Transform

Building creative capacity and psychological safety for innovation in higher education through professional learning

Abstract

This paper reports on the Innovation Lab: Transform, a six-month professional development program in the Learning Design and Technology unit at the University of Technology Sydney. Designed during a period of rapid change (generative AI, assessment security), the program created a structured, in-person space for experimentation through Creative Foundations workshops and a team-based Idea Accelerator. Co-created values and distributed facilitation helped establish psychological safety, while feedback showed gains in creative confidence, collaboration, and willingness to test bold ideas.

The success of the Transform program has since anchored a broader innovation agenda framed around three streams: Optimise (incremental improvements), Extend (modular innovation), and Transform (capability-building for radical change). This paper demonstrates how a single localised initiative can evolve into a multi-layered strategy, balancing day-to-day enhancement with capacity for systemic innovation. Insights are offered for third space professionals and leaders seeking to embed sustainable innovation in higher education.