Informing principles

Community Engagement is an expressed priority in USQ’s Mission, Vision and Values statements (http://www.usq.edu.au/aboutusq/mission/default.htm), as well as in USQ’s Learning & Teaching Operational Plan 2007-2012. It is also highlighted in the guiding principles embedded in the Policy on Learning and Teaching (USQ Calendar 7.5):

A relative and adaptive curriculum
An atmosphere of intellectual engagement
A flexible and responsive environment
An inclusive environment
A supportive environment

This sub-project offers the opportunity to involve the USQ academic communities in gathering evidence of the nature of their engagement in their respective communities, and to inform subsequent plans for continuous improvement. In that sense, it articulates with all sub-projects, particularly the eportfolio, benchmarking and evaluation areas under Course and Program Mapping, and Academic Professional Development.

Goals

To develop an inventory of engagement by academic staff in their internal and external communities e.g. Study Desk, Faculty committees, University-wide service; professional development, mentoring,, special interest groups, such as. LFII, research or scholarship-related memberships or other roles with professional associations or community organisations.
Develop a framework for recording evidence of engagement, and supporting data, in the eportfolio system. NOTE: Interaction with HR through BUILD process)
Construct a staff learning journey framework to parallel articulated student learning journey.

Strategic alignment

USQ’s Mission, Vision and Values statements
USQ’s Learning & Teaching Operational Plan 2007-2012
Policy on Learning and Teaching

Details of Faculty support for an 18 month period

Tasks, timelines & budgets

Tasks	Timeline	Budget
Goal 1: Liaise with other project/sub-project teams to cross-reference existing data sources (e.g. through benchmarking & evaluation processes, through Academic Professional Development activities etc): form sub-project team	May 23 08	Equivalent time – cost TBA
Develop a consultation process to gather ‘missing’ data by both quantitative and qualitative methods	Jun 08	Time – cost TBA
Implement data-gathering (e.g. by survey, and other information gathering processes).	Jul 08 - Dec 08
Analyse data	Feb 09	Funding for person to assist with data processing
Goal 2: Aggregate data to inform continuous data gathering and recording via e-portfolios	Mar-Jun 09
Goal 3: Review and refine the process in consultation with key participants, and check alignment within the ROP structure, as well as with wider USQ Community Engagement principles.	Jul 09

Total Resources/ Budget Required

TBA

Required documentation and policy rewriting

TBA

Professional development requirements

TBA

Scholarship opportunities

Research on staff dev, about and through BUILD, staff eportfolios ++

Communication plan

ROP manager, Director LTSU, project groups in RPRP, Deans/Associate Deans, LTECS, HR. Community Engagement Centre

Schedule TBA

Evaluation strategies

Through a consultation and review process, yet to be articulated. Anticipate that there will be cross-referencing via other projects also.

C4 - Community engagement