New research to help graduates of the future become global citizens
June 2007
The impact that practical learning experiences in the community and industry have on better preparing tertiary students for citizenship in the globalisation era is the focus of a major new research project led by the University of Melbourne.
The project's aim is to shed new light on the value that non-university partners bring to student learning, and the benefits that these programs generate for the community groups, businesses and government agencies involved.
It will also examine the significance of practice-based learning in developing students' capacity to become global citizens, and will provide valuable operational information on how best to implement a curriculum of engagement.
The research will add significantly to the scholarship of knowledge transfer, which is a key component of the University of Melbourne's strategic vision to broaden the University's contribution to the wider community.
The 18-month collaborative project involving three Australian universities has received a grant of $218,000 from the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education.
The research team is led by Dr Jo Barraket, a public policy lecturer at the University of Melbourne's School of Political Science, Criminology and Sociology, and Marcelle Scott, academic programs coordinator at the University's Centre for Cultural Materials Conservation.
It will be based on a general review of good practice and the analysis of students undertaking the following post-graduate and undergraduate programs:
- Master of Public Policy and Management (University of Melbourne)
- Master of Cultural Materials and Conservation (University of Melbourne)
- Bachelor of Development Studies (University of Newcastle)
- Bachelor of Social Work (University of Queensland)
"This is a genuine collaboration between the universities of Melbourne, Newcastle and Queensland," Dr Barraket said.
"Even though we're all institutionally talking about questions relating to knowledge transfer in slightly different languages, there is a broad commitment within Australian higher education to both understanding and progressing universities' commitment to community engagement."
"That's why this project is seen as having significance for the entire higher education sector where there are both intellectual and moral imperatives to understanding universities' roles in facilitating global citizenship and engaging with the wider community."
"There has been very little research done worldwide on the impact of these types of activities for universities and their external partners."
"However, a problem that has been identified with a range of internship programs is that placements put a considerable burden on non-university organisations, particularly not-for-profit and community networks that operate with limited resources."
Marcelle Scott observed that a better understanding of practice-based learning activities was important to develop a responsive curriculum.
"The Master of Cultural Materials Conservation was developed with strong industry support and we continue to engage directly with the sector in numerous ways, with mutual benefit," Ms Scott said.
Dr Barraket and Ms Scott said graduate students were increasingly required to be equipped for changing labour market demands, and attuned to the needs for global citizenship so they were prepared to participate in the so-called 'knowledge society'.
Universities also faced a challenge to produce graduates who not only acquired knowledge and skills that could be applied directly in the workplace, but who have also developed strong external networks and attitudes towards civic participation.
"We recognise that university partners bring their own expertise to these learning activities and that students, through engaging in these activities, develop and share their own expertise," Dr Barraket said.
"The research will also produce practical resources that will help form policy frameworks so that universities can establish good practice in this area, and identify the kinds of resources that are needed to support university partners so that they can be involved in a way that enables their work rather than it becoming an additional burden."