This term marks the official launch of Change in Action 2025 at Queensland Academies Health Sciences Campus. Our Year 10 students are diving into an exciting research collaboration with Griffith University's Australian Centre for Precision Health and Technology (PRECISE), exploring how precision healthcare can alleviate pressure on Australia's health system.
Working in teams, students are tasked with designing cost-effective and impactful solutions to improve the lives of ageing Australians living with musculoskeletal or neurological conditions. Their innovative concepts may involve digital health tools, physical activity interventions, community outreach programs, or healthcare service redesign - whichever pathway best meets the needs they identify through research.
Throughout the term, students will be mentored by PhD and post-doctoral researchers from Griffith University. These expert mentors will guide students through a structured framework of inquiry, research and innovation. Each team will present their final proposals at the Change in Action Showcase on the 11th September, to be held within the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.
We extend our sincere thanks to Associate Professors Claudio Pizzolato and Laura Diamond, who co-designed this year's challenge and served as keynote speakers at our launch event this week. Their pioneering work through PRECISE and GCORE - including the acclaimed Project BioSpine, which seeks to restore movement after spinal cord injury, has been a profound source of inspiration for our cohort.
Change in Action is more than a research project; it's a platform for turning knowledge into impact. By working on authentic, real-world health challenges, our students are learning how to develop purposeful, research-driven solutions and communicate their ideas with confidence.
The 2025 program is proudly supported by the Department of Education International through the Growing Global Competence Fund, which encourages young people to think globally and act locally as they create solutions with lasting community benefit.
Dion Obst
HOD Global Connect