Halls of Residence, University Colleges and other forms of student accommodation can play a fundamental role in educating students in life-skills and broadening their world view.
Staff from Flinders Living will be among the delegates at a national conference of student accommodation providers in Adelaide. The Australasian Association of College and University Housing Officers (AACUHO) annual conference, to be held from 9 to 12 April at the Hilton Adelaide Hotel, will bring together 150 participants from around Australia and overseas.
Dean of Flinders Living, Ms Helen Fletcher, said halls and colleges, in particular, have enormous potential to provide students with opportunities for leadership experience as well as community and philanthropic engagement.
“We do our best to educate our students about what’s happening around the globe, and encourage them to give back to the community – local, national and global – through fundraising for charities, donating blood and a range of other activities,” Ms Fletcher said.
“While we have established systems to monitor our students’ well-being and academic progress, we don’t baby them: on the contrary, they are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves and for others in a wide range of cultural, sporting, social and artistic activities.”
More than 550 students live on campus at Flinders.
AACUHO President, Mr Colin Marshall, who is Director of Campus Life at the University of Ballarat, said the conference was an important professional development opportunity for staff working in tertiary education sector accommodation.
“Increasingly universities are recognising the value of student residential communities, and how they make a significant and positive impact to the student experience,” Mr Marshall said.
Flinders Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Andrew Parkin and the University’s Vice-President (Strategy and Planning) Ms Gill Troup will be among the conference speakers.
Prior to the conference, delegates will attend a half-day study tour that will visit Flinders University, Lincoln College, St Mark’s College and University of Adelaide Village. A longer study tour to universities in Victoria and SA commenced on 4 April for participants from Australia, USA, Singapore, South Africa and Scotland.