Engaged Enquiry

'Engaged Enquiry' for staff and students is one of the two major organisational values that frame the Strategic Plan 2011-2015. As a core value of the University, the notion of engaged enquiry applies to everyone; staff and students and to all aspects of our work, especially to our commitment that our teaching and research activities should, in large part, address and be informed by questions and issues of importance to communities in our local, regional and global contexts.

The University has identified two signature pedagogies through which it seeks to engage students as enquiring learners in order that they develop the sorts of graduate outcomes that exemplify the Sydney Graduate; these are Research-Enriched Learning and Teaching (RELT) and Community-Engaged Learning and Teaching (CELT).

As part of its strategic plan The University will support the embedding of these signature teaching strategies in the curricular and co-curricular learning experiences of all students. In 2011 Strategic Teaching Enhancement Project (STEP) grants were available to support staff in the Divisions in implementing RELT and CELT curriculum initiatives, and members of the project teams formed an Engaged Enquiry Scholars network. Professional learning and development opportunities are being made available to staff interested in inquiring into this aspect of their teaching. Through the relevant SEG committees and working parties, curriculum renewal strategies will be developed which foreground engaged enquiry as the distinctive feature of students' learning experiences at Sydney. Assessment strategies aligned with engaged enquiry are being encouraged.