This was the question at the centre of the 2026 Global Futures Challenge: After War, which brought together 150 Â鶹ֱ˛Ą students for an intensive week of interdisciplinary learning, collaboration and problem solving.

Now in its second year, the challenge more than doubled its student participation and introduced a stronger focus on real world conflicts and post conflict contexts.

Students from engineering, international relations, architecture, urban planning, psychology, fashion design, environmental science, commerce, finance, project management, information technology and the social sciences worked in groups across disciplinary boundaries to address 13 complex challenges associated with rebuilding societies after war.

Their work culminated in a public showcase featuring 25 student projects, each proposing an evidence-based response to an issue affecting communities during post conflict recovery.

Projects addressed housing and displacement, economic reconstruction, education, maternal health, prosthetics, political reform, military recruitment, citizen journalism, truth and accountability, and the importance of creating spaces for recreation and joy.

Looking beyond physical reconstruction

Dean of Global Futures Professor Farida Fozdar, a sociologist, highlighted that rebuilding after war required much more than replacing damaged buildings and infrastructure.

It also presented an opportunity to reconsider the systems that shape society, including political representation, economic inequality, press freedom, human rights and psychological recovery.

Students demonstrated remarkable creativity, commitment and technological capability while working outside their usual areas of study.

Throughout the week, they were encouraged to draw on previous post war reconstruction efforts and consider the political, cultural and human realities of the communities connected to their chosen contexts.

“Students will carry the insights, knowledge, skills and creativity gained into their future endeavours,” Professor Fozdar reflected.

“The lessons learned here have the power to effect real world change.”

Learning across disciplines

Students participated in sessions led by academics, humanitarian practitioners from NGOs, journalists, engineers, former defence personnel and professionals with experience in conflict affected regions.

Contributors included a former United Nations peacekeeper, Save the Children representatives working in Gaza, Engineers Australia, SBS, Communicare, the United Nations Association of Australia WA Division and researchers involved in the Art of Peace exhibition.

The program also provided practical development in design thinking, digital innovation, visual presentation, 3D printing, responsible uses of artificial intelligence and communicating ideas to professional audiences.

Â鶹ֱ˛Ą Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne attended the final showcase, where she met with students and explored the projects developed throughout the challenge. She was impressed by the creativity, care and depth of thinking behind the proposals, as well as the students’ ability to respond thoughtfully to complex global issues.

Â鶹ֱ˛Ą Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic, Professor Mark Ogden emphasised the value of bringing students from different disciplines together to learn from one another.

“Everyone across the University coming together to work in multidisciplinary teams is such a wonderful learning opportunity,” Professor Ogden shared.

He connected the challenge to Curtin’s commitment to making tomorrow better by helping students develop the relationships, resilience and open mindedness needed to respond to complex global issues.

Professor Ogden also acknowledged the industry and community partners who contributed their professional and personal experience throughout the program.

“These partnerships play an essential role in equipping our students with the tools for life beyond university and the challenges they will inevitably face,” he noted.

Preparing students for the unknown

Pro Vice Chancellor of Humanities Professor Richard Blythe described the challenge as a different approach to education, one that prepared students to respond to problems without simple or predetermined answers.

Rather than learning only within their individual disciplines, students were required to combine their knowledge with the perspectives and skills of others.

This ability to work collectively was central to responding to uncertain and rapidly changing global challenges.

“You have been learning how to learn from each other,” Professor Blythe told students.

“You have been involved in the very difficult task of building things and trying to imagine, visualise and explain to each other what a better future might look like.”

He encouraged students to move beyond what was already known, drawing on their technical knowledge, creativity and collective experience to imagine new possibilities.

A student perspective

Civil engineering and finance student Angel Moyo initially enrolled in the intensive unit to gain 25 credit points and reduce her workload during the semester.

By the end of the week, however, the experience had given her far more than she expected.

“My thinking has been challenged. I’ve learned to adopt new perspectives and to view problems through a different lens,” Angel reflected.

She spoke about the complexity and fragility of the systems that hold societies together, as well as the impact individual and collective decisions can have on communities.

The experience also strengthened her ability to collaborate, manage disagreements and work with people from different backgrounds and disciplines.

