Professional development opportunities

Listed below are a number of professional development programs which are offered by ACU or are available through external providers across the tertiary education sector.

Staff are encouraged to review learning opportunities and to liaise with their supervisor if they are interested in participating. You can register through the links provided. If you have any questions, please contact Leadership & Competencies Development Facilitator, Clint Rahe on extension 2298.

Study Support

The University supports staff learning and eligible staff can apply for Study Support for a nationally-recognised award course of study from a public or private provider (subject to eligibility criteria). For more information on Study Support visit the HR website.

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Australian Catholic University

ACU offers a number professional development programs for staff, run by in-house trainers. There is no cost for attendance for these programs, and all interested continuing and fixed-term staff are encouraged to register.

Lean Fundamentals Ballarat: 20 Jul ; Brisbane: 26 Jul ; Canberra: 12 Jul ; Melbourne: 18 Jul ; North Sydney: 4 Jul ; Strathfield: 6 Jul ;
Lean is a systematic and evidence-based approach to addressing issues affecting organisational performance that has been used by many businesses and universities to produce significant process improvement.

Building Service Excellence Ballarat: 21 Jul ; Brisbane: 27 Jul ; Canberra: 13 Jul ; Melbourne: 19 Jul ; North Sydney: 5 Jul ; Strathfield: 7 Jul ;

Excellent service delivery is critical to the success of every organisation – universities included. Everyone has a role to play in creating a culture of service excellence but building service excellence is a journey – it takes time and tools to do it properly and it’s worth doing well.

Mental Health First Aid Canberra: 14 Jul ; 21 Jul ;
This two day workshop is aimed at all staff wanting to develop their knowledge about mental health issues and how to support others in their workplace, community and personal networks.

Introduction to Learning and Teaching Ballarat: 7 Jul ; Brisbane: 25 Jul ; Canberra: 22 Jul ; Melbourne: 28 Jul ; North Sydney: 26 Jul ; Strathfield: 25 Jul ;
This participant-focused workshop introduces academics new to ACU, to learning and teaching at our University. We aim to engage you with the uniqueness of ACU and its position as a provider of quality education and supporter of the Catholic ethos. You will experience stimulating, creative ideas, and use tools and resources which will allow you to settle in quickly and perform your role to the best of your ability.

Introduction to Coaching for ManagersBallarat: 25 Aug ; Brisbane: 1 Sep; Melbourne: 11 Aug; North Sydney: 7 Jul ;
Workplace coaching is a technique for unlocking potential and creating peak performance. This workshop aims to teach the key skills of coaching to help teams solve tough problems, set goals, and learn on the job.

ACU Faculties offer the following opportunities for staff on a fee-paying basis:

Bachelor of Laws (Graduate Entry)Melbourne, Sydney – Semester 2 part-time evening classes available

The Thomas More Law School is introducing flexible, work-friendly part-time evening classes for busy professionals commencing Semester  2. Two units of study will be offered - Legal Reading, Writing and Research and Contract Law.

This Law program will provide you with a solid knowledge of the law as well as an understanding of the needs of our wider community which could complement your current role or open up new career paths. Throughout your law studies you'll be encouraged to pursue social justice, work for the common good - all in the context of rigorous academic standards.

ACU's Bachelor or Laws (Graduate entry) is a three year equivalent full-time degree. The Faculty of Law and Business is pleased to announce that all staff are eligible for a 10% discount.  This discount is in addition to all benefits received through ACU.

Master of Business Administration (Executive)Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne  - Six start dates in 2016

The MBA (Executive) is designed for experienced managers and professionals who aspire to executive roles - critical and creative thinkers for whom ethical, informed and sustainable decision-making will define their management style.  The course is designed to allow each unit to be taught intensively over the course of 24 weekends.  Invest in your future and enhance your skills to progress your career. The Faculty of Law and Business is pleased to announce that all staff are eligible for a 10% discount. This discount is in addition to all benefits received through ACU.

Graduate Certificate in Catholic StudiesAvailable: Melbourne (multi-mode) and online in Semester 2, 2016

The Graduate Certificate in Catholic Studies (GCCS) was developed for graduate teachers who need accreditation to teach religious education in Catholic schools. For ACU staff, this course is also suitable for those who want to learn more about the Catholic tradition that underpins our organisation.

On completing the course, you will:

· Know and understand the theological concepts fundamental to the Catholic tradition.

