Unleashing compassion

A message from Executive Dean of Health Sciences Professor Suzanne Chambers: Finding opportunities for compassion and a return of short-term international study programs.

The current pace of change in the world has never seemed so rapid and I know we are all feeling this very strongly in our individual lives at present. It serves as a timely reminder that at times like this we need to practise compassion for ourselves and for others.

A recent collaboration between the School of Behavioural Health Sciences and the Institute of Positive Psychology and Education (IPPE), may provide some insight into exactly what compassion is and why there may be a variety of psychosocial benefits.

In our most recent Unleashing Compassion lecture from the Aquero series, our panel presented an experiential introduction to self-compassion, some recently published research, and a role-play demonstrating the key concepts.

Congratulations to Dr Madeleine Fraser, Dr Baljinder Sahdra, Professor Joseph Ciarrochi and Associate Professor Keong Yap for their successful session on a timely topic which is clearly in demand, with more than 200 colleagues either on the call or watching a replay afterwards if they were unable to attend.

You can watch a replay of this wonderful presentation below

Short Term International Study Experiences

As we all know, our students’ international experiences have been limited over the past few years – whether to study a unit, or to complete their community engagement or placements.

However, the return of significant travel opportunities in 2023 has seen the Faculty of Health Sciences Short Term International Study Experience (STISE) team kept busy coordinating these experiences for our students.

This year to date, there has already been 21 STISE programs, of which 14 are funded by the New Colombo Plan short-term mobility grants. The programs have provided 160 students across a range of disciplines the opportunity to travel abroad. These disciplines include:

• nursing
• midwifery
• paramedicine
• exercise science
• high performance sport
• occupational therapy
• physiotherapy
• speech pathology
• psychology
• nutrition
• dietetics.

Over the next three months, three more trips will see another 24 students provided the same opportunity.

Additionally, a further 148 students have undertaken a health sciences program at our Rome Campus, and 11 more have undertaken a semester exchange in the USA and Denmark.

It is wonderful to see these programs back up and running and providing our students with such amazing experiences in their community placements, professional experience and study.