Work Integrated Learning Symposium: Sustainable WIL Futures | 22 September

What makes UTS unique in educating and preparing graduates for their professional future?

What kind of external partnerships, course curricula and learning and teaching strategies create conditions for graduate employability, professional responsibility and active citizens who can make a positive difference in society?

These questions speak to the practice-oriented and research inspired learning and teaching goals of the University alongside the learning.futures strategy, as well as the idea of the civic purpose of UTS as underpinned by its 2027 strategy and where commitment to social justice is a distinctive feature of our identity.

To respond to this commitment and the question of what is university education for, you are invited to workshop the draft WIL Framework for UTS, which has been developed through extensive consultation across UTS by staff from the Institute of Interactive Media & Learning. WIL is a vehicle to engage in public and private sector and community partnerships, design real-world relevant courses, prepare educated future professionals and strengthen graduate employability.

Who should attend?

UTS academic and professional staff* engaged in or interested in preparing students for their future professional practice, as well as engagement with external partners. This will be a highly interactive symposium and the more diverse the participants, the better the outcomes will be. Come prepared to be part of the conversation!

Program Overview

Exploring UTS Community & Industry Partnerships: 9:30am – 12:00pm

External partnerships is a distinctive feature of WIL. The morning session will explore what makes UTS external partnerships distinctive. We will hear from community groups, the professions and industry partners as they articulate their future vision. Participants will engage in an appreciative design exercise, exploring WIL partnerships, identifying what we need to make excellence in WIL the norm. We will explore diverse engagement forms that contribute to learning outcomes.

Making WIL a Unique, Quality UTS Experience: 1:30pm – 4:00pm

The afternoon session will focus on the draft WIL Framework, its purpose, content and usability. Curriculum integration and professional practice pedagogies are distinctive features of WIL. In small groups participants are invited to critique and contribute to finalising the WIL Framework and consider how to integrate it into their teaching environment. There will also be the opportunity to work in small groups sharing WIL practices, resources and case studies.

*Our students and external partners have not been invited to attend this particular event as we wanted to focus in the first instance on staff consultation. We are planning many other opportunities to engage students and external partners and have them contribute to the future of WIL at UTS.

Zoom link

You will receive the link to access this workshop via Zoom in your registration email.