Engage 2026: A hybrid education program for tertiary

food science students

Engage 2026 is an opportunity for tertiary food science students to come together to connect and learn from industry and academic leaders from across the agrifood industry. The program is delivered in a hybrid format across 10 x 2hr sessions hosted by a different university each time. Students will have the opportunity to attend in person or virtually.

The aim is to enhance your current academic program and networks, building on your current skills and challenging your knowledge through critical and reflective thinking to better prepare you for the practical, real-world need for food science and your potential place within the agrifood industry. This program is intended to ‘jump start’ your industry readiness.

The course will be run over 10 x 2hr sessions. Nine of these sessions will be held face to face at university campuses around Australia and recorded for all registered participants. The final session, Careers, will be a Zoom session. These sessions will be delivered from March 2026 to October 2026. Please note dates & times are subject to change and confirmation of dates and session times will be emailed to all participants prior to the session.

Engage 2026 Program:

5 March 2026 – Session 1 University of Queensland (COMPLETED)

Topic: Indigenous Food

27 March 2026 – Session 2 Deakin University (COMPLETED)

Topic: Food Safety

30 April 2026 – Session 3 University of New South Wales (COMPLETED)

Topic: AI, Data and Digital Transformation

14 May 2026 – Session 4 Monash University (COMPLETED)
Topic: Innovation

16 June 2026 – Session 5 RMIT University (COMPLETED)
Topic: Research & Development

20 August 2026 – Session 6 University of Melbourne (COMPLETED)

Topic: Sustainability

9 September 2026 – Session 7 University of Sydney (COMPLETED)

Topic: Health and Nutrition

1 October 2026 – Session 8 Adelaide University (COMPLETED)
Topic: Food Processing & Manufacturing Futures

8 October – Session 9 QAAFI, Queensland
Topic: Sensory & Consumer Science

TBC October 2026 – Session 10 Online
AIFST Career Event Online - Engage 2025 Wrap Up

This program is designed to help tertiary food science students grow their confidence, expand their networks and build practical, real-world skills alongside their academic studies. 

AIFST and FaBA - Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator are looking forward to delivering this program for our student and graduate members.

The Missing Link: Enabling Middle Managers to Connect Strategy, Culture and Frontline Performance

Many organisations invest significant effort in executive leadership and frontline capability, yet still struggle to achieve consistent performance and lasting culture change. The missing link is often found in the middle.

Middle managers occupy a unique position within organisations. They interpret strategic priorities, balance competing operational demands, influence daily behaviours and give frontline teams a voice. Their decisions shape how organisational expectations are experienced in practice.

This webinar explores the critical role middle managers play in translating direction from senior leaders while carrying operational insights and concerns back to decision-makers. Participants will examine the common challenges middle managers face, including competing priorities, trust gaps, organisational change, communication breakdowns and the pressures created by workplace conditions.

Drawing on research and practical organisational experience, the session will provide actionable strategies for strengthening middle management capability through effective communication, leadership support, experiential development and improved feedback mechanisms.

Attendees will leave with practical ideas to help middle managers become more effective connectors between strategy and execution, resulting in stronger culture, greater alignment and improved organisational performance.

Key Learning Outcomes

1. Understand the pivotal role that middle managers play in organisational culture and performance.
2. Identify common barriers that prevent middle managers from effectively translating strategy into action.
3. Explore practical approaches to strengthening communication, trust, change leadership and decision-making.
4. Learn how to better equip middle managers to carry operational feedback upward and strategic direction downward.

• Dr. Lone Jespersen, Principal, Cultivate SA
• Dr. Andrew Wilson, Core Team Member, Cultivate SA

Navigating Career Transitions: Staying Competitive, Connected and Future-Ready

Changing direction, returning to work, or just ready for what's next — AIFST Queensland's Careers Night brings market insights from Osborne Richardson, an expert panel including experienced food industry professionals and the recruiters' view from Evolve Scientific, and a full hour to network with people who get it.

What's on the agenda?