“These are skills I unfortunately never learned in my concrete or steel design units, but skills that I will carry through my degree, my career and probably the rest of my life,” she shared.

For Angel, one of the most important lessons was recognising that learning extended far beyond the classroom.

“Some of the most important lessons come from the people we meet, the experiences we share and the world beyond our own,” she concluded.

“We are forever learning, and that is a privilege.”

Building a better future together

The Global Futures Challenge: After War gave students the opportunity to move beyond theory and apply their knowledge to some of the most difficult questions facing communities around the world.

While no single project could resolve the complexity of post conflict reconstruction, the challenge demonstrated what can happen when students are given the space to listen, collaborate and think boldly.

Through their 25 projects, students considered not only how communities might rebuild, but how they might create societies that are more resilient, inclusive and peaceful. The challenge reinforced that rebuilding after war is not simply about returning to what existed before. It is about imagining what could come next.

Event Gallery

The challenge invites Â鶹ֱ˛Ą students from across disciplines to tackle one of the world’s most pressing questions: what happens after conflict, and how do communities rebuild?

Bringing together students from Engineering, Architecture, International Relations, Project Management, Urban Design and more, the intensive program asks participants to think beyond infrastructure and consider the social, cultural, political and emotional realities of rebuilding futures after war.

Led by Professor Farida Fozdar, Dean of Global Futures, last year’s challenge saw students develop thoughtful and innovative responses to post conflict scenarios. Teams proposed affordable housing systems, portable educational technology, water purification solutions, political reform initiatives, community healing spaces and approaches to strengthening ethical journalism.

For many students, the experience shifted the way they saw both the world and their future careers.

“It was a powerful eye opener for both myself and my team,” shared one participant. “We had to think not just about physical structures, but about the emotional, political and cultural structures that must be rebuilt too.”

Another student reflected on the impact of the program saying, “I hadn’t been exposed to many of the ideas in the unit before and it really changed the way I think. I can see how I can use these ideas and the experience of working with others to build solutions in my future career.”

Supported by academics and practitioners with experience working alongside the UN, private resource companies and peacekeeping organisations, students were challenged to think critically, collaborate across disciplines and develop responses grounded in both empathy and practicality.

Professor Farida Fozdar said the challenge gives students the opportunity to respond to global issues in meaningful and hopeful ways.

“Young people can feel overwhelmed by what’s happening in the world. This challenge gives students the opportunity to think about feasible solutions and imagine what rebuilding society can look like through community, sustainability, healing and inclusion.”

With participation numbers more than doubling this year, the 2026 Global Futures Challenge: After War continues to grow as a space for students to think deeply, work collaboratively and contribute ideas that could shape a better future.

Watch the highlights from last year’s challenge below

The Global cultures: K-Pop Challenge, coordinated by Dr Eldin Milak and supported by Curtin’s Korea Research and Engagement Centre, explored the global phenomenon of K-pop as a platform for both entertainment and social change. Students were tasked with creating an AI-generated K-pop group built around a specific social mission of their choosing, with groups choosing issues such as mental health awareness or climate action. The challenge integrated cultural learning and creative production, with students developing group identities, lyrics, visuals, and messaging aligned to their chosen cause. Participants also engaged in introductory Korean language and writing, and collaborated to learn a K-pop dance, highlighting the connections between culture, creativity, technology, and global influence.

The After War: Rebuilding together Challenge invited students to imagine how societies rebuild following conflict. “We tried to value-add to what students are learning as part of the high school curriculum, for example in Humanities and Social Sciences subjects such as economics, geography, history and so on. The curriculum tends to focus on significant wars themselves, such as WWI and WWII, so we asked students to consider what happens when the conflict ends and rebuilding starts. They loved this shift of focus”, said Professor Farida Fozdar, Dean, Global Futures.

Guided by sociologists, geographers, and international relations experts, and mentored by Curtin students, the high school students considered immediate needs and resourcing post-war, modelled critical infrastructure using Lego, mapped a post-conflict city, including rethinking physical infrastructure, recreational space and transport systems, agonised over setting priorities for recovery (with a limited budget should healthcare be prioritised over education or roads for example) and wrote a constitution. The challenge culminated in the design of a Festival of Hope, symbolising social healing and future possibilities.

