MoU signing with Charles Sturt University

MoU a “milestone” for Avondale

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

University to mentor Lake Macquarie higher education provider

The signing of a memorandum of understanding between a university and a Lake Macquarie higher education provider should help the latter seek self-accrediting status.

A ceremony at Avondale, July 31, formalised Charles Sturt University’s role as a mentor and advisor to the Cooranbong-based college of higher education. The role will primarily include assessing and benchmarking Avondale’s governance, learning and teaching and research quality and standards and sharing resources on a cost-for-services basis.

“Avondale has a long tradition of providing quality education and programs,” says Charles Sturt’s vice-chancellor and president Professor Andrew Vann, adding that many of the programs, particularly in business, the creative arts, education, nursing, science and mathematics and theology, are similar to those at the university. “Its mission and activities resonate with our values and priorities.” In his speech during the ceremony, Andrew referred to the mottos—“For the public good” and “For a greater vision of world needs”—of both entities as having “gumption” and “soul.”

Established by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1897, Avondale offers undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational courses that “seek to develop the whole person,” says president Professor Ray Roennfeldt. The philosophy appeals to students, who, according to The Good Universities Guide 2013, continue to give Avondale one of the highest “educational experience” ratings in the country. Almost 1400—a record—are enrolled this year.

The memorandum could mean the students receive dual-badged testamurs and have their degrees recognised as if they were Charles Sturt degrees. Students may also enrol in any units of study, including majors and minors, with Charles Sturt if the courses are not offered by Avondale. “Avondale will always offer a defined number of courses, but the course and unit options for our students may increase through online study at Charles Sturt,” says Ray. Staff members will find it easier to collaborate with their Charles Sturt colleagues in research and research degree supervision and in teaching exchanges.

“However, it’s not as if Avondale is bringing nothing to the relationship,” says Ray. He notes how students at Charles Sturt may also enrol in Avondale’s courses, “which will give them access to our service learning opportunities.” This and the collaboration between staff members should build relationships between Charles Sturt and other Adventist Church entities, such as Sydney Adventist Hospital—at which Avondale will negotiate clinical places for Charles Sturt allied health students.

Charles Sturt has demonstrated its commitment to the relationship by nominating its deputy vice-chancellor and vice-president (academic) Professor Garry Marchant to sit as an external member of Avondale’s Academic Board.

In her first visit to campus, mayor of Lake Macquarie Jodie Harrison spoke of how Avondale’s journey to university status will help as the city diversifies its employment base—nine per cent of jobs in Lake Macquarie are in education and training, but the sector is forecast to grow at a higher than average rate. She noted other benefits, too, including reversing the trend of young adults leaving the city to further their education. A university campus will help “develop the skills for the future of our economy, connect us to national and international ideas and knowledge, serve as a catalyst for innovation and make a substantial contribution to our cultural and civic life,” she said.

The memorandum is not legally binding but is valid for five years, although Avondale and Charles Sturt can extend—in duration and scope—or suspend it by mutual agreement. It “maps the big picture,” said Ray during his speech. “It means we’re proactively seeking opportunities for cooperation and benefit. Let the journey begin.”

Other agreements
A previous agreement with Charles Sturt allows Avondale graduates with a major in biological science (biomedical) to articulate into Charles Sturt’s Bachelor of Biomedical Science (Pathology), which can then be completed in one year.

In addition to the Charles Sturt relationship, an agreement with The University of Newcastle allows Avondale science graduates with appropriate majors to proceed to postgraduate studies at the university in a range of science disciplines.

And an agreement with the University of New England (UNE) enables Avondale arts or science students to include in their degree a major in psychology by distance education through UNE.

Brenton Stacey
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Brenton Stacey

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Brenton is Avondale University’s Public Relations and Philanthropy Officer. He brings to the role experience as a communicator in publishing, media relations, public relations, radio and television, mostly within the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the South Pacific and its entities.

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