Flinders receives national awards

Flinders University’s contribution to the lifting of secondary school retention rates in Adelaide’s south has been recognised with a national award.

It is the twelfth time in as many years that Flinders University has been recognised in the annual Australian Learning and Teaching Council awards for excellence in Australian University Teaching.

This year, the University received two of the 14 awards – formerly known as the Carrick Institute Awards – granted in the Programs that Enhance Learning category. Flinders was successful with its Postgraduate Critical Care Nursing Program and the Inspire Peer Mentoring Program.

Since its introduction in 2004, the Inspire Peer Mentoring Program has successfully increased the level of school retention rates and developed a stronger culture of learning among high school students in Adelaide’s southern suburbs.

Each semester, 120 students from the University run a series of mentoring programs across 30 schools within the Marion and Onkaparinga local government districts with the aim of sparking students’ interest in further education.

“The Inspire Peer Mentoring Program has proven to be highly successful in helping students to identify the positive link between active engagement and learning, a feat which has now been recognised by the ALTC Award,” Head of Admissions, Careers, Examinations and Graduation, Peter Torjul, said.

Aimed at facilitating students’ progressive development of knowledge and skills in nursing critically ill patients, the Critical Care Nursing program ensures students are prepared to meet the standards of specialist practice, at a beginning level, of the Australian College of Critical Care Nurses.

Head of the Critical Care Nursing Program, Ms Di Chamberlain, said the award was a fitting recognition of several years of very hard work and dedication by both staff and students.

“The program has been well received in work places across Australia and internationally, which has resulted in a trebling of the number of students we have enrolled in the course over the past three years,” Ms Chamberlain said.

“This really is the icing on the cake for all of our efforts,” she said.

Flinders University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Michael Barber, said the University was extremely pleased to be again recognised in the respected national awards.

“We are very pleased that the success of these two programs, which are making a valuable contribution to enhancing educational and workplace outcomes across the country, has been recognised,” Professor Barber said.

Representatives from Flinders University will receive the awards at the ALTC Awards Ceremony which will be held in Canberra on Tuesday 25 November.

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