Civic Leadership Policy

  1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to outline the commitment of the Institution to fostering civic leadership among staff and students. This policy aims to guide the development and implementation of initiatives that promote community engagement and social responsibility

  1. Scope

This policy applies to all members of the Institution, including staff, students and community partners. It encompasses all community engagement activities and civic leadership initiatives undertaken by the Institution.

  1. Definitions

See Glossary of Terms.

  1. Policy statements

4.1 The Institution is committed to providing an environment that fosters civic leadership and community engagement among its members.

4.2 The Institution integrates civic leadership principles into its courses to provide students with opportunities for active community engagement and social responsibility.

4.3 The Institution establishes and maintains collaborative partnerships with local organisations, government agencies, and non-profit entities to address shared goals and community challenges.

4.4 The Institution provides systematic support for community engagement activities, including funding, resources, and training for staff and students.

4.5 The Institution fosters an inclusive environment that values the contributions of all community members, including equity groups.

4.6 The Institution implements a standardised assessment matrix to evaluate the impact of community engagement initiatives based on criteria such as depth of engagement, diversity of stakeholders, sustainability, and evidence of outcomes as outlined in the Civic Leadership Impact Assessment Procedures.

4.7 All community engagement activities are documented in a central repository and evaluated for effective strategic and operational decision making.

  1. Roles and Responsibilities

5.1 The President is responsible for overseeing the implementation of this policy, approving community engagement activities, and ensuring appropriate funding and resources are provided.

5.2 The Executive Officer provides systematic support for community engagement, assesses civic leadership impact, and reports on community engagement activities.

5.3 The Chief Quality Officer advises on compliance with higher education standards and expectations.

5.4 The Associate Dean (Scholarship) is responsible for advising the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) and the Academic Board on strategies to continuously improve the quality of scholarly activities related to community engagement and outputs from academic staff. The Associate Dean (Scholarship) is also responsible for collating and reporting on scholarship activities related to community engagement within the academic team.

5.5 Academic staff are responsible for continuously engaging with the latest developments in disciplinary knowledge, industry trends, and practices that enhance civic impact. They are expected to proactively engage with the community to identify and address its challenges, improve and innovate their course design and teaching practices accordingly, and share such innovations in a scholarly manner to contribute to the broader community.

5.6 All staff are responsible for actively engaging with the community to identify and address its needs and challenges. Leverage their expertise and resources to foster meaningful partnerships, contribute to community development, and ensure that their work has a positive and lasting impact. By collaborating with community members and organisations, staff will help create solutions that benefit both the community and the Institution, promoting a culture of mutual support and continuous improvement.

  1. Related documents

Civic Leadership Strategic Framework

Civic Leadership Assessment Procedures

ICMS Engagement and Social Responsibility Plan

 

Approved by the Board of Directors on 3 December 2024