Sustainable assessment has been defined as "assessment that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of students to meet their own future learning needs" (Boud, 2000, p. 152). Along the same lines, assessment for future learning is about "Developing students' ability to make increasingly sophisticated judgments about their learning [or the quality of their work]" (Boud and Falchikov, 2007, p. 186). Self-assessment and peer-assessment have been described in the literature as one of the key ways to work towards these goals.

The following projects have as a common theme the concept of designing assessment that prepares students to be meet their own future learning needs. Lotte Latukefu, Lecturer in singing in the Faculty of Creative Arts at the University of Wollongong and Mathew Oates, Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences at La Trobe University, have worked collaboratively with students to implement and evaluate peer and self assessment in undergraduate students.

Glyn Thomas, Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Excellence in Outdoor and Environmental Education at La Trobe University and Holly Tootell, Lecturer in Information Systems and Technology at the University of Wollongong, have been working closely with other academic staff to encourage them to review their assessment procedures and find ways to make them more sustainable and future-learning oriented.

The findings of each of the projects reflect issues that affect both teachers and students in the tertiary context and are therefore very relevant to the researcher practitioner who is seeking to prepare their students for a future outside of the classroom.

Assessment strategies provide a 'driver' for the learner's approach to learning (deep versus surface) as well as a tool for measurement of performance. A critical characteristic of assessment is the alignment of assessment strategies/methods with educational aims and expected outcomes. Learning outcomes for law, nursing and occupational hygiene students require assessment tasks which demonstrate the learners' ability to integrate synthesise and apply knowledge in a way which demonstrates a deep understanding of concepts. To explore this link, Elizabeth Handsley, Associate Professor in Law at Flinders University, Steve Parker, Associate Dean (Academic) in Nursing & Midwifery at Flinders University, and Alison Bell, Lecturer in Occupational Health and Safety, University of Wollongong, are developing methods to evaluate and improve the alignment between assessment and course aims/outcomes.

Each of these projects takes a unique but complementary approach to exploring these themes. The results of these approaches will be applicable to all disciplines within higher education.

The teaching environment in higher education includes the formal structures of the university, as well as the culture and attitudes of staff. These factors are known to have profound effects on student learning (Ramsden, 2003) and on staff willingness to undertake improvements in teaching (Scott, 2008). Previous research has shown clear links between inappropriate and/or excessive assessment demands and the quality of student learning. Some universities are looking to new and creative ways of assessing student learning, with a view towards better alignment of assessment tasks with the expectations of the workplace. Changes to assessment are likely to require a cultural shift in staff understanding through firstly recognising that aligned assessment practices are of critical importance, followed by raising awareness of what is meant by good practice, and how it can be achieved.

The following projects share a concern with the teaching environment from the global structures that support and assess practice to the provision of good resources that support teaching in the classroom. Ana Maria Ducasse, Spanish Program Co-ordinator at La Trobe University, Jeffrey Barnes, Senior Lecturer in Law at La Trobe University and Michael Bull, Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Flinders University are developing tools and strategies to assist staff to effectively review assessment in their curriculum. Liz Johnson, Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry at La Trobe University and Jamie Quinton, Senior Lecturer in Physics from Flinders University are investigating staff attitudes to assessment in science. Mark Loves, Senior Lecturer in Criminology from University of Wollongong is preparing a toolbox to promote student skills development and facilitate delivery of support services to students.

Each of these projects is seeking a practical solution to preparing staff for rapid change in university curriculum. The successful strategies will be tailored for the local university environment or disciplinary context but also provide indicators of the challenges for curriculum change across higher education.