Citation a hallmark of micro-credential success

Associate Professor Miller, from Deakin’s School of Life and Environmental Sciences, received the citation in the 2018 Australian Awards for University Teaching, specifically for ‘the development of an innovative Work Integrated Learning (WIL) micro-credential in environmental sustainability as part of a coherent and constructively aligned WIL curriculum’.

‘The citation was for my work leading the development of the inaugural Deakin Hallmark (Teamwork Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability) as one part of a suite of WIL initiatives in the Bachelor of Environmental Science (Environmental Management and Sustainability),’ Associate Professor Miller, an environmental social scientist, explains.

‘This Hallmark was the first developed and implemented at Deakin and Hallmarks have now been offered in all four faculties and over 20 courses.’

Deakin Hallmarks are prestigious University awards that recognise students' outstanding achievement of capabilities that are key to employment success.

‘In designing the Hallmark, I liaised with environmental industry partners and students and worked closely with the Deakin Hallmarks team,’ Associate Professor Miller says.

‘Industry partners have been involved in the ongoing development of the Hallmark and are represented on the assessment panel for the Hallmark applications.’

Associate Professor Miller says some of the outcomes of the broader WIL program for the Bachelor of Environmental Science (Environmental Management and Sustainability) course have included excellent student satisfaction, retention and a significant increase in the proportion of graduates in employment after graduation. She says the teamwork focus of the Hallmark is now more clearly scaffolded through the course.

‘I was honoured to receive this citation after building this initiative and other WIL opportunities in our course over the last four years,’ Associate Professor Miller says.

‘If our committed and passionate students can use this credential to their advantage when going for jobs in the environmental sustainability sector it can lead to great outcomes for our students and for our environment.’

Hear what some of our students have to say about studying environmental management and sustainability at Deakin.