L-R Visiting scholar Dr Sherril Gelmon, Vice-Chancellor Prof Peter Coaldrake, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Teaching Quality) Prof Vi McLean.
Visiting US engagement expert Dr Sherril Gelmon kicked off the first VC's forum for the year in February with a strong message about the crucial role of university leaders in promoting engaged teaching and research. Dr Gelmon is visiting universities throughout Australia gathering data for her research on The Role of Australian Senior University Executives in Promoting Community Engagement as a Core Institutional Strategy . While at QUT, she interviewed the Vice-Chancellor and Professor Vi McLean as part of the research.
Dr Gelmon is Professor of Public Health in the Mark O. Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University . Her presentation to senior staff drew on her considerable expertise in service learning and civic engagement at Portland State , which is considered a national and international leader in these areas. Key topics included the motivation for university engagement, strategies for engaged teaching and learning, systems for supporting and rewarding community-engaged scholarship, and challenges for academic staff and institutions for extending and embedding engagement in core activities.
Linda Silka Ph.D, Professor in the Department of Regional Economic and Social Development and Director of the Centre for Family, Work and Community at the University of Massachusetts Lowell visited QUT on 10th and 11th July 2007. Early and middle career academics benefited from Prof Silka's expertise in building strong community-university research partnerships. Prof Silka also met with key staff to discuss the challenges and opportunities for evaluating engagement practices and establishing a coherent approach to managing community-university partnerships. Finally, Prof Silka addressed a collaborative forum for universities in Queensland (Northern universities of the Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance).
Former QUT Deputy-Vice Chancellor (International & Development), Prof Sandra Harding (right) welcomes visiting scholar, Prof Michael Gibbons (left) to QUT.
Professor Michael Gibbons MBE, a distinguished international academic leader and former Secretary General of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, visited QUT from the United Kingdom's University of Newcastle upon Tyne on Thursday 14 September 2006. Prof Michael Gibbons' considerable expertise in the practice of regional engagement was highlighted during a senior staff roundtable that explored how universities can maximise the impact of regional engagement through partnership. Prof Gibbons then conducted a forum on the issue of capturing and evaluating the impact of multi-disciplinary research, considering the recent changes to the UK RAE and potential implications for Australia's research quality framework, including how QUT might prepare for a RAE-like exercise. For copies of Prof Gibbons' presentation material, please contact the Development Office.
Also visiting QUT during the same week as Professor Michael Gibbons was internationally regarded service learning expert, Dr Steven Johnson, hailing from Portland State University in the United States. Dr Johnson enthralled QUT academics with his inspiring forum on, 'How to initiate and develop engaged learning as a key component of successful course delivery' during his visit to QUT on Tuesday 12 September 2006. He followed up this forum with a Teaching and Learning-specific roundtable centred on 'Delivering a coherent approach to work-integrated learning at QUT: What service and community-based learning models/practices have to offer'. For copies of Dr Johnson's presentation material, please contact the Development Office.