![Photo of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Teaching and Learning) Professor Anne Cummins.](https://staff.acu.edu.au/__data/assets/image/0010/1135684/Anne_Cummins_460.jpg)
A message from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Teaching & Learning) Professor Anne Cummins: As the academic year draws to a close for many students and we look to Christmas it is a good time to reflect on our year and be grateful for the companionship we enjoyed, the things achieved and the challenges faced.Looking back reminds us of our resilience and the support we draw from each other.
This reflection is central to the celebration of Christmas when Christians retell the story of Jesus’ birth. This time of year can sometimes feel very busy and a little overwhelming, but I sincerely hope you all take some time to relax and celebrate with family and loved ones.
All year we have been working hard on a project many of you may have already heard about – the new student portal on the ACU website. On 1 December the portal officially launched. It is an exciting development for ACU which promises to significantly enhance students’ online experiences. Information from a variety of student systems have now been streamlined into one central, personalised digital hub.
Over time, we will continue to make the ACU website easier for students to use. Students will have an integrated, personalised dashboard view of their key information upon login. They will also have a personalised calendar for their class schedules and other commitments.All the information that was available on the student website will still be available in the new portal – but with a fresh new look that is user-friendly and easy to navigate. If you encounter any students who have questions about the new portal please direct them to AskACU.
This has been and will continue to be a big project that a lot of people have worked very hard on. We believe the new student portal will be a great improvement for students. The ACU website is the first interaction new students have with the University so being able to launch the portal before new students start enrolling for 2017 is wonderful.
In other news, I have been in Rome recently for the IV Vatican Conference on Pastoral Care for International Students. I’ve been accompanied on this trip by Vi Thao Tu a nursing student at Canberra campus from Vietnam. It has been an informative experience and has affirmed the importance of international students within our ACU community.Wishing you peace and joy this Christmas!
Sincerely,
Professor Anne Cummins
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students, Learning & Teaching)