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EXpand your conversations at Converge

Are you ready to EXperience something new? Converge is here to EXcite and inspire you with its free online meetups. As a valued member of academyEX, you’re invited to join us for some EXhilarating conversations and collaboration opportunities.

Converge is our secret sauce, our sweet spot where we bring together staff, alumni, and partners from different programmes and faculties. It’s the perfect platform to EXpand your horizons and connect with a diverse community. At no cost, except your time.

Free
Online
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Hero-Converge

Hosted by us, open to all

Although we host these meetups, it is open to be run by whoever wants to share and contribute. It is your place, as learners and alumni, engaged in change and innovation in your projects, your communities and your workplaces, to bring ideas, projects or challenges.

If you have an idea, project or challenge you want to sound out with one of the Converge communities, this is your forum to do that.

Whether it is half-baked or nearly done, we welcome you to join in and share.

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Converge is an ideal place to have robust discussion amongst a group of curious, open minded critical thinkers to get feedback, ask questions, seek input or hear alternative viewpoints. It is non-hierarchical and democratised; everyone (and no one) is both teacher and learner. And it is completely free. We have not one, not two, but three EXciting Converges, and we’d love to have you on board. Our topics are as EXceptional as you are, so take your pick:

EDT Converge (Emerging and Disruptive Technologies): EXplore the impact of disruptive technologies on our lives and how we can use them for positive change. Held fortnightly on Tuesdays starting at 7.30am until 8.30am

Combined Converge (EDT & Change and Leadership): Join us for some EXciting discussions on creating sustainable change through inclusive leadership practices and how emerging technology can support this change. Held on the alternate Tuesdays to EDT Converge starting at 12.30pm until 1.30pm

Rhythm of Converge

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Each Tuesday, we will host an online Converge via zoom. One week it will be the EDT Converge (Emerging and Disruptive Technologies) and the following week it will be the Combined Converge (EDT and Change & Leadership)

The final Converge for the year will be held on Friday, 24 November at a full-day, on-site, electrifying professional research symposium! https://academyex-research-symposium.framer.ai/

Symposium timeline

21 August - call for proposals open

11 September - call for proposals close

2 October - Full programme released

24 November - aEX Converge Research Symposium

Upcoming Schedule

29 August Combined @12.30pm 

5 September EDT @7.30am

11 September call for symposium proposals close

12 September Combined @12.30pm

19 September EDT @7.30am

26 September Combined @12.30pm

2 October Full symposium programme released

3 October EDT @7.30am

10 October Combined @12.30pm

17 October EDT @7.30am

24 October Combined @12.30pm

31 October EDT @7.30am

7 November Combined @12.30pm

14 November EDT @7.30am

24 November Converge Research Symposium (ALL DAY on-site)

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HOW IT WORKS

EXpect to have fun

No matter which Converge you choose, we guarantee you’ll find it totally EXhilarating. To register your interest, simply click here and let us know which Converges you’re keen on. We’ll send you an invite straight to your inbox, so you never miss out on any EXciting conversations.

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Join

Be a part of an EXclusive community.

EXpect to have fun, learn something new, and be part of an EXclusive community. The more informal and organic Converge can be, the more genuine the conversation and engagement will occur. That is the idea. But to be worth everyone’s valuable time, there is some structure. We open and close with a karakia, to bring everyone together into the shared space, and release them at the end - anyone can put their hand up to lead this. If you want to pose a question to the community, let Judy know here. Come with an open mind, and a willingness to engage as much as you are comfortable with. See you at Converge!

House rules: creating a safe yet robust discussion space

Converge is designed to facilitate more opportunities for critical engagement with your community. The critical engagement component is core to this – we want this to help shine light on blind spots, open up perspectives and instil a practice of systems and impact thinking. But the approach must still align with our Te Ara Kotihi principles and values, underpinned by manaaki, rangatiratanga, pono and ako.To achieve this, we’ve set some house rules. Joining the Converge community requires you agree to these.

Respect others:

Interactions must be respectful and constructive. If you don’t agree with points made, you are welcome to voice your opinion but it must come with genuine intent to educate and enlighten.

Share to support growth of mindsets:

If you are sharing ideas or information to support another’s idea, be open with your contribution. Use appreciative inquiry questions to promote curiosity and open thinking. If you’re receiving input or feedback, do your best to keep an open mind to the contributions.

Share for the purpose of positive development:

This is not a forum to promote existing commercial products or services. It’s about ideation, the development journey and exploration of possibilities for wide reaching impact.

Be commercially sensitive:

To provide a safe space to share ideas, there is an understanding and a virtual handshake that any IP shared goes no further than the meet-up session. The forum is to grow and nurture ideas, ethically. If you want to collaborate or provide expertise to a Contributor, you will have the opportunity to make contact directly with them outside of the meet-up session (at the discretion of each Contributor).

EXtraordinary regards, Converge Team