Every year, ECAs of ANU come together to discuss the challenges they are facing and the skills and support they need most to have satisfying careers. Featuring direct collegial discussions with the University Executive, including the Vice-Chancellor.

This year, the NECTAR Forum (previously known as the NECTAR Retreat) was held on 24–25 July at the National Museum of Australia. 124 ECAs from all ANU Colleges registered for this free event.

"The enthusiasm of organisers, speakers and participants was inspiring."

"I found the Forum very helpful in identifying opportunities, challenges and contacts which are relevant to being an ECA."

Program highlights

• Roundtable discussions with Professor Brian Schmidt, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), and Professor Grady Venville, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education).
• Workshop on incorporating Indigenous sensitive/inclusive pedagogy in curricula.
• Research presentation on ECA employability beyond academia.
• Panel discussion on job security with Professor Mike Calford, Provost, and representatives from major federal funding bodies.
• Panel discussion on sexual harassment, misconduct and inequity at the university with Associate Professor Keturah Whitford, Dean of Staff, and a representative from Universities Australia.
• Workshop on resilience and what to do when things go wrong.
• World Café discussions about teaching practices, challenges facing ECAs, research translation and external partner engagement, the ECA Survey 2019 and many more.

Outcomes

• Professor Brian Schmidt, Vice-Chancellor, agreed to work with NECTAR on issues affecting ECAs at ANU. He invited NECTAR to propose a list of seven projects of which he will choose three. NECTAR's list of seven projects will be discussed on 16 August, 12–1pm, at Fellows Cafe. All members of NECTAR are invited to come (free lunch for the first 20 ECAs to arrive).
• At the AGM, NECTAR approved NECTAR's definition of ECAs and agreed to change NECTAR's leadership structure. Please see Minutes NECTAR AGM 2018 for details.
• At the World Café, topics of relevance to ECAs were discussed and potential recommendations for change collected. Please see World Café Report for details.