Leading the next generation of learning

Eager to become an Illawarra local, Professor Helen Partridge arrived in Wollongong before her official start date, keen to immerse herself in the community’s warmth.

Without a car yet, she took the bus from Coledale, striking up a conversation with a young shop assistant in Wollongong who turned out to be a UOW student. The student’s enthusiasm was infectious. Over the next few weeks, chance encounters – like a taxi driver sharing stories of the campus and Wollongong’s history – convinced Professor Partridge she had found exactly what she was looking for: a place where the university is not just respected but truly loved.  

Joining UOW as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Education) during a challenging time for the sector, Professor Partridge is grounded by her deep connection to the human experience, ensuring the student experience remains central to individual success, academic impact, and the University’s future.

The power of continuous learning

“I grew up in Brisbane in a family that saw education as a pathway to opportunity. My dad was the first-in-his-family to attend university. He moved from rural Charleville, secured a scholarship, became a teacher and then an academic at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) when it was a teacher’s college,” Professor Partridge said.

“As a child, I remember going to campus, spending Christmas break exploring the grounds, meeting all the other academics, attending all the parties, and I loved it. I was in awe of this environment and space for discovery.

“My parents instilled in me and my five siblings that education gives you power, it gives you control and agency over your life. I took his advice a little too literally, I went to university and really haven’t left”, she laughed.

Her parents' belief in the power of learning shaped her early career and continues to fuel her passion for continuous learning and collaboration. As an undergraduate studying psychology, she discovered the transformative impact of education and her love for libraries, which set her on the path to academia.

“I loved learning and psychology, but I couldn’t see myself working in the field,” Professor Partridge said. “I had friends who were librarians, and I had always loved libraries, so I did my graduate diploma in librarianship. Instantly, I found my people. People become librarians because they are passionate about helping people access information, learn and gain agency in their lives and this really resonated with me.”

When the internet emerged, she was captivated by its potential for change. Pursuing a master’s in IT at QUT, guided by her father’s “learn, learn, learn” mantra, she was exposed to research and the academic world. After exploring the globe and backpacking in her 20s, her passion for learning and a drive to serve community brought her back to Australia.

True collaboration

Returning to QUT, she began a part-time PhD and worked as a full-time associate lecturer. Here she grew as an academic, rising to professor, acting associate dean of teaching and learning and head of school (teaching and learning). Throughout her tenure, she deepened her international connections with sabbaticals at the University of Oxford and Harvard University, cementing her global influence in digital learning and information education.

“I loved sharing my expertise in information management and library and information sciences,” Professor Partridge said.

“It gave me a chance to find my feet, understand the climate and see the opportunities within it. I have always loved that my work with industry and The Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) could sit alongside my teaching and research. For me, those three have never been separate. Being called a ‘traditional academic’ because my teaching, research and industry engagement are so tightly woven together really resonated – because I didn’t think there was any other way to do it.”

After more than a decade at QUT, Professor Partridge had discovered her passion for working alongside academics to help students. Seeking a new challenge, she moved to Toowoomba as Pro Vice-Chancellor Education at the University of Southern Queensland, drawn by its commitment to social justice and community engagement.

“Moving into the community was really important to me,” she said.

This experience deepened her belief in universities as powerful agents for empowering diverse communities and inspired her next chapter in leadership, before moving to Melbourne as Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) at Deakin University.

“Arriving in Melbourne in March 2020, I had just one day on campus before COVID lockdown. For two and a half years, my leadership was remote – I had no real sense of campus or student life. It was isolating, but it taught me the profound importance of connection and presence in education.

“Each step of my journey has reinforced my belief that universities can change lives – not just for individuals, but for whole communities. That’s why UOW appealed to me: a strong history of excellence, a bold ambition, and a city where the university truly matters.”

A working partnership

Professor Partridge was drawn to UOW’s legacy and the sense of a regional community where the university is respected. “Within days, Wollongong did not disappoint,” she said.

“Students are my ‘true north’. We don’t do education – we work in partnership on education – working with students and designing experiences together that meet them where they are.”

Helen emphasises that while belonging is vital, the real measure of our success is when students and the staff who support them know that they are valued and that they matter. “Academics are doing a very hard job, and part of my role is to remove unnecessary noise, so they can teach, innovate and to care for students.”

Looking ahead, she’s excited to tackle big questions with colleagues and students: the role of GenAI in learning, and how UOW can blend local impact with a global outlook.

“It's not about top-down leadership,” she said. “It’s about building an ecosystem where everyone shapes the vision together, and my role is to provide the scaffolding to help us move forward as one.”

For now, Professor Partridge says she is in listening mode, walking on campus, talking with students and staff, and settling into life in the Illawarra. “I came to Wollongong for the role, but also for the lifestyle. I am looking forward to the new chapter ahead.”