Australian Community Engagement Classification

In August 2018, participating Australian universities attended an initial convening in August to learn about the history, philosophy, and logic of the existing US Carnegie Classification. By mid-2020, the Australian pilot institutions completed and submitted the existing US classification application to reflect on and implement institution-wide measurements and evaluation methods of community engagement. The cohort then worked together as a learning community to identify needed adjustments to the existing classification, recommended solutions, and contributed to the development of an Australian specific version of the classification. The Australian Carnegie Classification will launch in February 2022. 

“The opportunity to collectively forge an Australian community engagement classification through a world-leading framework is a game changer for higher education in Australia. Enhanced ability to benchmark, reward, incentivise and achieve scaled impact will enable and drive the critical mission of universities as institutions in service of society.”

— Verity Firth, Executive Director of the Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion, University Technology Sydney

Additional information about the Australian Pilot and the Australian Carnegie Classification can be found through Engagement Australia, the host organization of the Australian Carnegie Classification. 

Australian Pilot Leading Universities 

Charles Sturt University 

University Technology Sydney 

Participating Universities

• Australian Catholic University 
• CQ University Australia 
• Curtin University 
• Flinders University 
• La Trobe University 
• Southern Cross University
• University of the Sunshine Coast 
• Western Sydney University 

Observer Universities 

• Deakin University
• Federation University
• James Cook University
• Swinburne University of Technology
• The University of Sydney
• The University of Tasmania
• The University of Western Australia