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May 1 2025

Culture and Creativity Seminar – NCDC Unearthed

Speaker: Sally FarrahDate\Time: Thursday 1 May 2025, 12:30-13:30Location: Building 1 Level A Room 1A21, University of Canberra (NB Room 1a21 is accessed from the foyer joining Building 1 and Mizzuna café); or Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/95029077504 AbstractThis presentation reveals the research process and outcomes for a recent ACT Heritage Festival exhibition, entitled ‘NCDC unearthed: architecture and landscape’, in collaboration with FAD colleagues. A roll call of architects commissioned by the NCDC are some of the best names in Australian twentieth-century architecture: for example, nine of the fifteen architects Robin Boyd promoted in his book, A new architecture(1963), were architects involved with the NCDC project. This research reveals some Australian ‘starchitects’ lesser-known projects, and provides further insight into their ideas and work. By timelining the seven-year cycles of governance, this study starts to reveal the themes and preoccupations evident in the architectural, landscape, and urban works in the post-WWII period.All are welcome! BioSally is a Lecturer (Architecture) at UC. Currently, she is working with several FAD colleagues on an ACT Heritage Grant 2024-25, studying the contributions of the NCDC from 1958-88. In collaboration with other academics, they are working toward a book proposal end of 2025, entitled ‘Canberra: the city of total design’. Acknowledgements Supports and fundings: ACT Heritage; Alastair Swayn FoundationCollaborators: ACT Heritage Library; Canberra Modern; GML Heritage Upcoming exhibition opening event on 16 April 2025NCDC Unearthed: architecture and landscapeArchitecture and Landscape Unearthed The Culture and Creativity Seminar Series is hosted by the Centre for Cultural and Creative Research (CCCR), Faculty of Arts and Design, University of Canberra. To discover upcoming seminars, please follow us on Facebook @uccccr, or Instagram and Twitter @uc_cccr. Alternatively, join our mailing list by emailing cccr@canberra.edu.au. Any questions and accessibility requests please contact: cccr@canberra.edu.au.

12:30 - 13:30
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May 5 2025

Tooling up the baby friendly hospital initiative – maternity care for gender justice and health of humans and planet

This event is jointly organised by the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and the Health Research Institute at the University of Canberra. We acknowledge and thank the Medical Research Future Fund, Alive & Thrive East Asia Pacific, and the ANU Gender Institute for research funding.The quality of care in the first few days after birth in hospital is critical to breastfeeding success but it also affects the health of the planet. New tools can expose the potential gains from investing in better breastfeeding support in maternity care.Breastfeeding is important for children’s health, and also benefits mothers by aiding postnatal recovery and mental health and reducing lifelong risk of breast cancer. The first days after birth in hospital are critical to breastfeeding success. However, in Australia, around 30% of newborns are fed commercial milk formula (CMF) before leaving the hospital.Facilities adhering to the WHO/UNICEF BFHI Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding have been shown to enable higher exclusive breastfeeding rates and continued breastfeeding throughout the first year. Equitable access to high standards of breastfeeding support in maternity care is essential to avoid health disparities.The human rights of women and children to breastfeeding are violated through proliferation of maternity care barriers to breastfeeding, including unnecessary separation of newborns from mothers,  inappropriate promotion of commercial food products for mothers and infants and young children through health channels, and unnecessary supplementation with CMF products.The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) not only supports breastfeeding, it also reduces environmental impact, and this is often overlooked. Commercial milk formula (CMF) feeding has high GHG emissions, and water use. Exclusive CMF-feeding for six months generates up to a quarter of a tonne of CO2 equivalent GHG emissions per infant, and uses around 5000 litres of scarce water resources across the product lifecycle.Reducing CMF use to mitigate carbon and water footprints is a win-win for climate, health, and economies.Since 2020, our online program aims to galvanise efforts to improve breastfeeding policies and funding in national budgets, by applying new conceptual and practical tools to Australian policy, including gender responsive budgeting.The webinar brings together leading international research on climate change and health services, with two ANU projects:“Scaling up the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative in support of maternal and newborn health” (funded by MRFF) and“Gender just reductions in greenhouse gas emissions in facilities providing maternity and newborn services through implementing the ‘Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative” (funded by ANU Gender Institute).Drawing on insights from health services in Asia Pacific and elsewhere, the forthcoming webinar on Monday, 5 May will focus on Australian maternity services, developing themes from earlier webinars, introducing the Scaling up BFHI project, and demonstrating a new tool for action on human and planetary health through more sustainable health services.Presenters will share insights and discuss innovative strategies to enhance health outcomes for mothers and babies while addressing environmental sustainability in healthcare facilities.Registration is free and webinar Zoom details will be emailed upon registration.This event is jointly organised by the Tax and Transfer Policy Institute at the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy and the Health Research Institute at the University of Canberra. We acknowledge and thank the Medical Research Future Fund, Alive & Thrive East Asia Pacific, and the ANU Gender Institute for research funding.We also appreciate the support of FHI 360, Healthy Environments and Lives (HEAL) Global Research Centre, the World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative Australia, and the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India. 

