SESSION OVERVIEW
Australia’s tertiary sector is at a tipping point. Three seismic shifts are reshaping everything we do:
The lasting disruption of COVID-19
The transformational agenda of the Universities Accord
The rapid rise of AI and the redefinition of knowledge itself
This moment demands more than new programs — it demands a new professional identity. Our student cohorts are growing, diversifying, and navigating more complexity than ever. For student experience professionals, this isn’t just a challenge — it’s a call to redesign how we think, act, and lead.
This session explores how we move from reactive delivery to proactive design — and from managing services to shaping experiences that foster belonging, wellbeing, and success.
We’ll unpack:
The student experience model from personal, learner, customer perspectives
CX tools adapted for tertiary: journey maps, emotion mapping, ethnography, and blueprinting
Five shifts from RMIT’s experience strategy: student voice, go-and-see, co-creation, digital transformation, placemaking
The power of real collaboration with student organisations
Global insights from customer experience leaders and higher ed innovators
Expect real-world examples, sector provocations, and practical takeaways. You’ll leave equipped — and energised — to lead the future of student experience.
Session Outcomes
A future-ready model of student experience professional identity
Tools to implement CX practices like journey mapping, persona design, and emotional insight
A real-world roadmap from RMIT’s Student Life transformation
A collaboration checklist for university and student org alignment
Implications of the Australian Universities Accord for student services
Inspiration for transforming our sector in the years to come
PRESENTER
Tim Burdeu is Associate Director of Student Life at RMIT University and a Board Member of the Student Experience Network.
With over two decades of global experience in higher education and student engagement, Tim has led strategic transformation initiatives spanning student wellbeing, sport and recreation, co-curricular leadership, placemaking, and digital innovation. He holds an Executive MBA and is a Graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course.
Tim is passionate about reimagining the role of student experience professionals in a rapidly evolving sector and brings a design-minded, customer-focused approach to shaping inclusive, impactful campus experiences.