International Partnerships

The Faculty has strategic partnerships with a number of institutions in overseas countries. The Faculty seeks partnership opportunities that enhance the University's and the Faculty's reputation overseas, build the Faculty's research capabilities and relationships, develop the intercultural competencies of its staff and students, enhance the diversity of the student body, and provide opportunities for capacity-building in developing countries.

Education agents from China on a visit to Newcastle in May 2011

Capacity Building

In recent years the Faculty has had a particular focus on capacity building in developing countries, and, in conjunction with this, is exploring postgraduate and professional development opportunities in such countries. For example, the Faculty has worked extensively with Australian Government agencies such as AusAID, and with universities and government departments in Africa to provide postgraduate opportunities in both coursework and research training. Outcomes of this work have included improving the capacity of African government agencies through the training of staff, and improving the quality of teaching in African schools.

Visitors from the University of Mindanao, the Philippines, with Faculty staff in 2010

Visitors from the University of Mindanao, the Philippines, with Faculty staff in 2010.

As an example of the University's capacity-building interest and expertise, we were awarded funding in 2011 for an Australian Leadership Awards Fellowships TVET project. This project involved hosting nine Fellows from Can Tho University and several technical colleges in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

The Faculty has also developed the Consortium on Early Childhood Development and Education for Teacher Development and Research, in response to a well-established need for capacity building in Africa in the area of early childhood education. At this point, participating institutions include the University of Fort Hare and the University of the Western Cape.

Examples of institutions with which the Faculty has recently entered into agreements are:

South Africa	Walter Sisulu University University of Cape Town University of Pretoria North West University University of Fort Hare University of the Western Cape
Botswana	University of Botswana Botswana International University of Science and Technology
Lesotho	Lesotho College of Education
The Philippines	University of Mindanao De La Salle University Ateneo de Manila University
Vietnam	Can Tho University

A group of Philippine academic staff and students visiting the Faculty in 2010 through a special partnership arrangement

A group of Philippine academic staff and students visiting the Faculty in 2010 through a special partnership arrangement.

Representatives of NingDe Normal University and NingDe Municipal Government meeting staff of the Faculty of Education and Arts, August 2011.