The Catholic Weekly 19 July 2020

catholicweekly.com.au 10 NEWS 19, July, 2020 AS A leading Catholic univer- sity, educating the next gen- eration of Catholic leaders is fundamental to the mission of Australian Catholic Universi- ty (ACU). It’s what makes ACU unique among Australian uni- versities. Inherent to this ex- pression is a profound refer- ence to our Catholic traditions and beliefs. It is within this spirit that ACU established the La Salle Academy, otherwise known as “La Salle”. La Salle was es- tablished by ACU in response to the desire of Catholic ed- ucation authorities to ensure that teachers and leaders of Catholic schools and associat- ed Church ministries are well informed for the critical task of realising the aspirations of Pope Francis’s invitation for us to become missionary disci- ples, which calls us to deepen our faith, believe in the Gospel message, and go forth to pro- claim it. La Salle works to support and enhance the preparation of teachers and leaders by uti- lising the capacity, skills and commitment of those engaged in the ministry of Catholic ed- ucation. It has responsibility for religious education, faith formation and educational leadership, preparing those who wish to work, teach and lead in Catholic institutions. La Salle operates as a func- tional matrix organisational unit within the university. It incorporates the provision of direct service delivery (teach- ing, research and community engagement) along with pro- vision of support and service in the areas of policy devel- opment, quality assurance, strategic planning, commu- nications, and accountability within its nominated discipli- nary areas. Situated within ACU’s Of- fice of the Vice President, La Salle collaborates with the Fac- ulties of Education and Arts, and Theology and Philosophy to ensure that both pre-service teacher programs and post- graduate courses meet the accreditation requirements of Catholic employers. Our edu- cation and training programs develop teachers and leaders with professional efficacy, the- ological literacy and the skills to bring faith and life into dia- logue. Above all else, teachers and leaders need to be wit- nesses; people who live by the spirit of faith. Hence, we seek to ensure that programs that prepare teachers and leaders for Catholic schools are both cognitive and affective, at- tending to the intellect and the heart. La Salle reviews and de- signs programs that are inten- tionally formative. A recent example is when the National Catholic Education Commis- sion (NCEC) commissioned La Salle to review the effective- ness of the Framework for For- mation for Mission in Catho- lic Education. The national framework was developed as a resource for school leaders and school governance bodies with responsibility for the faith formation of staff in Catholic schools, to support the evalu- ation of their current practices and provide a strategic context for the enhancement of their formation programs. The re- search project is evaluating the application and general outcomes of school and dioc- esan formation programs in relationship to the framework, with the findings from the re- view being presented at a fu- ture date. La Salle has also success- fully launched La Salle Publi- cations, a series of resources, and other materials for nation- al and international academ- ics and school professionals in the areas of faith formation, religious education, and ed- ucational leadership. La Salle Publications work to identify and analyse relevant themes from an innovative method- ology and are informative as to implications for Catholic schools today, both in Austral- ia and internationally. All of La Salle’s programs, publications and activities provide a platform for ACU to work with our Catholic part- ners, based on shared values and mission. It is our collabo- rative response to ensure that the university as a work of the Catholic church, continues to work with Catholic educa- tion partners in developing teachers and leaders with the competency, confidence and commitment to educat- ing graduates who will take a strong moral compass into an ever-changing, contemporary world. Professor Greg Craven is Vice-Chancellor and Presi- dent of Australian Catholic University Working to empower the next generation of Catholic leaders as missionary disciples Professor Greg Craven ACU CRICOS reg: 00004G VIRTUAL 29 Aug 5 Sep 12 Sep Discover our new Blacktown Campus. openday.acu.edu.au La Salle works to support and enhance the preparation of teachers and leaders by utilising the capacity, skills and com- mitment of those engaged in the minis- try of Catholic education.” Dean of the La Salle Academy, Professor brother David Hall. PHOTO: SUPPLIED ADVERTORIAL