Background

In 2007, the Education for Practice Institute joined a University with a strong tradition of preparing graduates to enter the world of practice and a core goal of providing high quality education that:

socialises students into the community of practice they will enter by helping them understand this practice world, prepare for workplace realities and expectations, develop a professional or vocational identity, and understand the norms and expectations of this practice community
helps students develop the attributes, commitments and capabilities of professionalism (including self appraisal, self directed learning, ethical conduct, taking responsibility for one’s decisions and actions) and social and environmental responsibility.

George Brown Hall in North Parramatta, the home of the EFP Institute, is located at the UCA campus along with the School of Theology of CSU.

Education for practice or practice-based education occurs:

in the classroom, in fieldwork and practicum education, in self-directed learning and in distance learning
in the explicit and hidden curriculum, in the intentional and unintentional learning experiences that students encounter, and in the ethos of the university and practice learning environments
in the planned and unplanned behaviour of formally appointed educators and other practitioners that students encounter in the field
through the interventions of academic, fieldwork and general staff who knowingly and unknowingly influence the infrastructure, learning community and direct learning experiences of students as well as their aspirations and dilemmas
when students are learning together or alone, through the power of peer example
in the expectations of external stakeholders including professions, industry partners, the community and interest groups
through learning experiences within and across different disciplines
through real, virtual and reflexive learning experiences.

Thus all stakeholders in university education and practice preparation can contribute to this positive and essential outcome.

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Objectives

Scholarship

Enhance and extend the scholarship of learning & teaching in professional and practice-based education including research, development, evaluation and dissemination of good practice within the University, nationally and internationally.

Staff / Curriculum Development

Build systems and strategies that promote excellence in student-centred professional and practice-based learning.

Stakeholder Collaboration

Build successful collaboration within and between the disciplines, professions, industry, government and other educational institutions to promote and enhance professional and practice-based education.

Policy and Infrastructure

Support the development of policy, infrastructure and resources for the administration of professional and practicum-based education and the enhancement of work-place learning.

CSU Career Pathways

Encourage academic and administrative career pathways at CSU in learning and teaching in professional and practicum-based education.

External Funding

Obtain external funding to support strategic scholarly projects to position CSU as a leader in professional and practice-based education.

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