UNSW ADA Skills Passport
Nine Enduring Human Skills, one digital passport – an ADA initiative that helps students to identify and showcase the skills they build through their studies.
The world of work is evolving – quickly. The UNSW Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA) Skills Passport helps our students connect their learning with the skills that will matter most to them for their future personal and professional successes.
We've collaborated with students, graduates, educators, government and industry to surface these across our courses, specialisations, and programs of study. These are the human strengths employers are looking for, and that underpin lifelong success and impact. Students will be able to track and demonstrate these skills on a digital ADA Skills Passport, set to launch in 2026.
What is the ADA Skills Passport?
The ADA Skills Passport is an innovative tool that helps students plan for personal success and make highly valued skills visible to employers.
Accessed via a dashboard and supported by a conversational chatbot, it enables students to:
- Reflect on their learning journey by seeing how their courses build key skills.
- Showcase their skills confidently in portfolios, CVs, and job or internship applications.
The passport connects learning to purpose and employability, helping students understand and communicate their strengths in any context.
The skills we are tracking
The UNSW ADA Skills Taxonomy comprises nine enduring human skills. The ADA Skills Passport gives students, educators and employers a shared language for understanding how study translates to life and work skills.
Why do students need to build a skills passport?
Graduates are entering a rapidly changing world where transferable skills – like communication, creativity, collaboration and digital literacy – are valued more than ever. Students already develop these skills through their studies, but they are not always easy to see or express.
The ADA Skills Passport helps students:
- recognise and reflect on nine enduring human skills that employers and communities value
- confidently articulate their skills and achievements
- build a stronger sense of purpose, agency and readiness for lifelong success.
How student voices are being heard
The ADA Skills Passport is being co-designed by ADA students. We want to understand the transferable skills they’ve learned through coursework, projects, placements and collaborations.
“As someone who does theatre, creative writing and design, [being able to give or take] critical feedback and nurturing a collaborative mind space is really important.”
– Anisha Lahiri, Bachelor of Arts
“The most valuable skill I've learned is communication and collaboration with my classmates, which has helped me critically reflect and connect with others."
– Valentina Campos, Master of Environmental Management
“Graduates need to be flexible and adaptable, be able to think systemically and be culturally responsive.”
– Gypsy Miller, Bachelor of Social Work
Integration with the National Skills Passport
The ADA Skills Passport aligns with Australia’s proposed National Skills Passport. The National Skills Passport is a platform where lifelong learners will be able to record and share their qualifications and skills throughout their careers.
By connecting to this platform now, ADA is preparing graduates to:
- link their UNSW skills profile with national, industry-recognised systems
- present clear evidence of their skills and experiences
- navigate a changing job market with confidence.
This leadership positions UNSW ADA as a key contributor to national conversations about graduate employability and lifelong learning.
The research
Informed by local, national, and international research and best practices.
Built on a systematic analysis of all available skills research, models, frameworks, and taxonomies, the UNSW ADA Skills Passport has identified nine Enduring Human Skills. The ADA Skills Passport gives students, educators and employers a shared language for understanding how study translates to life and work skills.
Benefits for educators and industry
The ADA Skills Passport helps UNSW deliver learning experiences that connect skills and discipline-specific knowledge. This reinforces UNSW’s reputation for meaningful, future-ready education.
Industry and employers can continue to trust UNSW credentials. They can be confident that our capable, versatile graduates are ready to tackle jobs in arts, design and architecture head-on. To deliver on this promise, we are focused on the following.
Powering Progress for All
Our people
Funded by the UNSW Provost’s Office, the ADA Skills Passport brings together educators, researchers, students, and industry collaborators from across the Faculty of Arts, Design & Architecture (ADA) and UNSW.
- ADA project team
- Academic co-design team
- Student co-design team
- Professor Stephen Doherty, Deputy Dean (Education) – Academic Lead
- Jennifer Perkins, Manager, Education Innovation – Professional Lead
- Josephine Holecek, Educational Program Manager
- Himani Chugh, Educational Designer
- Jia Zhang, Senior Research Officer
- Cheng-Yi Lin, Educational Solutions Developer
Interested in collaborating with the ADA Skills Passport team? Contact us at ada.skillspassport@unsw.edu.au.
The Academic co-design team works with the ADA Project Team to embed the Skills Passport in authentic teaching and learning. Drawing on diverse disciplinary expertise, the team helps design tools and frameworks that make skill development explicit and meaningful for students.
