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ππ¨π―πžπ¦π›πžπ« πŸπŸ“ πŸπŸŽπŸπŸ’

Photo Caption: Mr. Stanley Houma, Manager of the SINU Standard and Quality Office (SQO), standing far left, bids farewell to the SINU academic staff before they departed for Australia on Sunday afternoon.

Twenty-five academic staff from the Solomon Islands National University (SINU) departed the country on Sunday, 24 November, for a two-week training program at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in Australia.

According to Stanley Houma, Manager of the SINU Standards and Quality Office (SQO), the group will participate in training for the Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Teaching and Learning (GCHET&L) from 25 November to 6 December.

Mr. Houma explained that the training in Sydney constitutes the first block of a four-block program, with each block consisting of two units. He elaborated that the GCHET&L program comprises the following blocks and units:

  1. Block one consists of Teaching for Learning and Feedback and Assignment
  2. Block two consists of Advancing Academic Practice and Student Agency and Teamwork
  3. Block three consists of Technology Enhanced Learning and Practicing Inclusion
  4. Block four consists of Course Design and Enhancing Academic Practice

The program is delivered in a blended mode, combining face-to-face sessions and online learning. The online component will commence immediately after the in-person training in Sydney.

Mr. Houma further stated that Block Two is scheduled to begin in February 2025 at the FAFF Conference Room, Kukum Campus, and the first cohort is expected to complete the program by July 2025.

β€œUnder this plan, the second cohort should begin the program in June or July 2025,” he added.

SINU expresses its sincere gratitude to DFAT for funding the program. The SINU Standards and Quality Office will manage the program on behalf of the university, with support from the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic) and faculty deans.

The 25 staff members participating in the first cohort were nominated by their respective faculty deans and represent all five faculties of SINU. While this program currently targets higher education staff, SINU is negotiating for additional support to extend training and professional development opportunities to staff in the TVET sector.

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