Understanding Your Market Value Natasha from Osborne Richardson on the current job market, salary benchmarking, negotiation, and positioning your experience to land.

Mid-Career Recalibration — Live Panel: Real talk from people who've done it and people who advise on it — a return-to-work story, 20+ years of industry perspective, a recruiter's view from Evolve Scientific, and a coach's take on rebuilding confidence and making the leap.

Future-Proofing Your Career: Personal branding, LinkedIn, AI tools, and why CPD matters more than ever.

Light Refreshments & Networking — 1 Full Hour . Where the conversations may lead to your next career move.

Meet the speakers:

Natasha Donaghy, Osborne Richardson, will provide a candid view of the current food industry employment market, with practical advice on salary benchmarking, negotiation, positioning your experience and presenting confidently in interviews.

Claire Smallman, an experienced product development professional who has worked across the Australian and UK food manufacturing industries, will explore how navigating a career pivot has changed over the past 10–15 years.

Ilona Manea, Recruitment Manager – Queensland at Evolve Scientific, will share a recruiter’s perspective on career transitions, returning to the workforce, transferable skills and the opportunities shaping the food industry.

Emily Ang, The Wellbeing Food Co., is an experienced food technologist with more than 10 years’ experience across product development, project management, manufacturing and quality assurance. Passionate about creating food for both enjoyment and lifelong nutrition, Emily will share her experience of navigating career transitions within the food industry.

Emma Kent, AIFST Queensland Branch Chair and Principal of Emma Kent Consulting, will highlight how continuing professional development can help you remain competitive, connected and ready for future opportunities.

Lata Masih, Integrity Compliance Solutions, will join the live panel discussion and share her insights from a consultant/mentor/coach perspective.

Following the presentations, our speakers will come together for a panel discussion and audience Q&A, before a full hour of networking with fellow food industry professionals.

Whether you’re planning your next move, returning after a career break or simply want to future-proof your career, this is a conversation worth joining.

Webinar: Environmental Monitoring - the pathogen smoke alarm!

Environmental monitoring is an essential element in food safety & quality programs. Many customers, food safety authorities and auditing bodies expect food companies to monitor their factories for pathogens and want to see an effective monitoring program, supported by a robust response plan when a pathogen is detected.

This means an environmental monitoring (EM) plan is like a pathogen smoke alarm, and when the alarm is triggered, we need to act and find the source.

But how do you know your pathogen smoke alarm is working?

In this webinar, Jack van der Sanden (Senior Food Safety Advisor, bioMérieux) will discuss:

• Why an EM program is essential
• The risks and dangers of looking for pathogens in your factory
• The design principles for a good EM plan and
• How to respond to the EM results

The presentation will show you how to develop and implement an effective EM program and share some useful tips for your EM journey.

Jack van der Sanden, Senior Food Safety Advisor, bioMérieux

AIFST & SQF Food Safety Forum: Collaborating to Create Safe Food

The AIFST & SQF Food Safety Forum brings together industry leaders, technical specialists, and frontline practitioners for a series of short, high-impact presentations designed to spark new ideas, share practical experience, and challenge conventional approaches to food safety.

From emerging risks and regulatory change to leadership, culture and crisis management, the program will explore the issues shaping food safety today and the capabilities organisations will need for tomorrow.

Hear practical perspectives on food safety leadership and change management, building a strong food safety culture, crisis response, risk management, environmental monitoring and allergen management, alongside the latest developments in food standards, regulation and biosecurity compliance for global trade.

The Forum will also look ahead to some of the challenges rapidly changing the profession, including food fraud, AI risks and requirements, the future of auditing and compliance, and developing the next generation of food safety leaders.

With case studies, practical learnings and perspectives from across the food sector, the program is designed to help participants move beyond simply identifying risks to understanding what effective food safety management looks like in practice.

The Forum concludes by bringing industry experts together to tackle the big question: what’s next for food safety, and how should industry prepare?

