Engagement in Brisbane

A message from the Associate-Vice Chancellor Queensland, Professor Jim Nyland:

The fifth Annual Australian Catholic University Vice Chancellor and President/Archbishop of Brisbane Catholic Stakeholder dinner and panel discussion signature event: Truth and love in a time of fear: Australia up close and personal, took place in March this year in Brisbane, with 250 people in attendance. Two thirds of the audience were senior professional external stakeholders of the University, spread across all our areas of mission.

The panel discussion at the 'Truth and love in a time of fear: Australia up close and personal' event.

The distinguished panel for this event comprised the Archbishop of Brisbane Mark Coleridge, Australian Catholic University’s Vice Chancellor and President Professor Greg Craven AO, Father Frank Brennan SJ AO, CEO, Catholic Social Services Australia and Pro Vice Chancellor (Engagement) Professor Sandra Jones. The Facilitator for the evening was Dr. Michael Casey, Director, PM Glynn Institute, and the event was opened by the Chancellor of the University the Hon John Fahey AC, with closing remarks offered by the Pro Chancellor Mr. Julien O’Connell AM.  All profits and contributions generated by the event ($10,000) going to the University’s VCP/Archbishop Scholarship fund to support disadvantaged students wishing to attend programs offered at the ACU Leadership Centre in Cathedral Precinct.

For those staff who were unable to attend the dinner, please enjoy the riveting panel discussion.

The ACU Leadership Centre has gone from strength to strength since its inception – the total number of its bookings in the second half of 2016 increasing by 28% compared to the first half, and a similar trend occurring in the first part of this year with reported activities in the Centre up by 65% compared to this time last year. Below are some notable programs, courses and events that have been run from the Centre during this period:

• Sixth International ‘Assessment for Learning’ Symposium, organised by the Learning Sciences Institute Australia
• ATEM Admissions Conference, organised by ACU’s Student Administrative Services
• Executive Education courses: Graduate Certificate in the Psychology of Risk and ‘Influence People’ workshop
• Short Course ‘From Incarnation to Easter: Re-imagining Catholic Sacramentality’, organised by the Faculty of Theology and Philosophy (13 February - 6 March)
• MBA Executive program, coordinated by the Peter Faber Business School
• Graduate Teacher Performance Assessment (GTPA) Consortium.

Some new external clients to the Centre in recent times, worthy of note, include:

• Australia and New Zealand Education Law Association
• Queensland Department of Education and Training
• Queensland Department of Science, Information Technology and Innovation
• English Australia
• Institute of Public Administration Australia
• Australian Council of Deans of Education
• Higher Education Services
• Public Service Commission
• Queensland Government Chief Information Office
• Seqwater

This year the Centre will host tailored leadership programs offered through the Business School and the School of Allied Health to our Catholic stakeholders including the members of the Archdiocese,  Brisbane Catholic Education and the Queensland Assembly of Catholic Professionals to name but a few.  And the University’s Executive Education unit are planning a suite of ‘short courses with attitude’ to be run from the Centre, designed to support professional development across a range of key personal and professional skills. For more information on these courses phone Jodie Beckmann on 07 3623 7227.

The ACU Leadership Centre continues to provide an impressive University facility connecting staff and students to our professional stakeholders and partners located in and around Cathedral Precinct and the Brisbane CBD - advancing the reputation and standing of the University as well as our willingness to engage with the communities we serve.  Staff wishing to schedule future learning and research programs, short courses conferences and events from the Centre are encouraged to contact the Centre Manager, Fergus Grealy on 07 3623 7223.