Community and Engagement
Our Partnerships
Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development – Greater Western Sydney
The Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development – Greater Western Sydney (RCE-GWS) operates in the most rapidly developing area of Australia – a highly diverse region which has Australia’s third largest economy and faces the distinctive sustainability challenges associated with a rapidly developing, culturally diverse, dispersed peri-urban area.
RCE-GWS sets out to establish a model of how the linked challenges of social, economic and environmental sustainability can be addressed through an integrated process of collaboration between the multiple partners from institutions, organisations, businesses, community groups and local councils. For more information please visit the RCE-GWS website.
UWS Engagement Office
UWS is an active participant in the community life of Greater Western Sydney (GWS). UWS Engagement has dedicated staff whose roles are focused on University-Community links around environmental and social sustainability issues of priority importance to GWS.
Bridging the Gap Program
Primary or secondary school students from low-socio-economic backgrounds may not consider higher education an option. Breaking down the barrier between school students and the unknown world of tertiary education has been an ongoing crusade for universities Australia-wide.
Over the next four years, UWS will be part of the Bridges to Higher Education project (opens in a new window), a $21.2 million plan designed to reach more than 100,000 students from low-economic-status communities and encourage them to undertake tertiary studies.
Funded with $21.2 million from the Commonwealth Government’s Higher Education Project as well as resources from five participating universities and their partners, Bridges to Higher Education also aims to improve students’ abilities in reading, writing, numeracy, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. To stir the students’ interest, the students will visit university campuses, attend summer schools and receive mentoring and work experience.
SURF Projects - Djalaringi Child Care Centre Community Garden
The Sustainable UWS Rolling Fund (surf) program funds sustainability projects that are developed, managed and implemented by UWS staff and students.
The establishment of community garden within the Djalaringi Child Care Centre which includes children, parents, staff and students from the School of Education. Please see the video clip below for more details on the project.
Recently the UWS Early Learning Penrith ‘Djalaringi’ held its second annual Kids Corroborree – a cultural sharing experience for staff, parents, children and Aboriginal community members.
'The Kids Corroborree is part of our overarching integration of Aboriginal Australian culture into our curriculum, and also serves as an opportunity for the Early Learning community to come together in a relaxed environment,' says Tessa McGavock, Director of UWS Early Learning Penrith ‘Djalaringi’.
During the evening, the Centre dedicated their Bush Tucker Garden to the Dharug Elders. The Centre had consulted with the Dharug people during the construction of the Bush Tucker Garden to help choose the most appropriate plants. Families who attended the evening were able to take home their own samples of bush tucker in giveaway bags that were provided by the Thulli group.
SMExcellence
SMExcellence (opens in a new window) is a free online interactive learning and planning system that helps you to startup and manage your business, particularly Small to Medium businesses (SMEs).
Community based projects at other universities and colleges
- Running community expos on the Green Agenda - for example see UWS Green expo (opens in a new window)
- Cohosting key green conferences - for example see Powershift 2009 website (opens in a new window)
If your section of UWS is addressing any of these areas or additional ones, please let us know by emailing sustainability@uws.edu.au.
