Nan Tien Institute of Higher Education

Nan Tien Institute extends our deepest sympathies to the people of Nepal following the devastating flooding that has unfolded today.

Nepal is home to a vibrant community of Buddhist traditions and is deeply connected to the history and living practice of Buddhism. It is also home to many of our students, whose presence enriches our Institute and our learning community.

At this painful time, our thoughts are especially with our Nepali students, their families, friends and communities. We recognise that when tragedy strikes a homeland, its impact is felt far beyond those who are physically there.

May those who are grieving be supported, and may peace and healing come to Nepal and all those affected.

From all of those at the Nan Tien Institute.

HB802 Principles of Professional Engagement

How can we show up in our workplaces, communities, and ourselves?

Available online and in person, this subject can be taken as part of an award program or as a non-award unit, either with or without assessment.

Drawing on the values of committed service and practice, students develop the reflective, communicative, and ethical capacities to engage meaningfully with others. Through presentations, portfolios, and collaborative real-world projects, this subject builds skills that go well beyond the classroom into leadership, community work, and a more intentional life.

Burnout, disconnection, and the search for meaning at work are not new problems, but they are urgent ones. HB802 draws on Buddhist values of committed service and practice to offer a grounded, human-centred response. Students develop skills in ethical reasoning, self-reflection, and collaborative engagement that carry directly into professional life, building the capacity not just to do their work well, but to do it wisely and with care for others.

Co-taught by Venerable Associate Professor Juewei (Head of Program for Applied Buddhist Studies/Humanistic Buddhism and Director of the Humanistic Buddhism Centre at NTI) and Dr Ekaterina Todarello (academic and leadership practitioner).

For more information or to enrol, please contact [email protected] or visit https://www.nantien.edu.au/courses/postgraduate-courses/humanistic-buddhism/hb802/

Dr Nadine Levy, NTI Researcher and Head of Program, shares some thoughts on surviving desire and what Buddhist philosophy teaches us about our war on want.

Rather than immediately gratifying or repressing desire, we can learn to get to know its different faces, textures and patterns of movement.

Read here:

Surviving desire: what Buddhist thought teaches us about our war on want | Making sense of it The work is less about fighting what we feel, and more about meeting desire with curiosity, integrity and wisdom

MH921 Mindful Nature Connection

Learn how to activate your own connection with nature in surprising ways, and apply this connection to your career and personal life.

Available online and self-directed, this subject can be taken as part of an award program or as a non-award unit, either with or without assessment.

This subject is a contemplative and transformative immersion into mindful nature connection from both Eastern and Western perspectives. As mental health continues to be a critical concern for Australia and beyond, this subject is an introduction to real alternatives that are proven to be effective, and the evidence that informs practice. Concepts such as silence, impermanence and interbeing will be explored in the context of mental health, and enjoy immersive experiences including poetry, nature art and mindful walking.

From social media and the metaverse to the quick rise of AI, these technologies offer novelty, convenience and efficiency. Because of this, authentic experiences of the real world are now becoming endangered, and mental ill health rates continue to rise. Who are we in such a disembodied world void of nature connection?

Taught by Kerryn Coombs-Valeontis, an Arts Therapist, Eco Therapist, Environmental Educator and author. She currently works in schools and on community-based programs in creativity and nature connection and has been teaching at NTI since 2018. She published a collection of poems in 2023 and is the co-author of Nature Heals: An Introduction to Nature-based Therapies in Australia and New Zealand (2019).

For more information or to enrol, contact [email protected] or visit https://www.nantien.edu.au/courses/postgraduate-courses/mental-health/mh921/

To Hear the cry of the Earth – Presented by Kerryn Coombs-Valeontis

🗓️ September 2 2026
🕐 1:00pm - 2:00pm (AEST)
📍 Online via Zoom

When Thich Nhat Hahn was asked what we need to do to save our world: “What we most need to do is to hear within us the sound of the earth crying.”

