Australian Academic Volunteers Abroad (AAVA) enables Australian academics to share their expertise by connecting them with universities across the Indo-Pacific.
With international education mobilising both knowledge and people, this program provides a platform for regional developing universities to access the world-class Australian system.
A signal of Australia’s investment and commitment to the Indo-Pacific, the initiative is built around knowledge exchange to uplift capability and strengthen ties with regional communities.
AAVA’s mandate is to find expert volunteers who share a desire to make a tangible contribution to capacity building in nations who are tackling complex challenges, with volunteers working toward goals set by a host university.
To achieve this, AAVA partners with the Australian Volunteers Program, an Australian Government-funded initiative managed by Australian Volunteers International to support global volunteering. Alongside the higher education sector, AAVA works with Australian professional societies, associations and institutes to recruit academic volunteers and raise funds to support the sustainable placement of academic volunteers with partner universities.
Co-founded by lifelong academic and university executive, Professor Graham Schaffer and former academic and industry professional, Dr Libby Mitchell, the germination of AAVA evolved through a 2015 visit to the Solomon Islands.
The co-founders harnessed their experience of the transformative power of education – personally and as teachers and mentors – to generate this platform as a mechanism serving an uplift in the capability of individuals and organisations in the region. Growing into a volunteering organisation, as a registered Australian Charity, AAVA works to understand the needs of universities in developing countries and builds collaborations for recently retired and current academics to work in partnership with them.
With Patrons Professor Margaret Sheil AO (Vice-Chancellor, QUT) and Professor Pal Ahluwalia (Vice Chancellor, The University of the South Pacific) the organisation is afforded a presence and legitimacy that will enhance it capability to form trusted partnerships. Alongside co-founders Professor Graham Schaffer and Dr Libby Mitchell, the AAVA Board comprises a wealth of experience and shared vision, through Directors Emerita Professor Marilys Guillemin, Professor Sandra Kentish and Professor Professor Jioji Ravulo.
AAVA looks particularly to attract soon-to-retire and recently retired academics who have flexibility, current knowledge, expertise and experience in sharing knowledge; they welcome academics across all disciplines to submit expressions of interest.
Supporting the goals and aspirations of universities in countries across the Indo-Pacific AAVA matches academic teaching and research needs and priorities identified by university partners with volunteer Australian academics. AAVA are committed to:
- Supporting goals and aspirations that are locally owned and led
- Strengthening capacity through sharing expertise and knowledge
- Deep and genuine exchange of knowledge and outcomes
- Educational excellence
- Building relationships of mutual respect and trust
- Respect for human rights and a strengths-based culturally appropriate and inclusive approach
- Volunteering for development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
With the spotlight firmly on the international education sector, this initiative is deepening Australia’s practical and impactful work with partners in the Indo-Pacific.
Further information on AVAA is here
