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On 5 May 2026, the APC Interprofessional Education (IPE) Colloquium™ brought together more than 160 delegates from over ten health professions to explore how best practice in interprofessional education can be embedded under the 2026 theme Empowering voices: Educating health professionals for respectful and inclusive conversations.
The audience comprised educators, students, policymakers, consumers and health professionals from a range of professions including pharmacy, medicine, nursing, midwifery, optometry, dentistry, psychology, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and health advocacy.
Delegates gathered on Ngunnawal Country, with Ngunnawal Elder Bradley Bell delivering the Welcome to Country.
Professor Sarah Roberts-Thomson, APC Board Chair and Deputy Dean (Academic) in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney, facilitated the day’s proceedings. Reflecting on the importance of interprofessional education as a foundation of modern workforce development, and the sector’s shift from siloed practice to genuine partnership, she stated during her opening remarks:
'Person‑centred care begins with communication that honours the varied experiences and cultures of the people we serve. An event like this reminds us that when we come together across professions, we strengthen not only our own practice but the collective capacity of the health workforce to deliver truly inclusive care.'
This year’s Colloquium brought together 13 speakers representing a wide range of perspectives across academia, research, clinical practice, internships and student leadership. Together, they delivered compelling discussions, case studies and lived‑experience insights aligned with the event theme. Designed to foster cross‑disciplinary dialogue, the one‑day program featured interactive case studies, panel discussions, keynote presentations and cross‑disciplinary sessions showcasing best practice in interprofessional education.
APC CEO Bronwyn Clark closed the event and reflected on a way forward:
'Across the day we heard powerful insights, but with insight comes responsibility. Lived experience speakers reminded us that inclusion is not achieved through listening alone, it requires deliberate, sustained action,' Ms Clark expressed.
'A call for work that is sustainable, incremental and meaningful resonated deeply with me and will guide our efforts at APC. As we celebrate our ninth Colloquium, I’m proud of how this event has grown from a small idea in 2013 into a national forum driving real change in interprofessional education,' concluded Ms Clark.
As the Colloquium drew to a close, the spirit of collaboration that defined the day was captured in a shared outcome statement shaped collectively by delegates.
Read the 2026 IPE Colloquium outcome statement.
Highlights of the 2026 IPE Colloquium were:
Keynote speaker Professor Jennifer Smith‑Merry highlighted the importance of building a supportive ecosystem for people living with mental health disability stating that research has shown that 43% of Australians have experienced a mental illness in their lifetime.
'People's needs and lives cross boundaries. We can’t deal with those in siloes, we need to think about the whole context.'
Mrs Hannah McPierzie shared a candid and deeply personal account of living with NF2 and progressive hearing loss. Her reflections reinforced the importance of accessible communication, thoughtful clinic environments and well‑trained staff.
"Patients are the leaders in communication and health professionals must take the lead from the patient. They can advocate for themselves if they are given the chance'
Dr Rebecca Walters highlighted the gap between classroom learning and the realities of clinical practice and showcased the large‑scale, competency‑based clinical simulation they have developed to recreate authentic workplace conditions that has reduced placement failure rates and strengthened students’ confidence and readiness for practice.
'Instead of asking what the student needs to do or overcome, we should be asking - what does this student bring and how do we design an environment that works for them.'
The 2026 Colloquium featured three EOI presentations, with contributions from physiotherapy, pharmacy and nursing. These sessions demonstrated how educators from multiple disciplines are embedding an interprofessional lens into teaching activities, case studies and learning frameworks.
The panel discussion brought forward a powerful set of shared themes across diverse lived experiences. Panellists spoke to the importance of creating safe, honest spaces for conversation, challenging assumptions, and recognising the power dynamics that shape healthcare interactions. The panel also reinforced the value of co‑design, ensuring initiatives are developed with people with lived experience and the importance of making outcomes accessible so communities can influence change. Above all, they called for practitioners to slow down, listen deeply and engage with patients as human beings, meeting them where they are in their own journeys.
'See the person, not their disability. See the person, not their disease' Panellist Ms Justine Doidge, Hepatits NSW
'Nothing about us, without us'; Panellist Hannah McPierzie
Attendees took part in an interactive workshop that guided them through a series of case studies designed to strengthen their capability for respectful, inclusive conversations with interprofessional colleagues and within workplace settings. The session reinforced the Colloquium’s core message: that empowering voices begins with creating spaces where dialogue is intentional, inclusive and grounded in mutual respect.
Our 2026 Speaker profiles can be found at the IPE Colloquium website.
The 2027 IPE Colloquium event will be held in Sydney in May 2027.