The legacy of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hahn is a gift of the illumination of mindfulness. His many books and poetry, his extensive calligraphy and mindful walking on the earth all continue in the Plum Village tradition of engaged Buddhism expanding globally. The Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet online community holds both spaciousness and silence for hearing the cry of the earth, and support for staying with the profound uncertainty of our times.

From the founding of the Order of Interbeing 60 years ago, to the establishment of the NGO translated from the Vietnamese as World of Great Togetherness that led to the first UN Environment Summit in Stockholm in 1972 (the first of its kind) - great love of the earth has been central to the momentum of his work.

Kerryn first encountered the work of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hahn through his poetry. In this session, Kerryn will offer us a personal and poetic response and reflection as she endeavours to hear and hold that sound, and what that has meant to her professionally as a teacher, author and poet, and in her personal life. She will also offer engagement in the writing of a haiku poem as part of this event, so bring along a pen and paper!

Tickets are free but registration is essential. To learn more about the presenter or to reserve your ticket, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/1993509330070?aff=oddtdtcreator

Last chance to register for the WSU Religion and Society Research Cluster Online Seminar: https://events.humanitix.com/the-written-word-in-a-buddhist-tacit-knowledge-tradition?utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv2_a1demo0jsf2hw0&fbclid=IwY2xjawTvW55wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWJweWNLUEt0YXQ2S1IySHJzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEezJ-gcBWgVe67XIi-lysSIrr43hGcEFE3Fm90-xrDIiqoo1baFzjfxI3NdAQ_aem_AS7sIcOnbxvR1V3mYakQ2A

250 nuns practice intensive Vajrayāna rituals daily. Their goal is tacit & embodied knowledge. Yet, they spend hours reading.

In an era of "Buddhist modernism" where knowledge = data, this tradition shows us "whole person learning.”

Join the WSU Religion and Society Research Cluster Online Seminar on August 19th, hosted by Dr Elizabeth McDougal (Applied Buddhist Studies Lecturer at NTI).

Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/the-written-word-in-a-buddhist-tacit-knowledge-tradition

Mindfulness Meditation Retreat: 26-27 September 2026

If you are craving some time to unplug and reset, we warmly invite you to join our mindfulness meditation retreat, led by Dr Nadine Levy!

🌿Day 1 (10am - 4pm AEST): Guided sitting and walking meditation, mindful rest and periods of noble silence

☀️Day 2 (10am - 1pm AEST): Explore mindfulness in relationship with others, and engage in group reflection, deep listening and mindful communication

Available to attend online or on-campus (231 Nolan Street, Unanderra).

COST: $150 per person / $100 for NTI students and alumni

To register, visit: https://www.nantien.edu.au/courses/professional-development/mindfulness-meditation-retreat/

For all retreat enquiries, please contact [email protected].

Mindfulness Meditation Retreat | Nan Tien Institute % One and half day mindfulness retreat that will include instructions, silent periods of practice and a range of interpersonal mindfulness exercises.

On Empathy - Presented by Distinguished Professor Tracy Levett-Jones and hosted by Dr Nadine Levy

🗓️ August 19 2026
🕐 12:30pm - 1:30pm (AEST)
📍 Online via Zoom

What does it mean to take empathy seriously, not just in healthcare, but as a public necessity?

In this session, Distinguished Professor Tracy Levett-Jones, a globally recognised researcher and leader of the UTS Empathy Initiative, draws on her extensive body of work to explore empathy as a social, ethical, and cultural capacity. Through the Empathy Initiative, her research advances evidence-based approaches to cultivating empathy in education, professional practice, and climate change.

Moving beyond individual notions, she considers how empathy shapes the way we live together: informing care, deepening understanding, and responding to the urgent challenges of our time.

Bringing together research, professional insight, and personal reflection, this session invites us to see empathy not as an add-on, or a soft-skill, but as a necessity - one that urgently needs to be cultivated and enacted in our relationships, communities, and institutions to ensure a sustainable future.

Tickets are free, but registration is essential. To learn more about the presenter or to reserve your ticket, please visit https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/on-empathy-tickets-1985786129770?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true