The program will include a keynote presentation by Deon Mahoney "The food safety landscape – current and emerging challenges and opportunities", followed by presentations:

• Food safety leadership and change management
• Food Safety Culture Case Study
• Practical learnings from crisis management
• Food standards and regulation
• Food safety risk management
• Biosecurity compliance for global trade
• Allergen management and management
• Risk-based environmental montiors
• Food fraud
• AI risks and requirements for food safety
• Future of compliance
• Food safety auditing project wrap-up

The day will conclude with a panel discussion: 'What's next?'

Visit our website page for further details:

https://aifst.asn.au/AIFST-SQF-2026-Food-Safety-Forum

Sharon Natoli - Speaking for influence: How to be heard and land your message.

This redesigned, interactive online course is designed to help ALL food science professionals across the industry communicate with clarity, confidence and influence—so their ideas are heard, valued and acted upon.

The format is 3 x 90 minute online sessions. Sessions will be held:
Wednesday 14 October 12:00pm–1:30pm (AEDT)
Wednesday 28 October 12:00pm–1:30pm (AEDT)
Wednesday 11 November 12:00pm–1:30pm (AEDT)

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. Understand and Strengthen Your Influence

• Articulate why influence is a critical professional capability in scientific and technical roles
• Recognise the key ingredients that underpin influential communication
• Understand your personal communication style and identify areas for growth

2. Communicate to Influence Outcomes

• Tailor your communication style and content to different audiences, including technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Adapt your messaging to suit the context, environment, and level of influence required
• Build stronger connections and engagement through intentional communication choices

3. Communicate with Presence

• Use body language, posture, and voice to enhance influence and authority
• Apply practical techniques to ensure key points are heard and remembered
• Navigate challenging dynamics to gain and hold the floor

Pricing:

AIFST Members: $400 

Non Members: $500

ABOUT YOUR PRESENTER:

Sharon Natoli helps individuals, teams and leaders find their voice, grow their presence and ignite their influence by speaking up with confidence.

Sharon has 30 years of experience in one-on-one counselling, communication, media and spokesperson roles, and as an advisor to organisations in the food sector, assisting brands find their voice through key message development. Her professional experience is complemented by her personal understanding and empathy about the internal barriers that hold people back from speaking up and sharing their thoughts, ideas and opinions with confidence.

Sharon’s philosophy is that speaking up is a critical ingredient for demonstrating leadership readiness and making the career contribution you'd like to make.

AIFST Member Update: Year in Review & What’s Ahead

Join the AIFST Board and Team for our upcoming Member Update — a one-hour online session designed to keep members informed, connected and involved.

This interactive update will reflect on key achievements from the past year and show how our work aligns with the 2025–2027 Strategic Plan.

Members will also have the opportunity to ask questions directly to the Board and AIFST team.

What to expect:

• A snapshot of the year in review 
• Live Q&A with the AIFST Board and Team

Whether you’re a long-standing member or newly joined, this is your chance to stay across what’s happening at AIFST and what’s coming next — all in under an hour.

The AIFST SA Branch is holding a Trivia night and you are all invited!

It's time for the battle of the brains! Get your colleagues together and form a team, or come along on the evening and join one to compete against others in the industry.

The trivia night provides attendees with a casual, social environment for food industry professionals to network with peers, catch up with colleagues from the past and present, and meet others in the industry.

Our quizmaster extraordinaire, Gary Kennedy, will entertain us all with his tricky questions and ‘Who am I?’ quiz!

WHEN: 6.00pm Thursday 15th October 2026

WHERE: The Hope Inn Hotel, 348 Port Rd, Hindmarsh 5007 SA

PROGRAM: 6.00pm - 9.30pm

Trivia and one drink is included with your entry ticket. The bar will be open for further drink purchases. Meals/snacks can be purchased from the venue on the night. We cant wait to see you there!

Trends and issues impacting the Australian food industry

The Food Conference is an in-person event, co-convened by Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD).

The program promises an enriching one-day agenda filled with insights into issues impacting the Australian food industry and emerging trends.

