Distributed Leadership that Supports Academic Integrity in Higher Education: Perspectives from Diverse Leaders

24 July 2026

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This presentation reports on a commissioned project developed jointly by CAULLT and the Australasian Academic Integrity Network examining how distributed leadership supports academic integrity across Australasian higher education. While academic integrity is increasingly understood as a shared responsibility across institutions, educators, professional staff, and students, the practical realities of leading this work are often complex. In many cases, staff without formal senior leadership roles are required to influence policy, practice, assessment design, and institutional responses to emerging challenges such as contract cheating and generative artificial intelligence. Drawing on survey data and focus groups with diverse academic integrity leaders, this project explores how these leaders navigate barriers, build credibility, and influence wider institutional ecosystems within a system that both enables and constrains their practice.

Speakers

Prof Bernie Marshall is an Emeritus Professor in the Office of the DVCA at Deakin. He was previously the Dean of Students at Deakin, where he had responsibility for leadership in a range of areas, including academic integrity. Before that, he was the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) in the Faculty of Health for over eight years and the Chair of the Faculty of Health Academic Progress and Discipline Committee for a total of about 15 years. He established the AAIN in 2020 after a number of staff at the 2019 TEQSA conference indicated interest in networking with peers in academic integrity policy, practice and research. He continues to coordinate of the work of the Network.

Dr Dianne Stratton-Maher is a Senior Nursing Lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland. A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), she is recognised for excellence in teaching and for her innovative integration of artificial intelligence into nursing education.

Associate Professor. Ashokkumar (Ashok) Manoharan is a Senior Academic Integrity Officer in the College of Business, Creative Arts, Law and Social Sciences at Flinders University. He served as the inaugural convener of the Academic Integrity Community of Practice (2024–2025) and researches the development of academic integrity culture in higher education institutions.

Holly Randell-Moon is an Associate Professor in Indigenous Studies at Charles Sturt University. She researches artificial intelligence, digital technologies, and the knowledge economy and their impact on teaching in the tertiary sector.

Associate Professor Alex Whittaker is a teaching‑ and research‑focused academic at Adelaide University. Her educational research sits at the intersection of generative AI and academic integrity, with particular interest in assessment design, integrity‑by‑design approaches, and supporting ethical student engagement with emerging technologies.

Professor Nina Fotinatos currently serves as the Deputy, Pro Vice Chancellor Learning and Teaching at Federation University. She has extensive experience leading professional development initiatives, academic and student focused learning and teaching teams and curriculum and quality assurance initiatives across the university. She is currently the Chair of University Student Misconduct Committee and has a keen interest in governance and leadership towards effective and efficient practice.

Mathew Hillier specialises in Digital Assessment in Higher Education. He has held positions as an advisor and academic developer at Macquarie University, University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, Monash University and University of Adelaide as well as academic teaching roles in areas such as business information systems, multimedia arts and engineering project management. He is currently co-chair of the international ‘Transforming Assessment’ webinar series as the e-Assessment special interest group under the Australasian society for computers in learning in tertiary education.