ECU AS A CASE STUDY IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

							 ECU AS A CASE STUDY IN
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

     PROFESSOR MILLICENT POOLE
       EDITH COWAN UNIVERSITY
      PERTH WESTERN AUSTRALIA
    COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AT ECU



Community Engagement –ECU’s Mission

•   Engaging with the Professions and Professional Life
•   Building Partnerships, Pathways and Precincts
•   ECU/industry collaboration
•   Pedagogy –practicums, work based learning and authentic
    assessment
•   Global networks
     ECU’s FRAMEWORK AND
          PHILOSOPHY



Shift from “Community Service” to “Engagement”


Engagement is a two way process, which relies on a
mutual exchange of ideas – local and global
ENGAGEMENT AS A CORE VALUE



               Teaching and
                 Learning


                 THE
 Research     COMMUNITY        Mission and
                                 policies


                 Alliances


        ACU: Engagement as a Core Value
PRINCIPLES OF ENGAGEMENT


The principles of Engagement:
   •A two way process
   •Co-location locally
   •Win-win/mutuality
   •Networks and Knowledge Clusters (professions and industry)
   •Local and global focus/hubs
   •Basic and applied knowledge
   •Community building
   •Capacity building
   •Driving the knowledge economy
        ECU’s FRAMEWORK AND
             PHILOSOPHY

Precincts as Drivers
• ‘Learning Precincts’ based on OECD concept of
  learning cities/communities.

• “Learning communities acknowledge that social
  cohesion, regeneration, environmental awareness
  and economic development are closely related to the
  knowledge, skills and participation of community
  members.”

• Context now increasingly global
   THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
      PRECINCT CONCEPT


• A ‘learning community’ - a city, town or region which
  goes beyond its statutory duty to provide education and
  training for those who require it and instead creates a
  vibrant, participative, culturally aware and economical
  buoyant human environment.

• The notion of ‘precincts’ – hubs/nodes/clusters

• Three ECU Precincts focus our learning communities
  and knowledge clusters
           Knowledge Clusters



Clusters consist of concentrations of interdependent,
innovative organisations that are active in the same
industrial sector, are located within a limited geographic
radius and around R & D facilities.


The new phase develops global, networked clusters
                   THE THREE
                   PRECINCTS
ECU is a multi campus university with three main
regional campuses –
• North-western metropolitan (Joondalup),
• South West (Bunbury),
• Central Perth (Mount Lawley).

Each is designed around the concept of:
• a unique precinct
• knowledge clusters
• integrated research activities
• partnerships (local and global)
                                      THE THREE
                                      PRECINCTS:
Precinct       Objective                       Identity
North Western Aspirational – new generation    Learning City
Metropolitan    university education
Precinct      Economic development             New Generation
              Cultural development               University meeting
              Learning precinct (co-located      the needs of a New
JOONDALUP       with TAFE and Police             Generation Region
CAMPUS          Academy)
              Two cities initiative            Knowledge clusters:
                (partnership with the cities   Health and Wellness
                of Joondalup and               Environment
                Wanneroo)                      Informatics and IT
              Serving a major demographic      Business and Law
                growth corridor
                                 THE THREE
                                 PRECINCTS:
Precinct     Objective                           Identity
South West   Economic development through        Regional
Precinct        a diversified economic base
             Aspirational and continuing         Capacity Building
BUNBURY         through life long learning and
CAMPUS          tailored courses)                Knowledge Clusters:
             Professional development            Regional professional
             Regional specific focus               education in health,
             Co-located with regional TAFE         social work, education,
                and regional hospital              and business
             Ageing population with need for
                service professionals
             Delivery of offshore programs
                                   THE THREE
                                   PRECINCTS:
Precinct        Objective                        Identity
Central Perth   Cultural regeneration of the     Precinct of ‘creativity and
Precinct            inner city region               innovation’
                Education axis (with Mt Lawley
MOUNT               Senior High School)          Knowledge Clusters:
 LAWLEY         Joint initiatives with Central   Communications
                    Metropolitan College of      Creative Industries
 CAMPUS             TAFE                         Social and Cultural
                Leading edge professional        Indigenous
                    engagement                   Education
                Life-long learning
                Central location
                Dual sector delivery
Engagement at ECU is a core value

• Leaning city / community concept
• Distinctive precincts (based on knowledge
  clusters and partnerships with industry and
  the professions)
• Co location and global networks
                OUTCOMES


Outcomes:

  •   Distinctive Identity and differentiation
  •   Basic and applied knowledge
  •   Contribution to policy
  •   Capacity building (global economy)
  •   Networks with professions and industry
      (local and global)
    CONCLUDING REMARKS


• Our Research, Teaching and Learning have a
  strong practical involvement,
• Our Mission and Values support this
  involvement and
• Our strategic alliances provide opportunities
  to transfer knowledge into the local, national
  and international community
     CONCLUDING REMARKS

“Many needs of a knowledge based society will
  be met only by increasingly complex and
  significant forms of learning
  partnership….The building of a learning
  society populated by lifelong learners who
  periodically become ‘students’…demands
  consortia of provision and denser networks of
  partnering”
National Board of Employment, Education and Training (1998)