Whether you’re from industry, academia, research, regulation, or government, this conference is your opportunity to deepen your understanding of trends and opportunities across the breadth of food production and processing, engage with experts, and to grow your professional network.

The program will include a keynote presentation by Elizabeth Jackson from Curtin University and the National Food Council "Emerging trends shaping the future of food", followed by presentations:

• Consumer and market trends
• Food regulations – trends and opportunities
• Nutrition and the role of the food industry – evolving needs
• The role of sensory science in product development
• Food safety – emergence and management of risks
• AI and the food industry – from chatbots to decision systems
• Managing allergens in processed and packaged foods

Download the program HERE.

Attend both the Food Conference addressing trends and issues impacting the Australian food industry 21 October AND the Food Manufacturing Essentials Workshop on 22 October

Enjoy a 10% discount on event ticket prices when you purchase the combo ticket!

The Food Conference is an in-person event, co-convened by The Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST) and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), being held at Beaumonde on the Point, East Perth.

The program promises an enriching one-day agenda filled with insights into issues impacting the Australian food industry and emerging trends.

The workshop is aimed at food manufacturing professionals. The program will address the essentials that matter most for compliance, public health and safety, and market access including current regulatory requirements and food manufacturing priorities. The workshop is being held at The Hub at Bentley.

View the individual event listings for more details 

AIFST & WA DPIRD Food Conference

AIFST & WA DPIRD Food Manufacturing Essentials Workshop  

Download the event flyer HERE for further details.

Food manufacturing essentials workshop

For food manufacturers, getting food safety right isn’t just about compliance. It protects your customers, your reputation and your ability to do business. With regulatory expectations evolving and supply chains, technologies and food safety risks becoming increasingly complex, staying across the essentials has never been more important.

Designed with small to medium food businesses in mind, this workshop will explore the regulatory requirements, food safety systems and governance principles that underpin safe, suitable and market-ready food production.

Led by AIFST CEO Fiona Fleming and Chief Scientific Advisor Deon Mahoney, this won’t be a day of sitting back and listening to presentations. Interactive workshops and group discussions will give participants the opportunity to explore real-world challenges, ask questions, share experiences and consider how good food safety governance can be applied within their own businesses.

With only 30 places available, the workshop has deliberately been kept small to encourage conversation, interaction and practical learning. If you own, manage or work within a WA food manufacturing business, this is an opportunity to spend a day strengthening your knowledge, challenging your current approach and learning alongside other local food professionals.

Places are strictly limited to 30. Secure your place and make sure your business is ready for the food safety challenges and expectations ahead.

Download the program HERE.

Unlocking the Australian market for health products

Navigating the food-medicine-cosmetic-medical device interface

Australians are early adopters and will pay healthy margins on innovative products that target their health. Unfortunately for Australian consumers, there are a number of regulatory barriers that can threaten long-term business models for such products. This 1-hour webinar will assist in determining the best regulatory pathway to the Australian market for long-term viability and success.

Key Learning Outcomes

• How are dietary supplements regulated in Australia?
• When is an app regulated as a medical device?
• Is a product a “therapeutic good”, a “food”, a “cosmetic”, a “medical device”… or none of the above?
• Are these classifications mutually exclusive?
• How do these classifications impact where a product must be made? To what standard? Must it be registered with a government? What actives can it have? What claims can it make?
• What alternative import pathways exist to access Australian consumers (e.g. e-commerce, personal imports, shipping via New Zealand)?

Presented by:
Charles Fisher, KHQ Lawyers – Principal Solicitor in Food & Beverage 

Charles is a Principal Solicitor (Food and Beverage) at KHQ lawyers. Charles is one of the leading consultants and trainers on food marketing, compliance, labelling, classification, licensing, safety and food crisis management. He has spent more than a decade staring at Australian and New Zealand FMCG regulations. He has facilitated thousands of innovative food, beverage, cosmetic and health products in reaching the AUNZ market, and have negotiated favourable outcomes with many industry regulators, including but not limited to FSANZ, DAFF, TGA, NSWFA and more.

Please note: This webinar will NOT be recorded