The two challenges emphasised active learning and student agency, encouraging young people to draw on their own perspectives while developing skills in teamwork, communication, critical thinking, and ethical decision-making. Through challenge-based learning, students moved beyond classroom theory to test ideas, respond to constraints, and propose creative, evidence-based solutions.

By the end of the intensives, students had not only deepened their understanding of global issues, but gained confidence in their capacity to contribute creatively and thoughtfully to future solutions. The Global Futures High School Challenges reflect Curtin’s ongoing commitment to supporting the next generation of changemakers through inclusive, innovative, and transformative educational experiences.

The Academy brings together more than 700 of Australia’s leading researchers across the social sciences, with an ASSA Fellowship acknowledging a sustained and internationally distinguished contribution and representing one of the nation’s highest honours in the field.

Professor Fozdar, whose work explores migration, identity, nationalism and belonging, said she was humbled by the recognition.

“Being a female academic who came to academia after a decade spent mothering, I have my fair share of imposter syndrome,” Professor Fozdar said.

“The Fellowship is an acknowledgement of the years of juggling and of the support of family and colleagues along the way.

“I’m honoured and humbled to be in such illustrious company.”

As a child of migrants, Professor Fozdar said her early experiences inspired her focus on social justice and inclusion.

“I wanted to understand how power and inequality work — and how we can make small, meaningful changes with communities and policymakers to improve people’s lives,” she said.

“Sociology gave me the tools to do that.”

Professor Fozdar’s research has shaped national conversations on migration, race relations and belonging.

Among her most notable work are studies on migrant settlement, social inclusion and Australian and global citizenship, plus widely cited research which found a link between people displaying Australian flags on their cars for Australia Day and exclusionary nationalism.

In her current role as Dean, Global Futures, in Curtin’s Faculty of Humanities, Professor Fozdar leads innovative teaching opportunities on global challenges and mentors emerging researchers, while undertaking projects such as studies of African Australians’ contributions to Australia’s political and economic spheres and the impacts of policy on Muslim Australians.

Â鶹ֱ˛Ą Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne congratulated Professor Fozdar on the prestigious honour.

“Professor Fozdar exemplifies Curtin’s commitment to research that challenges inequality and builds a more inclusive world,” Professor Hayne said.

“Her election to the Academy recognises her leadership in sociology and her impact on communities here in Australia and beyond.

“We are immensely proud of this achievement.”

Professor Fozdar will be formally recognised at the Academy’s 2025 New Fellows Presentations and ASSA Gala Dinner in Sydney next month.

The challenge will take place on the Curtin Bentley Campus from Monday, 8th December to Wednesday, 10th December 2025. Across the three days, students will engage in a series of interactive and creative activities, including: 

Exploration of Postwar Futures: Students will investigate the aftermath of conflict through historical, cultural, and humanitarian lenses. Using real-world case studies, they will explore themes such as displacement, reconstruction, reconciliation, and the role of global institutions in peacebuilding. 

Creative Inquiry and Collaboration: Guided by Â鶹ֱ˛Ą academics and mentors, students will work in teams to research specific aspects of postwar recovery. They will synthesise their findings and co-create visual and narrative responses that imagine hopeful futures beyond war. 

Immersive Campus Experience: Students will experience university life firsthand, collaborating with peers and academics in a dynamic learning environment. This exposure aims to spark curiosity about global studies, international relations, and humanitarian work. 

By the end of the challenge, participants will have developed new skills in critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and creative problem-solving. They will gain a deeper understanding of global conflict and recovery, and be empowered to consider their role in shaping a more peaceful and just world. This event offers a unique platform for young changemakers to begin their journey as globally engaged citizens. 