· Understand the place and use of the scriptures in the Catholic tradition.

· Know and understand the communal, sacramental, liturgical and moral dimensions of the Catholic tradition.

· The Graduate Certificate in Catholic Studies can be used to articulate into the Master of Professional Studies in Theology.

Master of Professional Studies in Theology
Available: Nationally across all ACU campuses (multi-mode) and online in Semester 2, 2016

The new Master of Professional Studies in Theology (MPST) is ideal for professionals working in Catholic organisations who are looking to develop and enhance their leadership capacity.

For ACU staff, the MPST will allow you to build upon existing qualifications and professional experience to understand and promote the mission, identity and ethos of the Catholic Church.

The course has been designed to develop a deeper level of engagement with the discipline of theology. It provides a rich variety of international study tour opportunities, an ability to specialise in particular discipline areas, as well as a capstone research component.

External Professional Development Opportunities

The following programs are run by external providers across the tertiary sector.

Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM)

Workshopping institutional policy development and review
8 Jul 16 -New Zealand
Policy writing, implementation and evaluation - workshopping institutional policy development and review.

Faculty General Manager’s Forum 22 Jul 16 -RMIT, Melbourne, VIC

Speed Reading
25 July 2016 -Brisbane, QLD
Speed Reading training is a proven tactic for mastering information overload and can be learned in one day.

Influencing and Negotiation Skills
25 July 2016 -Melbourne, Victoria
This program will describe the six key approaches to influencing and negotiation.

*ATEM also has a number Priority Place Programs for a selection of on-demand events, to improve the flexibility and accessibility of courses. These events will run once a minimum number of attendees have registered. Please browse the ATEM program listings for more information.

ACU holds a corporate membership with ATEM which allows staff to attend programs at a reduced rate. When registering, indicate that you work for ACU and you will be entitled to the Affiliate rate.

Australian Higher Education Industrial Association (AHEIA)

Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour Masterclass
This 'masterclass' builds on the Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour workshop (pre-requisite) and includes a detailed examination of organisational and HR arrangements and strategies; the development of 'protocols' for early intervention and the application of these to case studies. Offered to participants who have attended a Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour workshop.

Location: TBA
Date: 06/07/2016
Time: 9am - 5pm
Read more or register now

Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour Masterclass
This 'masterclass' builds on the Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour workshop (pre-requisite) and includes a detailed examination of organisational and HR arrangements and strategies; the development of 'protocols' for early intervention and the application of these to case studies. Offered to participants who have attended a Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour workshop.

Location: TBA
Date: 12/07/2016
Time: 9am - 5pm
Read more or register now

Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour Masterclass
This 'masterclass' builds on the Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour workshop (pre-requisite) and includes a detailed examination of organisational and HR arrangements and strategies; the development of 'protocols' for early intervention and the application of these to case studies. Offered to participants who have attended a Managing Very Difficult Workplace Behaviour workshop.

Location: TBA
Date: 27/07/2016
Time: 9am - 5pm
Read more or register now

Online training library

Provided by Lynda.com

ACU staff have free unlimited access to a vast online library of training videos at http://lynda.acu.edu.au/.  You can watch individual videos from Lynda without completing a whole course. To browse the library, log in using your ACU staff username and password. Interactive exercise sheets are also available to some topics so you can practise your new skills.

Time Management Tips Improve your productivity, get things done, and find more time for what's most important with Time Management Tips. This weekly series provides actionable time management techniques to help people better manage their time and ultimately become more productive. Time management expert Dave Crenshaw provides a new tip every Monday, touching on a wide variety of topics. Tune in to learn about everything from managing emails and calendars to setting priorities, collaborating with coworkers, reducing interruptions, crafting a "productivity mindset," and creating a more comfortable and effective work environment.

Leading Productive Meetings In this course, author and business coach Dave Crenshaw teaches you to get the most from your meetings—turning them into productive avenues for communicating, connecting, and accomplishing real work. The course demonstrates a simple, usable framework that will help you lead and participate in meetings large and small and provides insight into how to schedule, conduct, and follow up on meetings with minimum time and maximum results.

Managing Virtual Teams Do you have a remote team and need to engage them more effectively? Or perhaps you are stepping into a management role for the first time, or with a team that's scattered across office branches? In this course, author and PMP Bob McGannon shares the secrets he's used for managing remote teams across continents and time zones for over 20 years.