Stewarding a better future

A message from Chief Operating Officer Dr Stephen Weller.

Today we introduce our Stewardship Framework and implementation roadmap.

Watch a short video introducing the Stewardship Framework.

The framework was recently approved by the Vice-Chancellor's Executive Board, following extensive consultation, and is a unique approach in the higher-education sector.

Stewardship already exists at ACU. We all serve as custodians of the university, and we have a duty to steward its resources wisely.

Through this new framework, we will enhance our efforts by taking a university-wide approach to stewardship and applying a stewardship lens to all our work.

One vision, five pillars

All of us are stewards of the university and we have a duty to leave ACU in a better place than we found it. This relates not only to what we do, but to how we do it. The best interests of the university, now and in the future, must be at the centre of our work.

Our vision is that this becomes a shared ethos across ACU, realised through the following five pillars:

• Our university
• Our students
• Our people
• Our common home
• Our leadership and knowledge

I encourage you to reflect on what these pillars mean to you and how your work demonstrates stewardship.

Our objectives

By implementing the Stewardship Framework, we aim to achieve the following objectives:

1. Develop a shared understanding of stewardship at ACU.
2. Strengthen alignment of operational practice with the five pillars of stewardship at ACU.
3. Further embed stewardship within the ACU Strategic Plan 2020-2023, guided by the five pillars of stewardship, with a particular focus on Strategic Priority 6: Service, stewardship and sustainability.

What’s next?

The implementation roadmap has been developed to achieve the objectives set out by the Stewardship Framework.

You can expect to hear more about how we are building a shared understanding of stewardship at ACU in the coming months.

In the meantime, I invite you to join the conversation by sharing examples of stewardship you have seen at ACU.

More information

For more information please visit the Stewardship at ACU webpage, where you can also download a copy of the Stewardship Framework and implementation roadmap.

You can also read the knowledge articles below:

• What is stewardship?
• What does stewardship look like?
• Why is stewardship important to ACU?

Join the Stewardship at ACU group on Workplace to be part of the ongoing conversation about stewardship.

If you have feedback on the Stewardship Framework or would like more information, please contact: serviceimprovement@acu.edu.au