News

Partner with ACU on research projects to support communities

The Stakeholder Engaged Scholarship Unit at ACU is seeking expressions of interest for research projects from organisations working in areas central to the University’s mission and ethos.

Organisations supporting people who experience disadvantage or marginalisation may propose a project designed to inform, evaluate or enhance their services, or participate in a large project about an issue faced by multiple organisations in the community sector.

ACU Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Greg Craven says the University is seeking to advance the common good and affirm human dignity through the activities of the Stakeholder Engaged Scholarship Unit.

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with organisations who are committed to improving their services and the lives of the people they support,” Professor Craven says.

“We also want to create opportunities for the sector to engage with broad issues such as ‘Has the COVID-19 pandemic made us more or less inclusive in our attitudes to those in need?’ and ‘Has COVID-19 changed people’s view of the role of government and social services they would not have otherwise had to engage?’”

Situated within ACU Engagement, the Stakeholder Engaged Scholarship Unit emerges from a long-standing tradition of ACU engaging with its partners and intends to build on this by supporting partner-driven projects.

Netty Horton, CEO of CatholicCare Melbourne and a member of the Advisory Group to the Stakeholder Engaged Scholarship Unit, says that many community organisations don’t have the capacity to undertake research.

“I am delighted that ACU recognises both the capacity and resourcing constraints faced by these organisations and is engaging academics on issues of community significance,” Ms Horton says.

“The Stakeholder Engaged Scholarship Unit will work with partners to understand their needs and present the research findings in ways that are meaningful to them.”

The deadline for expressions of interest is Wednesday, 1 July 2020 at 11:59 pm.

Read more about the SESU and how to submit an expression of interest online.

Questions should be forwarded to sesu@acu.edu.au.