The 2026 National Conference for Regional, Rural and Remote Education (NCRRRE) will bring together educators, researchers, policymakers and community leaders from across Australia to explore innovative approaches to strengthening education in regional, rural and remote communities.
This year’s conference will feature two outstanding keynote speakers whose diverse experiences and perspectives promise to challenge thinking, inspire action and spark meaningful conversations.
Conor Ashleigh: Harnessing the Power of Storytelling
Award-winning documentary filmmaker, photographer and storyteller Conor Ashleigh has spent more than a decade travelling to over 65 countries, working alongside communities and organisations including the Red Cross, UNICEF, World Vision, the World Bank and the World Health Organization.
Through his photography and filmmaking, Conor has dedicated his career to sharing authentic, strengths-based stories that place people at the centre of their own narratives. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Le Monde and Al Jazeera, earning international recognition for its ability to capture the diversity of human experience and the importance of place.
In his keynote presentation, Conor will explore how storytelling can become a powerful and practical tool within education. He believes every community has stories worth telling and that educators already possess the ability to uncover and share these stories—they simply need the confidence and framework to do so.
Delegates will discover how storytelling can amplify community voices, strengthen relationships, foster belonging and create lasting impact, while encouraging a more ethical, accessible and engaging approach to communication within schools and communities.
Robert Mitchell: Reimagining Education for the Future
Joining the conference from the United States, Associate Professor Robert Mitchell from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs brings more than two decades of experience spanning classroom teaching, educational leadership, teacher preparation and rural education research.
Robert’s work focuses on one of the most pressing issues facing education systems worldwide—building sustainable, high-quality education for rural and remote communities. Alongside his academic work, he continues to teach in rural schools experiencing teacher shortages, ensuring his research remains grounded in the realities faced by educators every day.
His keynote, Bypassing the QWERTY of Education, will challenge delegates to reconsider long-held assumptions about schooling. While acknowledging that today’s students have greater access to knowledge than ever before, Robert argues that many education systems continue to operate using structures and practices designed for another era.
Through this thought-provoking presentation, delegates will be encouraged to critically examine teaching practices, student engagement and school design to ensure education continues to evolve and meet the needs of learners well into the mid-21st century.
Together, Conor Ashleigh and Robert Mitchell offer two complementary perspectives on the future of education. While Conor demonstrates the transformative power of authentic storytelling to strengthen communities and celebrate local voices, Robert challenges educators to rethink the systems and structures that shape learning in regional, rural and remote settings.
Their keynote presentations will set the tone for a conference dedicated to innovation, collaboration and practical solutions for improving educational outcomes across Australia.
Join us at NCRRRE 2026 to hear from these internationally recognised speakers and connect with educators committed to shaping a stronger future for regional, rural and remote education.
