![](/-/media/feature/micrositesnewsandevents/staffnews/suzanne-chambers-460px.jpg)
Innovation in practice
News 24 JulyA message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers: Winter has so far been a season of future-thinking and action for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
19 December 2017
Share
A message from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Greg Craven:
At the end of a year marked by global upheaval and controversy, Christmas is a time to join our fellow Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus and remember His eternal message – one of infinite love, compassion and hope.
At Australian Catholic University (ACU) we have plenty to reflect on, celebrate and be proud of as 2017 draws to a close.
In January I was honoured to attend the Global Foundation Rome Roundtable in Rome. ACU was a key partner of this unique gathering involving senior leaders from politics, business, faith and academia to discuss solutions to issues under the umbrella term coined as ‘inclusive globalisation’ by His Holiness, Pope Francis.
This year also saw us reposition the way we look and sound. Our new brand proposition “Impact through Empathy” has been developed to capture elements of our mission as a Catholic university and shows how our work and our students and staff have the capacity to change the world. The ACU mission will continue to shape what we do – from the ACU staff and student experience to the research that we undertake to the programs we offer. To demonstrate our new brand in action, we became the National Education Partner of Orange Sky. A non-profit organisation formed in 2014, Orange Sky is the world’s first free mobile laundry service for the homeless.
We also strengthened our international relationships by meeting with senior staff at the International Federation of Catholic Universities and also the Rector of the Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP). I travelled to the University of Verona, one of our longest standing Italian partner universities and met with leading universities and senior government colleagues in Belgium and Germany. We also signed an MoU with the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies in Rome – the preeminent Catholic institute for studies on relations between Christians and Islam.
In August we hosted the Federal Parliamentary Interfaith Breakfast at the National Press Club in Canberra. The breakfast was attended by around 220 guests, including the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Education Minister, the Leader of the Australian Greens and the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia.
And recently, my wife Anne and I had the privilege of meeting with Pope Francis while we were in Rome attending meetings of the Holy See and joining senior Catholic Healthcare executives from Australia who were in Rome to take part in an ACU facilitated seminar of leadership in mission in Catholic healthcare.
Our students also continue to be a source of pride and inspiration for all of us at ACU.
Brisbane psychology student Nathan Pitt, was named the inaugural Francis Xavier Conaci Sholar. The Francis Xavier Conaci Scholarship recognises the life of an extraordinary Indigenous seminarian and enables an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student to undertake one of their Core Curriclum Units at the ACU Rome Study Centre.
The inspirational Grace Corcoran became ACU’s first student to win a New Colombo Plan scholarship. This award is the most lucrative and prestigious undergraduate scholarship in the country, and is highly sought after. It will see the Applied Public Health and Global Studies student head to overseas to undertake an internship followed by a semester of studies at the College of Micronesia.
On the sporting field two student athletes from ACU’s Strathfield campus won medals at the Summer Universiade (also known as the World University Games) in Taipei. Kyle Cranston took out the gold medal in the Men’s Decathlon while Alysha Burnett claimed silver in the Women’s Heptathlon.
These are just a few of very many highlights during 2017. Now we have the chance to look forward to a successful, productive 2018 where we will continue our commitment to the pursuit of knowledge, the dignity of the human person and the common good.
Wishing you and your families’ blessings, love and peace this Christmas, and a joyous start to 2018.
Professor Greg Craven AO, GCSG
Vice-Chancellor and President
A message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers: Winter has so far been a season of future-thinking and action for the Faculty of Health Sciences.
From Monday 22 July to Friday 9 August, Service Central will be available for extended hours to support staff.
A message from Vice President Father Anthony Casamento csma: From 5 – 9 August we will celebrate Mission Week across our campuses. This is an opportunity for us to come together as a community to cele...
Are you going to be a grandparent soon? Did you know ACU offers personal leave for staff to care for their child or grandchild after birth or adoption?
Discover the learning and career development opportunities that are available online, including the brand-new leadership development program, 'The Edge Series'.
Join ASCILITE and become a member of one of Australasia’s most vibrant professional technology enhanced learning communities, with more than 2200 members from tertiary institutions across Australia an...
Phones will be removed from all classrooms over the mid-semester break, from 23 September to 27 September.
Include an additional survey item in the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) survey for units that are offered in Professional Term 5 (202455).
Australia’s first five-time diving Olympian, a Kiwi gymnast and the woman who taught actor Chris Hemsworth to row will be among 15 ACU students and alumni to compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic and Para...
A message from acting Executive Dean of Theology and Philosophy Associate Professor Richard Colledge: Recently, the faculty has hosted opportunities for reflection on the possibilities for reconcilia...
Are you on your parenthood journey? A practical guide is now available to support staff, and their supervisors, through the stages of becoming a parent and transitioning back to work.
Embark on an exhilarating journey into the mysterious world of enrolments. Register to attend an enrolment information session for Semester 2, 2024.
Join upcoming online workshops in preparation for Semester 2. Secure your spot today to learn how you can utilise Canvas and its features to enhance your teaching practices.
A limitless professional horizon awaits ACU students after its three IT programs were awarded certification by the nation’s most trustworthy player in the tech sector, the Australian Computer Society.
Following evaluation and voting by a panel of ACU judges, Co-Lab is delighted to announce Thomas Clark and Xavier Chalkley as the winners of the $1000 prize for the ACU Co-Lab Social Enterprise Pitch ...
ACU Library staff will participate in professional development activities on Thursday 18 July. While away from their usual posts, they'll be working together across three locations to plan our future ...
Applications for 2024 Teaching Development Grants, Citations and Awards are open. Explore guidelines and resources to enhance your teaching project’s impact or gain recognition for your contributions.
As we sit in this small window of the winter break gearing up for Semester 2, it's important to recognise that not everyone experiences this period as downtime. For many, workloads and busy lifestyles...
This week is NAIDOC Week, an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
ACU staff who are also members with UniSuper can now access free expert medical advice and services to support their health and wellbeing through MetLife 360Health.
Visit Service Central to access Corporate Services.