1. 1 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])

2. 2 Personnel Professor Gary Davis, Flinders University Law School (Dean of Law 2001-2007) Project Director gary.davis@flinders.edu.au; 08 8201 3883gary.davis@flinders.edu.au Dr Susanne Owen, Flinders University Law School Senior Research Fellow owen0102@flinders.edu.au; 08 82015975owen0102@flinders.edu.au

3. 3 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

4. 4 ALTC: Values inclusiveness long-term change diversity collaboration excellence

5. 5 Discipline Based Initiatives Scheme (DBI) system-wide future-oriented sustainable developments curriculum regeneration productive engagement

6. 6 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

7. 7 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)

8. 8 Goal 2 Map the current diversity of student profiles and legal education programs in Australia student characteristics law course direction & focus

9. 9 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

10. 10 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

11. 11 Goal 5 Explore 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)

12. 12 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

13. 13 Goal 7 Develop 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

14. 14 Goal 8 Commence 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

15. 15 Key Aspiration Legal academics working with others to drive discipline of law forward