Principal

As educators, we are increasingly called to look beyond the immediate horizon and ask deeper questions about the world our young people are entering. How do we prepare students not simply to succeed, but to truly thrive in a future shaped by global connection, rapid technological change and the emergence of artificial intelligence? This question sits at the heart of the current work of the Strategic Alliance of Global Educators (SAGE) and it is why Camberwell Girls Grammar School is proud to host the SAGE 2026 Melbourne Conference from 7-9 September.

SAGE is an international alliance of forward-thinking schools committed to sharing ideas, strengthening professional networks and learning from one another across cultures and systems. Founded in 2012, the alliance brings together innovative schools from around the world with a common purpose: to build a better world through education. Its work is guided by four important strands: Bicultural Education, Digital Education, Experiential Learning and Student Wellbeing. These priorities reflect the belief that education must develop not only knowledge and skills, but also empathy, agency, cultural understanding and a strong sense of purpose.

Camberwell Girls has enjoyed long and meaningful relationships with several SAGE schools for many years. Our sister school partnerships with Nanyang Girls’ High School in Singapore and Shanghai No. 3 Girls’ High School in China date back to 2001, well before our formal membership of SAGE. For many years, these relationships supported reciprocal exchanges, school visits and student tours, creating lasting opportunities for our students to experience learning, friendship and cultural connection.

In 2016, I was invited by Nanyang Girls’ High School to attend the SAGE Conference at The Perse School in Cambridge, where Camberwell Girls was considered for membership. We were delighted to be accepted into the alliance, and since then our involvement has continued to grow. Staff and students have participated in conferences, online collaborations, research projects, student leadership initiatives and international learning exchanges. From Project Passport and the Empower Agents of Change Leadership Global Conference to Learning Alliance Beyond Borders and student buddy programs, our community has benefited from the generosity, curiosity and ambition of the SAGE network.

These opportunities matter because they help our students see themselves as part of something larger than their own school or local community. They learn to listen to different perspectives, collaborate across borders and consider the shared challenges facing young people around the world. For teachers, SAGE provides a valuable professional network where schools can exchange practice, explore emerging educational priorities and challenge one another to think boldly about the future of learning.

It is therefore a great privilege for Camberwell Girls to welcome SAGE delegates to Melbourne in September 2026. The conference theme asks: How do we prepare young people to not simply succeed, but to truly thrive in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence? This is one of the most important questions facing educators today. At a time when technological change is reshaping learning, work and human agency, schools must remain deeply human places where excellence and wellbeing align, where innovation is guided by ethical judgement, and where students are supported to develop identity, purpose and hope.

Across the three days, delegates will hear from leading global thinkers including Valerie Hannon, from the UK, Emeritus Professor Sandra Milligan and Professor Therese Keane, and will take part in practical workshops and school-based sharing. The program will explore thriving in an AI-rich world, the future of competencies, new ways of recognising learning, emerging technologies, and the importance of professional judgement, creativity and ethical decision-making. We are also delighted that the conference will begin with a Cultural Immersion Day on Wurundjeri Country at Healesville Sanctuary, guided by Murrundindi, offering delegates a rich and grounded beginning to our time together.

Hosting SAGE is both an honour and a responsibility. It allows us to showcase the work of Camberwell Girls, but more importantly, it enables us to contribute to a global conversation about the kind of education our young people need now. We know that the future will require adaptable, compassionate and courageous learners who can work with technology without losing sight of what it means to be human.

I look forward to welcoming our SAGE colleagues to Camberwell Girls in September and to the conversations, connections and shared learning that will follow. In doing so, we continue a long tradition of international friendship and educational collaboration, while looking with optimism and purpose towards the future our students will help to shape.

With best wishes

Debbie Dunwoody
Principal