By Prof Celia Hammond
Vice Chancellor, The University of Notre Dame Australia
Over the last two decades, I have had the pleasure of serving on boards and committees of a variety of different Catholic educational bodies, including, for the last eight years, and by virtue of my position as Vice Chancellor, on the governing boards of The University of Notre Dame Australia.
In reflecting on these experiences, I am struck by the significant changes which have occurred over this time period and the impact they have had on all educational institutions. The speed and extent of technological developments are the most visible of all changes which our educational institutions have had to address. Less visible but nonetheless significant are the changes which have increased the level of regulation and reporting imposed on educational institutions and have been partially responsible for the increased ‘businessification’ of our educational institutions. The impact of the declining numbers of Religious involved in our educational institutions (reflecting the declining number of Religious in Australia) which commenced before this time period is also still being felt.
The specific changes over this time period are unique and of our time, but even a cursory glance at history demonstrates that facing change and needing to adapt to change is not a unique phenomenon. It is also important to note that, just as they have done in previous times, our Catholic educational institutions have adapted to all the changes and continue to be resilient, innovative and excellent.
While acknowledging that change is always present and that our Catholic educational institutions have adapted and continue to thrive, it is important that we remember to press the ‘pause’ button every now and then and take the time to thoroughly reflect on and evaluate whether the adaptations we are making in the face of change are right for us as Catholic educational institutions.
For example, simply because something is best practice in the commercial world, in another not-for- profit sector or even in the state education system does not mean that it automatically fits with or furthers the mission of Catholic educational institutions. This is because Catholic educational institutions are not just “any” institution. They are and must be different. A Catholic school or university is an educational community grounded in faith that seeks the full development of the human person, in mind, body and spirit.
It is a community that believes that the human person is made in the image and likeness of God, and is destined for God. It is a community that places the Person of Jesus Christ at the heart of all its endeavours.
The “Catholic difference” in Catholic education can never be reduced to Religious Education classes, social justice initiatives or crosses in classrooms. As important as they are, they alone do not guarantee our mission.
The Catholic difference must permeate every aspect of the institution: our policies, our processes, our language, our decision making and our actions – and we must always be mindful of the potential consequences of any changes we make, particularly when we import practices from the commercial or professional worlds.
Of course, our Catholic educational institutions must be run professionally, incorporating and utilising the best educational, commercial, management, and business practices, tools and measures available. This is an integral duty of anyone managing or serving on a board or committee of our educational institutions and it is essential for the future of our organisations. We need to balance our books, to understand the needs of our communities, to evaluate our actions, to communicate our achievements, to plan for the future and all the other miscellany of actions which are part and parcel of responsible stewardship. But, we must be ever conscious of the risk that these tools and practices may seduce us into a way of thinking or acting that are indifferent to, or worse, completely antithetical to the reason for our existence.
Over the course of history, our Catholic educational institutions have adapted to change and thrived, in large part, because those who worked in or served them had the humility to understand that they were part of a much bigger picture and that their work was integral to the mission of the Church.
While the changes we face now are different, all who manage, work in or serve Catholic educational institutions need to approach today’s challenges in the same way. With humble awareness, we need to remember that our skills, no matter how great, count for little if they are disconnected from the very reason our institutions exist: to help our students grow in the fullness of their humanity and to enter into a life-long relationship with Jesus Christ.
The most important question we will then ask, in the first instance, is not “How well are we responding to change?” but, rather, “How well are we responding to our mission?”
From page 12 and 13 from Issue 3: ‘Education: Teaching, Learning and Technology in 2016’ of The Record Magazine