ACU Receives Carnegie Community Engagement Classification at Engagement Australia Conference

Australian Catholic University (ACU) has made history by becoming one of the first Australian higher education institutions to receive the prestigious Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. This groundbreaking achievement was announced at the Engagement Australia conference in Sydney yesterday, where ACU and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) were named as the inaugural recipients of this new classification for Australian universities.

The Carnegie Classification, established by the US-based Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, is a highly esteemed recognition of institutionalized community engagement within higher education institutions. ACU’s successful classification highlights its commitment to working with communities to bring about positive social change and transformation.

ACU Vice-Chancellor and President Zlatko Skrbis expressed his pride in this significant achievement, emphasizing the university’s dedication to serving and collaborating with local communities connected to its campuses and leadership centers. The Carnegie Classification serves as a testament to ACU’s ongoing efforts to improve the lives of community members and conduct research that benefits the common good.

Vice-President Fr Anthony Casamento csma, who oversees ACU Engagement, noted the value of community engagement across the university and the importance of this recognition in highlighting ACU’s commitment to sustainable and reciprocal collaborations with communities, particularly those facing historical disadvantage or marginalization.

This historic milestone solidifies ACU’s position as a leader in community engagement within the Australian higher education sector and underscores the university’s ongoing commitment to making a positive impact on society. For more information on this groundbreaking achievement, you can read the full story here.