Conference turns ideas on community engagement InsideOut

Academics, government representatives and community leaders from all over the world will converge on UQ Ipswich from July 3-5 for talks on higher education and community engagement.

The first InsideOut conference two years ago created spirited debate, according to Bruce Muirhead, director of the University’s Community Service and Research Centre (CSRC), the conference host.

The 2003 conference will maintain the momentum by celebrating achievements over the past two years.

“It’s time out to review and consider policy, practice and critical review of community engagement,” Mr Muirhead said. “This should be a time of re-energising and empowering.”

About 200 delegates from overseas and every Australian state and territory will take part in more than 55 paper presentations, roundtables, workshops, case studies and community narratives. The diverse range of topics relate to capital, community and citizenship.

The conference kicks off on Wednesday, July 2 with a welcome event at the historic Ipswich Railway Workshops. This includes a tour of the heritage site, an address by Rod Fehring (Chief Executive Officer of Delfin Lend Lease Australia) and the presentation of inaugural awards for community engagement.

Full conference plus day rates are available, with special concessions for students and members of the community.

For more information, visit the InsideOut website or contact Ashley Jones (telephone 07 3381 1542 or 0412 104 491, email ashley.jones@uq.edu.au).