PROGRAM DETAILS 

Who:                  Year 7 – 10 high school students 

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Time:                  9.30am – 2.30pm 

Location:            Â鶹ֱ˛Ą Bentley Campus 

Cost:                   FREE 

Contact:             humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au 

If you would like to know more about upcoming Global Futures High School challenge-based learning opportunities, please contact us at: humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au 

Â鶹ֱ˛Ą Faculty of Humanities’ Global Futures Platform applies rigorous thinking to the world’s most pressing challenges in international and intercultural relations, environmental awareness, communication, media, creative practice, accessibility, and education.  In partnerships between staff, students, community, industry and policy makers, we pursue effective ways to create a safer, more just, globally connected world. 

One way we are pursuing is to create a connection between high school students our staff and students working in the Global Futures. 

For this, we have designed a three-day high school excursion program, running from December 1-3 2025.  Using a case study of global Korean pop culture to build intercultural awareness, students dive into the exciting world of Korean Popular Culture. It offers a blend of fun, creativity, cultural exploration, and basic Korean language learning. It’s designed to be interactive and engaging, enabling students to express themselves, work together, and create meaningful projects that reflect their understanding of Korean popular culture in our region. 

Supported by masterclasses with university staff and students, over the three days students will work collaboratively to imagine, and create, their own Korean Wave project, while becoming a more globally aware citizen. 

PROGRAM DETAILS

Who:                  Year 7 – 10 high school students

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Time:                  9.30am – 2.30pm

Location:            Â鶹ֱ˛Ą Bentley Campus

Cost:                   FREE

Apply – Contact:             humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au

If you would like to know more about upcoming Global Futures High School challenge-based learning opportunities, please contact us at: humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au

Held over the mid-year break, the intensive 25-credit program brought together Â鶹ֱ˛Ą students across disciplines—including Engineering, Project Management, International Relations, Architecture, Urban Design, and more—to grapple with one of the world’s most pressing challenges: how to rebuild lives, social, political and educational systems, and physical infrastructure after war.

Led by Professor Farida Fozdar, Dean of Global Futures, who was supported by academics and practitioners who had worked with the UN, private resource companies, and other organisations in peacekeeping, reconstruction and so on, the program asked students to build on theory and current practice to imagine scalable solutions to post-conflict displacement, and physical, mental, social, economic and political destruction, in a fictional country.

“Young people can feel overwhelmed by what’s going on in the world. This unit offered a positive opportunity to design feasible solutions. After war, we need bricks and mortar, roads, hospitals and so on. But we also need new ways of thinking—ways that center community, culture, sustainability, and healing,” said Professor Fozdar. “This challenge is about equipping our students with the tools to lead those conversations and solutions. Students created fantastic responses to the ten challenges we set—one group designing cheap and accessible water purification systems, another a set of political reforms to reduce the likelihood of insurgencies, another a portable educational technology for use in remote areas, another accessible housing solutions, another a system for public contributions to support honesty in journalism, and another a community centre with programs to build resilience, skills and joy.”

For participants, the experience was as demanding as it was transformative. Students were placed in multidisciplinary teams to tackle the layered complexities of rebuilding in post-conflict settings. Students considered not only material logistics but also questions of equity, inclusion, and cultural preservation.

“It was a powerful eye-opener for both myself and my team,” shared one student. “We had to think not just about the physical structures, but about the emotional, political, and cultural structures that must be rebuilt too.”

“The field trip to the Art of Peace exhibition was a highlight for me,” said another. “It showed how creativity can be used to send an important message. I hadn’t been exposed to many of the ideas in the unit before and it really changed the way I think. I can see how I can use these ideas and the experience of working with others to build solutions in my future career.”

Through workshops, mentoring sessions, and keynotes by international experts, students were exposed to the reality of rebuilding in places where infrastructure has been destroyed and trust has been fractured.

“This program doesn’t simulate a problem—it places students directly in the position of responsibility,” said Professor Fozdar. “Provided with skills and knowledge from guest speakers with real-world experience, the students built proposals that could guide real-world recovery efforts.”

Post-conflict recovery is about restoring dignity, fostering resilience, and rewriting the future for those who’ve experienced the unthinkable. Through this challenge, Curtin students didn’t just gain academic credit—they gained insight, empathy, and a renewed commitment to global justice.

