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Council of Australian Law Deans Discipline Based Initiative in Law

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

“Learning and Teaching in the Discipline of Law: Achieving and Sustaining Excellence in a Changed and Changing Environment”

(funded by a grant from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council [“ALTC” - formerly Carrick Institute])

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Personnel

Professor Gary Davis, Flinders University Law School (Dean of Law 2001-2007)•Project Director•gary.davis@flinders.edu.au; 08 8201 3883

Dr Susanne Owen, Flinders University Law School•Senior Research Fellow•owen0102@flinders.edu.au; 08 82015975

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ALTC: Objectives

• promoting and supporting strategic change• raising profile of importance of teaching• fostering and acknowledging teaching excellence• disseminating and embedding good teaching and

learning practices• encouraging sharing and benchmarking• identifying issues and facilitating national approaches to

resolving them

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ALTC: Values

• inclusiveness

• long-term change

• diversity

• collaboration

• excellence

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Discipline Based Initiatives Scheme (DBI)

• system-wide

• future-oriented

• sustainable developments

• curriculum regeneration

• productive engagement

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Learning and Teaching in the Discipline of Law: Achieving and Sustaining

Excellence in a Changed and Changing Environment

Diversity– proliferation of law schools & students– professional training vs intellectual discipline– “selling” of Law as prep’n for non-law careers

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Goal 1

Create, among key personnel in Australian Law Schools, greater awareness of and engagement with the Learning Outcomes and Curriculum Developments in Law Report•http://admin.carrickinstitute.edu.au/dspace/handle/10096/3492

•Conduits: Associate Deans (Teaching & Learning)

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Goal 2

Map the current diversity of student profiles and legal education programs in Australia

•student characteristics

•law course direction & focus

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Goal 3

Identify workable infrastructure for current and ongoing consultation and engagement with key stakeholders in legal education

•students; teachers; administrators; employers; government; practising profession; judiciary

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Goal 4

Develop law graduate attributes templates

• regional forums with Associate Deans (Teaching & Learning) Apr-May

• national: ALTA Conference, Legal Education Interest Group, 7 July, Cairns

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Goal 5Explore the issue whether formal standards for Australian law schools ought to be adopted and present options for consideration by the Council of Australian Law Deans

•CALD Standards for Australian Law Schools (adopted in principle 4 Mar 2008 for dissemination by Deans within their law schools seeking feedback)

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Goal 6

Develop effective means to inculcate in Australian law students the values of professionalism, ethics and service

•stakeholder expectations of law school leadership•Preliminary stocktake and interim findings

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Goal 7Develop baseline data regarding the mental well-being of law students including their understanding of relevant issues, personal experiences and knowledge of assistance mechanisms which are in place

•Sydney Uni research study: “Lawyers are human too: Investigating why those who speak out for others in need feel they must remain silent about their own needs?”

– Survey of final year law students

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Goal 8Commence a process for re-designing the law curriculum and approaches to the delivery of legal education so that they will be sufficient to meet the needs of the coming generation of law students

•agreed framework for revision of current mandatory requirements for professional accreditation

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Key Aspiration

Legal academics working with others to drive discipline of law

forward