Back with impact: Ashoka U renews CQU Changemaker credentials
CQUniversity is changing lives for students and communities – and now international recognition has reaffirmed its role in equipping changemakers to transform their world.
CQUniversity has just achieved re-accreditation as an Ashoka U Changemaker, after being named Australia’s first-ever Changemaker Campus in 2016 - and renewed in 2020.
The latest recognition highlighted:
- CQUniversity’s innovative iActivate program for empowering regional social entrepreneurs, as well as its range of offerings in social innovation;
- Partnerships for research, student support and community-building;
- The Q-SEED initiative for increasing youth job opportunities in Townsville through social and Indigenous procurement;
- Whole-of-university social impact initiatives like iChange and Festival of Change, and embedded social innovation mindset;
- Surpassed social and Indigenous procurement targets;
- Social Traders certification as Australia’s only social enterprise university;
- Evocative communication in its inspiring Become a Changemaker campaign.
Ashoka U is an exclusive international network of universities committed to social innovation, enterprise and impact.
The organisation has just 29 members world-wide, and CQUniversity remains the only Australian member.
The rigorous re-accreditation process saw a panel of social innovation experts analyse CQUniversity impacts across visionary leadership, education and research excellence, operations and culture, and sector support.
Dr Heather MacCleoud, Ashoka U Chief Network Officer, congratulated CQUniversity on the achievement, and its “strong social innovation and changemaking ecosystem”.
“Reviewers were impressed by the ways in which changemaking was aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the impactful ways in which the importance of changemaking was communicated, and by the commitment from leadership to support this work,” she said.
“They also appreciated the ways in which changemaking education was included as part of onboarding and opening co-curricular offerings to faculty and staff.”
Dr Michelle Thompson is a CQUniversity Social Innovation Change Leader, and Head of Course for the Graduate Certificate in Social Innovation Leadership. She led the Ashoka U Changemaker Renewal process and said it highlighted commitment to social impact through the challenges of the pandemic.
“CQUniversity has long-term commitment to embedding social innovation across our teaching, research and engagement – and over time we’ve adapted and pivoted our work, to ensure that changemaker opportunities achieve maximum impact,” she said.
“It was exciting to report on new initiatives, especially our partnerships with regional communities to embed social innovation in how they develop initiatives like neighbourhood houses, social enterprises, social procurement supply chains and capacity building.”
CQUniversity Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Nick Klomp said the successful re-accreditation reflected the University’s inclusive and empowering approach to education, and commitment to global leadership.
“This achievement is a natural progression from the University’s long-held vision to be Australia’s most accessible, supportive and engaged university,” Prof Klomp said.
“Continuing our relationship with Ashoka U, and all its change leader members, has created enormous opportunity for CQUniversity to grow our offerings for life-changing education in Australia, and around the world.
“Our curriculum to ensure every student graduates with a social innovation mindset, and the skills to create positive social change within their profession, is well established, and we continue to build practical partnerships and initiatives that supports students to use those skills to benefit their communities.”
Deb Friel is a Social Innovation Change Leader and the Manager for CQU’s Centre for Professional Development.
Earlier this year, she represented CQU at the 2024 Changemaker Education Research Forum, and said it highlighted the importance of flexible, real-world connected learning to equip changemakers.
“Our range of degrees, short courses and micro-credentials for changemaking are really world-leading, and the proof is in our passionate students taking practical, human-centred design skills into their careers and communities,” Ms Friel said.
As Australia’s only Changemaker campus, CQUniversity has ignited and accelerated thousands of changemaker journeys, supporting students, staff and community members to develop social innovation mindsets and practical work-ready skills, through programs embedded in curriculum, community partnerships initiatives and extra-curricular opportunities.
CQUniversity's Strategic Plan 2024-2028, We Change Lives commits to social innovation embedded across operations, as well as supporting for-good enterprise with social and Indigenous procurement growth targets.
Visit social innovation at CQUniversity to learn more.
