Take part in the Staff Communication Survey
News 4 SeptemberShare your thoughts on communication at ACU by taking part in the Staff Communication Survey by Friday 13 September.
15 February 2023
Share
ACU will establish a leading STEM Centre of Education Excellence at the Strathfield campus after securing a $45 million New South Wales Government grant.
The innovative purpose-built centre will provide a suite of educational opportunities to boost in-demand STEM skills among students of all ages, community groups, residents, and a wide range of industries in Strathfield and Western Sydney.
ACU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Zlatko Skrbis welcomed the $45,170,849 WestInvest Community Projects grant and said the unique centre would further cement the university’s role of upskilling the community in vital STEM areas of learning.
“This grant is wonderful recognition of our strategic role in innovation in the field of education,” Professor Skrbis said.
“The ACU STEM Centre of Education Excellence will spearhead our reputation as strategic leaders in STEM teaching and learning.
“It will help meet national STEM priorities, engage young people in this exciting area of learning, and prepare members of the local community to respond to changing workforce demands.”
ACU Executive Dean of Education and Arts Professor Mary Ryan said the STEM centre would complement the work of ACU’s recently announced Australian Centre for the Advancement of Literacy.
“These two pioneering centres will put ACU further on the map as world leaders in educational excellence,” Professor Ryan said.
Professor Skrbis said the centre was the result of great energy and teamwork among ACU staff, committed to advancing the university’s role as a leader in pursuit of educational excellence.
“This centre will help us to make our mark in this exciting and dynamic field of teaching and learning,” he said.
The centre will offer pre-school programs designed to pique interest in STEM among young children, and a raft of courses for junior school students including robotics, coding, entrepreneurial thinking, and Girls in STEM, as well as homework and tutoring clubs.
ACU will also support senior school students by working with Western Sydney schools to increase subject offerings in STEM areas of learning impacted by teacher shortages through a blended mode of program delivery.
School teachers are also set to benefit from the new centre with professional development opportunities in areas including maths, science, technology, and literacy designed to ensure they have the cutting-edge skills, knowledge and experiences required to support students to learn skills of the future.
The centre will offer short courses and microcredentials covering general STEM skills for learners of all ages, supporting personal interests and changes in career.
It will also include new industry training opportunities harnessing Metaverse to enable ACU to work with industry partners to provide immersive virtual training to upskill workers and meet shortages, as well as support researchers to collaborate on STEM projects nationally and internationally. Makerspace will also provide access to innovative and emerging technologies for the local community to explore.
Share your thoughts on communication at ACU by taking part in the Staff Communication Survey by Friday 13 September.
Congratulations to ACU Professor Daryl Higgins and the team behind the landmark Australian Child Maltreatment Study who have won a Queensland Child Protection Week Award.
A message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers: I continue to be inspired by ACU’s staff, in the commitment they show to the greater good and to the value they place on th...
ACU Library’s Research Engagement team invites all researchers and higher degree research (HDR) students to join updated Research Essentials skills sessions for Semester 2.
Belated Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, granddads and father-figures. Hear from ACU working parent Timothy Ly about how access to leave and flexible working arrangements helped when he became a fa...
The Library is pleased to introduce SIFT, a robust methodology designed to enhance student information evaluation skills.
Applications for ACU Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning and the Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Teaching close on Monday 9 September.
Hear from staff and students about how they are navigating the potential of generative artificial intelligence. Register for HELTA's three-part series to explore GenAI’s impact and applications in hig...
We are in the middle of National Child Protection Week – it’s a great reminder to check out ACU resources on safeguarding our students.
Under the Obelisk, a striking monumental sculpture by acclaimed artist Akio Makigawa, is the latest addition to the ACU Art Collection
Teaching staff are encouraged to check their units have been correctly linked to their names for the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys in upcoming teaching periods.
Members of the university community are warmly invited to join this online forum on 6 September.
Lecturers in Charge are encouraged to communicate with their students when they are referred for potential academic misconduct. A guide with ready-to-use text is now available, read and download a cop...
Join the conversation and register for the free online Equity @ ACU Symposium, to be held on 9 and 10 October. The symposium will feature keynote addresses from leaders in equity research, experts in ...
Lecturers in Charge (LICs) are now able to make a determination of poor academic practice as an outcome of an investigation into academic misconduct. Register for upcoming workshops and access guidanc...
Equity @ ACU Week is fast approaching. Join the conversation and register for the online Equity @ACU Symposium, a professional learning event for all staff on 9 and 10 October. The symposium will expl...
The library has created an AI hub, which explores the responsible and ethical use of generative technology.
A message from Executive Dean Faculty of Education and Arts Professor Mary Ryan: I am excited to announce the launch of Synergy, an innovative platform designed to foster collaborations between academ...
IT invites you to participate in a Technology in Teaching Spaces survey to gather feedback on the usability, reliability, and overall experience to improve future designs and focus investment.
All staff are warmly invited to participate in upcoming graduation ceremonies held in Sydney and Melbourne to offer a final show of support and celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates.
Visit Service Central to access Corporate Services.