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In August this year, the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) gathered together for the 30th ASEACCU Conference in Sydney. For the first time ever, ACU hosted this prestigious international event.
Comprised of 91 member institutions from Asia and Australia, ASEACCU promotes Catholic higher education and fosters conversations about its potential for social impact and service learning. As the conference host, ACU welcomed more than 200 university leaders and students from ACEACCU member organisations who came together to learn and share their insights and experiences.
Conference delegates enjoyed expert presentations on Laudato Si' along with a series of unique Australian engagements designed to situate the event in the local context.
These included a pilgrimage to the burial site of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, Australia's only canonised saint; an introduction to First Nations cultural traditions; and a panel session on leadership in the Catholic higher education context that included Fr Dennis Holtschneider CM and Professor Zlatko Skrbis.
"Father Dennis said something that really reminded me of what a university should be and what a university teacher should do. He talked about the university's role in guiding students towards their future," says delegate Ivy Leong, a PhD student (psychology) and a teacher (social work) at the University of St Joseph in Macau.
"Even though it sounds simple, it really struck a chord with me. I realised that my purpose isn't just to help my students pass exams or graduate, but to provide them with guidance and direction in life."
ASEACCU connects institutions to a network of like-minded students and education leaders, opening the door to new international partnership opportunities.
For ACU, membership is an important aspect of a broader global mobility program that connects the university to more than 200 like-minded institutional partners in more than 40 countries around the world.
Through this network, ACU offers learning abroad and community engagement programs across seven campuses in Australia and one in Italy; engages with global research and teaching collaborations; and provides staff exchange programs that connect professional employees with exciting development opportunities and home and beyond.
The ASEACCU conference provided an unparalleled opportunity for ACU to showcase its partnership offerings and to start early conversations about new collaboration opportunities between ASEACCU institutions.
"Global engagement and collaboration are key priorities for ACU, particularly in terms of pursuing new partnership opportunities with institutions who share our values," says ACU Pro Vice-Chancellor Global and Education Pathways, Chris Riley.
"All ASEACCU members share our commitment to promoting the Catholic intellectual tradition. I invite any of our ASEACCU partners with an interest in fostering new collaborations to reach out and share their ideas with ACU."
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