School of Religious Education
Spiritual, Moral and Religious Education is a key area for Teaching and Research in Australian Catholic University

The Nature and Purposes of the School of Religious Education within ACU and in the Catholic tertiary education sector in Australia

The School of Religious Education of Australian Catholic University incorporates the academic staff involved in this discipline across five of the University's campuses in the ACT, Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. The School reflects the special interest of Australian Catholic University in Religious Education, a commitment that was fundamental to the founding of the Catholic Teachers Colleges which were the predecessors of the University. The School of Religious Education functions as a key across-university disciplinary team to enhance the teaching and research outputs in Religious Education at the local state level. The School provides a structural identity for Religious Education which reflects its uniqueness within the mission of Australian Catholic University.

The Discipline of Religious Education in the Catholic Education Sector: The School is responsible for maintaining the University's distinctive involvement in this discipline which has an important interface with Religious Education in the Australian Catholic Education sector. This responsibility includes the following:-

* The preparation of religion teachers in undergraduate courses in Religious Education;
* The preparation of religion teachers through the Graduate Diploma of Education course;
* The field supervision of trainee teachers in schools;
* Postgraduate courses in Religious Education; these include basic qualification courses like the Graduate Certificate in Religious Education, extension courses like the Graduate Diploma of Religious Education, and the Masters of Religious Education program for the continued professional development and leadership development of religious educators;
* Conduct of Research and Development in Religious and Values/Moral Education; this includes research by academic staff as well as by postgraduate research students
* Supervision of postgraduate research by students in the Masters, Doctor of Education and Doctor of Philosophy Programs.
* Joint projects with Catholic Education authorities -- from the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) through to diocesan Catholic Education Offices local Catholic schools;
* Consultancies and professional development offerings for teachers of religion in Catholic schools, and for other community groups.

Other special contributions to the discipline

Journal of Religious Education: The School of Religious Education publishes the prestigious international journal, Journal of Religious Education four (4) times per year. Evolving from the journal Our Apostolate, which had a long history of publication by the De La Salle order, and then through Word in Life, the Journal of Religious Education provides a professional forum for educators interested in Religious and values/moral education. It keeps a record of, and helps disseminate writings and research in Religious Education and other areas like church Catechesis, adult education, and moral/values education. It includes a variety of regular features which attend to contemporary educational issues, research, book reviews, resources and practical hints for teachers.

Leadership Role: Australian Catholic University's School of Religious Education has the largest concentration of academics in this discipline in tertiary institutions in Australia. Links are maintained with academics in other Australian universities who are involved or interested in the general area of values and personal education, and the School has the potential to help develop some national cohesion for this group of academics.

Links with Professional Associations: The School of Religious Education contributes to professional associations in Religious Education such as the Australian Association for Religious Education (AARE) and the International Seminar on Religious Education and Values (ISREV).

Overseas and International Links: The School maintains links with overseas Institutes of Religious Education, research centres and scholars. 

School Meetings: The School of Religious Education directs its videoconferene and face to face meetings towards course development, teaching and research. It also considers contemporary issues that have a bearing on the theory and practice of Religious Education. In 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2005it sponsored a National Symposium on Religious Education and Ministry in the Catholic Sector in Australia. The Symposia were reported in issues of the Journal of Religious Education. The Fourth Symposium now reflects an international interest in Religious Education and Ministry in the Catholic Sector; it will be held in Brisbane in June 2007.

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