“Students saw After War as an opportunity for remaking society—through sustainable initiatives, through recrafting economic systems to reduce inequalities, through ensuring that political systems reflect the will of the people and a voice for all, and through understanding global mechanisms of power that perpetuate conflict; as well as through promoting a free press, valuing human rights, healing psychological trauma and providing a space for joy, to build sustainable peace,” Professor Fozdar added. “The Global Futures Challenge empowers students to imagine a world beyond conflict—and to help build it.”

Watch the Highlights Video

Upcoming Global Futures Challenges

To learn more about upcoming Global Futures Challenges please contact humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au

Originally published on The Conversation in early June, the article provides a timely and thought-provoking analysis of South Korea’s recent election results, focusing on the rise of Lee Jae-myung and the intensifying gender divide shaping the nation’s political landscape. Associate Professor Elfving-Hwang, whose research explores cultural politics, gender, and contemporary Korean society, offers a critical lens into how these tensions are playing out on the national stage.

The article appeared in the June 10th issue of Newsweek Japan, both in print and on the publication’s official website, allowing Associate Professor Elfving-Hwang’s insights to reach an even broader international audience.

This recognition not only highlights the relevance and impact of Associate Professor Elfving-Hwang’s research but also reflects the growing global interest in the work being produced within the Humanities Global Futures community.

We congratulate Associate Professor Elfving-Hwang on this well-deserved recognition and look forward to continued international engagement with her work.

Read the and visit .

The Global Futures Challenge is an intensive, face-to-face, 25-credit unit held over the mid-year break. Students from across faculties will engage with academics, industry leaders, and community partners to tackle these critical issues.

Participants will explore how communities can rebuild—both literally and figuratively—in the aftermath of war. This includes addressing post-conflict reconstruction: the physical, cultural, economic, and political recovery of societies emerging from war. It’s an opportunity to work collaboratively on projects that meet both immediate humanitarian needs and long-term strategies for rebuilding and reconciliation, while also exploring approaches to prevent conflict in the first place.

Expressions of Interest Are Now Open for the 2025 Global Futures Challenge

Build your professional network, gain industry experience, and earn 25 credit points towards your Â鶹ֱ˛Ą degree by taking part in this transformative program.

Key Dates:

• Online pre-learning begins: Mid-June
• Intensive face-to-face learning: Starts 16 June
• Showcase event: 23 June

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Led by Â鶹ֱ˛Ą academics Dr Eldin Milak, Assoc. Prof. Jo Elfving-Hwang, Director of the Korea Research and Engagement Centre, and Dean of Global Futures, Professor Farida Fozdar, with support from the Korea Research and Engagement Centre, DFAT, and the Australia-Korea Foundation, over 100 students from five schools explored the intricate global flows of culture, the social aspects of fandoms, international politics, economics, and business. A key highlight of the challenge was the innovative task of designing their own virtual K-pop idol, allowing students to engage with Korean language, media, and creative design. This hands-on approach not only enhanced their understanding of the Korean Wave but also demonstrated Korea’s cultural and economic significance on the world stage, particularly in relation to Australia.

The challenge commenced with an exciting introduction to globalisation and its cultural impact, where students explored the rise of Hallyu and its worldwide influence. Through interactive sessions, they gained insights into the mechanisms that drive the popularity of Korean culture, including music, fashion, and digital media.

As the event progressed, students worked collaboratively to conceptualise and develop their virtual idols and identify global social issues for them to engage with, applying their newfound knowledge in a practical and engaging way. Academic mentors provided guidance throughout the process, ensuring that participants not only enjoyed the creative aspects but also grasped the broader implications of globalisation and cultural exchange. Students even learned a K-pop dance!

Beyond the academic and creative elements, the challenge offered students an authentic taste of university life. Engaging with university staff, working within campus facilities, and collaborating with peers in an academic setting provided them with valuable exposure to higher education and future learning opportunities.

By the conclusion of the challenge, participants had honed their critical thinking and creativity, developed a deeper appreciation for Korean culture, and gained valuable insights into global interconnectivity. The Global Futures High School Challenge successfully ignited curiosity and broadened perspectives, empowering the next generation of globally aware changemakers.

Upcoming Global Futures Challenges

To learn more about upcoming Global Futures Challenges, please contact humanities-futures@curtin.edu.au