- Associate Professor Grant Stevens, School of Art & Design
- Ms Emma Mills, Senior Lecturer, School of Art & Design
- Professor Timothy O’Leary, School of Humanities & Languages
- Dr Valerie Combe-Germes, Senior Lecturer, School of Humanities & Languages
- Professor Chihiro Thomson, School of Humanities & Languages
- Dr Alice Joo, Lecturer, School of Humanities and Languages
- Dr Sharon Aris, Nexus Fellow, School of Social Sciences
- Dr Naama Carlin, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences
- Dr Joyce Wu, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Sciences
- Associate Professor Marilu Melo Zurita, School of Social Sciences
The Student co-design team works alongside the ADA Project Team and AI technology consultancy partner (What’s On!) to design and test the student-facing prototype of the Skills Passport. Their insights help ensure the platform is intuitive, engaging, and supports students in identifying and articulating their skills.
- Lee Viula Fernandes, School of Social Sciences
- Suri Aisyah, School of Humanities & Languages
- Lara Nguyen, School of Education
- Lok Yan Leung, School of Built Environment
- Gaby Anugraha, School of Art & Design
- Amanda Jayasinghe, School of Arts & Media
- Aspen Laulu, School of Education
- Shay Jerry Titus, School of Built Environment
- Gypsy Miller, School of Social sciences
- Valentina Campos, School of Humanities and Languages
- Aldo Rafi Presnauli Siregar, School of Social Sciences
- Anisha Lahiri, School of Art & Design
FAQs
Want to know more about how the ADA Skills Passport works for you? Find answers for students, academics and employers below.
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- What are the benefits of using the ADA Skills Passport?
The ADA Skills Passport helps you recognise and make visible the skills you are already developing through your studies. It brings your achievements, reflections and learning experiences together in one place, helping you track your growth over time and showcase your strengths confidently. - When can I start using my ADA Skills Passport?
The first stage release is planned for Term 1 of 2026, with a full release in Term 2 of 2026. - I’m a current ADA student. Will the study I’ve already completed go on to my skills passport?
Yes. Once the passport launches, you will be able to upload courses you have completed to start building your skills profile. - Will it apply to all ADA degrees, short courses and specialisations?
Yes, the ADA Skills Passport will apply to all relevant ADA courses. Courses owned by other faculties will not be part of the verification process, but you can still include them in your portfolio reflections. - Will extracurricular activities be included on my passport?
Initially, the passport will include verified skills from ADA courses. Co-curricular and extracurricular experiences may be included later. - How can I use my ADA Skills Passport after graduating?
Graduates can view and access their passport for reference or portfolio purposes. We are exploring secure options for sharing portfolios with employers. - How does this different to ePortfolios that are already being used in some programs at UNSW?
The ADA Skills Passport is more than an ePortfolio. While it includes the ability to showcase work, it is built on a evidence and co-design. It helps students identify, understand and articulate their skills - not just collect examples - making it a more comprehensive and research-informed approach than a standard ePortfolio.
- What are the benefits of using the ADA Skills Passport?
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- How can I integrate the ADA Skills Framework into my course design?
You’ll map your Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) to the ADA Skills Framework using a skills mapping tool. Guidance and examples will be provided. - How can I surface skills in my classroom?
You’ll have access to practical tools and workshops to help embed skills-based language into your class discussions and feedback practices. The focus is on helping students recognise the skills they’re already developing. - Will I have to change any of my course content?
No major changes are required. The aim is to highlight and articulate existing skills within your curriculum. - How can I get involved in developing the passport?
Staff can join the skills mapping pilot and contribute to the development of classroom resources. Contact the ADA Skills Passport team at ada.skillspassport@unsw.edu.au. - How does this different to ePortfolios that are already being used in some programs at UNSW?
The ADA Skills Passport is more than an ePortfolio. While it includes the ability to showcase work, it is built on a evidence and co-design. It helps students identify, understand and articulate their skills - not just collect examples - making it a more comprehensive and research-informed approach than a standard ePortfolio.
- How can I integrate the ADA Skills Framework into my course design?
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How does the skills passport better prepare graduates for my workplace?
The ADA Skills Passport enables students to verify and show that they have the skills you're looking for when hiring. You can be sure that ADA graduates are confident, adaptable and ready to contribute from day one.How can I partner with ADA to develop graduates
We will set up focus groups and interviews to collaborate with employers and industry. Contact the ADA Skills Passport team at ada.skillspassport@unsw.edu.au.