakers and other stakeholders to present their research, learn about contemporary issues in early childhood education, and network with and within the ECE communities.
Conference date:
14 - 15 November 2025
Abstract Submission deadline:
29 August 2025
Acceptance confirmation:
5 September 2025
Early Bird Registration deadline for Presenters & Attendees:
25 September 2025
Final Registration deadline for Presenters:
30 September 2025
Final Registration deadline for Attendees:
31 October 2025
Conference Committee invites submissions of papers focused on Contemporary perspectives in Early Childhood Education, with a special interest in the following sub-themes:
We are seeking sponsorship from funding organisations, philanthropic bodies, government organisations, ECE providers, educational institutions, and professional associations.
Prof Laura Bronstein is Dean of the College of Community and Public Affairs, Distinguished Professor of Social Work, and Founding Director of Binghamton University Center for Community Schools. Read more.
Ms. Sonia Chin is the President of the Sabah Kindergarten Association, Malaysia, and Principal of Likas Baptist Kindergarten, which has served the community for over 40 years with a focus on holistic and values-based education. Read more.
Professor Kim Cornish AM, PhD, FASSA, is Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Professorial Research Fellow at Victoria University and Founding Director of the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University. Read more.
Changing Practices and Paradigms in Early Childhood Education: From Vision to Practice
University-assisted community schools: An interdisciplinary, international movement to promote equity and transform education for young children and their families.
Growing Minds, Changing Worlds: Transforming Early Childhood Through Research
Join researchers, practitioners and policymakers — 14–15 November 2025, Footscray Park, Melbourne.
8:00am – 9:00am
Registration
9:00am – 4:30pm
Conference Sessions
8:30am – 9:00am
Registration
9:00am – 4:00pm
Conference Sessions
4:00pm – 4:30pm
Closing Performance
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Connect with VU Melbourne
We acknowledge the Ancestors, Elders and families of the Kulin Nation (Melbourne Campuses), the Eora Nation (Sydney Campus) and the Yulara/YUgarapul and Turrbal Nation (Brisbane Campus) who are the traditional owners of University land.
To learn more, please contact the Moondani Balluk Academic Unit on +61 3 9919 2836 or [email protected]
Copyright © 2025. Victoria University, CRICOS No. 00124K (Melbourne), 02475D (Sydney and Brisbane), RTO 3113, TEQSA No. PRV12152
Ms. Sonia Chin is the President of the Sabah Kindergarten Association, Malaysia, and Principal of Likas Baptist Kindergarten, which has served the community for over 40 years with a focus on holistic and values-based education.
She holds a Master in Education from the University of Malaya and a Degree in Early Childhood Education from the Bethlehem Institute of Education, New Zealand. With over 20 years of experience, she is respected for her leadership and dedication. Passionate about children’s learning and thinking, she advocates strongly for child protection and leads Sabah’s Child Protection Initiative. She has lectured in child development and management and is currently developing environmental education materials for young learners, promoting fun and lifelong learning
Prof Laura Bronstein is Dean of the College of Community and Public Affairs, Distinguished Professor of Social Work, and Founding Director of Binghamton University Center for Community Schools.
Laura has published over seventy peer-reviewed research articles and chapters, two books, led teams awarded over twenty million dollars in federal, state and foundation grants, and been the recipient of national and local awards. She has an international reputation for her research on collaboration including having created the widely used Index for Interdisciplinary Collaboration.
Laura has built Binghamton University’s Center for Community Schools into an internationally renowned entity and is currently leading its adaptation across the state, nation and globe. In 2024 Laura was cited among the top 2% of scholars in her field in the world in the Stanford World Scientist and University Rankings.
The groundwork for community schools began at the turn of the 20th century, modeled after settlement houses in London and the U.S., and John Dewey’s argument for “the school as social center”. Community schools provide an integrated focus on child, family and community whereby what occurs outside the classroom is understood to be as important as what occurs inside. To address this, community schools mobilize out-of-classroom supports so that all youth can succeed, whatever their family’s assets and/or challenges. Examples of these supports include before, after and summer school programming; physical and mental health services; family engagement; mentoring; and more. The first step is a needs assessment so that supports are individually tailored to the unique needs of each school community. University-assisted community schools (UACS), a concept developed at the University of Pennsylvania, utilize institutions of higher education as lead partners in community schools, mobilizing the resources of colleges and universities to support and lead community schools.
This presentation will highlight how UACS can be a strategy for any institution of higher education to transform education in their local neighborhoods. Specific examples of roles of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and administrators in supporting UACS will be given; and short and long-term outcomes of UACS will be shared. The development, implementation, and evaluation of this effort at Binghamton University’s Center for Community Schools will be delineated as a case example in upstate New York, with a specific focus on our family engagement work with young children and their families.
Educational practices in early childhood have evolved through various paradigms, each with unique approaches and goals. Navigating these changes requires conscious, intentional efforts involving the alignment of the three key 'P's—philosophy, policy, and practice. Successful paradigm shifts depend on collaboration among key stakeholders: educators, policymakers, families, and communities. In Malaysia, early childhood education has seen notable progress, but challenges remain, including inconsistent implementation and resource limitations. Reflecting on our current position is essential; understanding our successes and gaps helps shape a clearer vision for the future. Only by recognizing where we stand can we plan effectively for where we aim to go, ensuring that reforms are relevant, inclusive, and sustainable in shaping young learners' development.
Professor Kim Cornish AM, PhD, FASSA, is Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Professorial Research Fellow at Victoria University and Founding Director of the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Monash University. An award-winning educator and researcher, she pioneers evidence-based interventions to support early cognition, mental health, and neurodiverse learners, translating research into practical strategies that foster resilience, inclusion, and improved learning outcomes. With over three decades of international experience across the UK, Canada, and Australia, she has led transformative initiatives in education, mental health, and community programs. Author of The Post-Pandemic Child, Professor Cornish’s work advances understanding of early cognition and wellbeing and empowers educators, families, and communities to create thriving, inclusive, and resilient early childhood environments.
Educational practices in early childhood have evolved through various paradigms, each with unique approaches and goals. Navigating these changes requires conscious, intentional efforts involving the alignment of the three key 'P's—philosophy, policy, and practice. Successful paradigm shifts depend on collaboration among key stakeholders: educators, policymakers, families, and communities. In Malaysia, early childhood education has seen notable progress, but challenges remain, including inconsistent implementation and resource limitations. Reflecting on our current position is essential; understanding our successes and gaps helps shape a clearer vision for the future. Only by recognizing where we stand can we plan effectively for where we aim to go, ensuring that reforms are relevant, inclusive, and sustainable in shaping young learners' development.