18:00 - 20:15
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May 6 2025

Dear ChatGPT, what is democracy?

AI is becoming an ever-present force in our lives, shaping how we access information, engage in discussions, and even participate in democracy. New AI tools make democratic participation more accessible through AI facilitation and live translation. But it may also undermine democracy by inhibit critical thinking skills or eroding public trust through deepfakes. This seminar brings together leading international academics and practitioners to discuss which AI tools can enhance democracy, how AI can be democratically governed and how our identities reshaped through the everyday use of AI. Join us for a dynamic exchange of ideas on the promises and challenges of AI in shaping the democracies of tomorrow.Reema Patel directs Elgon Social, as an independent researcher and practitioner with expertise in deliberative and participatory approaches. She currently works on the Digital Good Network, Public Voices in AI, and the Global Climate Citizens Assembly led by Iswe Foundation. She is also an EDI associate to the Wellcome Trust, advising them on the development and implementation of their equity framework. Dr James Muldoon is an Associate Professor in Management at the Essex Business School, a Research Associate at the Oxford Internet Institute and Head of Digital Research at the Autonomy think tank. His research examines how modern technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital platforms can create public value and serve the common good. It explores how notions of freedom, power and democracy need to be rethought in a digital age and what we can do to harness the positive potential of new technology.The seminar will be moderated by Dr Hans Asenbaum, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance, Faculty of Business, Government and Law, University of Canberra.

18:00 - 19:00
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May 14 2025

Deliberative Democracy in Action Masterclass Series

Effective community engagement starts with the right tools and approaches—and deliberation offers both. The Deliberative Democracy in Action Masterclasses offer a hands-on introduction to the principles and tools of deliberative engagement—an evidence-based approach that leads to more inclusive, constructive, and legitimate outcomes.Whether you're designing consultations, facilitating conversations, or shaping policy, these masterclasses will equip you with practical strategies to engage communities in ways that build trust and deliver impact. Through these sessions, you'll learn how to:Improve the quality of public engagement by creating spaces where participants feel heard, respected, and empowered to contribute.Broaden the reach of public engagement by designing inclusive processes that engage people from all walks of life—not just the usual voices.Balance diverse perspectives by exploring the trade-offs between competing values and interests.Bridge divisions and disagreements through meaningful dialogue and active listening.Drawing from real-world examples in Australia and around the world, the sessions explore fresh, practical approaches to deliberative engagement.Hosted by the Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance — a world leader in the study of public participation — this series brings together expert thinkers and practitioners who are helping to reshape democracy for the better. You’ll also have the chance to connect with some of Australia’s leading experts in deliberative engagement and become part of our growing network of practitioners working to make public engagement more meaningful and effective. Wednesday 14 May: RepresentationExplores how democratic ideals such as inclusion and participation are realised in deliberative process. This includes how experts are involved in processes and examines strategies to enhance representation in various contexts such as where there are inherent power inequities.  Participants will master:The different ways to consider representation in deliberative processes and how to design processes that include varied perspectives.An understanding of how inequalities impact deliberation and tools for addressing disparities.How to consider the perspectives of those that cannot participate such as future generations or non-humans.How to design methods that effectively engage experts and apply their knowledge to the deliberative process.Guest speakers – to be announced soon! Thursday 15 May: ImpactExplores how deliberative practices are connected to the wider institutional and political contexts, and the democratic system overall.  This includes an examination of the consequentiality of practices and factors that affect their impact.Participants will master:An understanding of how democratic innovations can be effectively positioned within a policy-making context, systems of governance and existing public participation approaches.An ability to identify varied pathways for impact and how to strategically design deliberative processes that achieve this impact.An understanding of the determinants that influence the legitimacy conferred on deliberative processes, and strategies for how to strengthen legitimacy.Guest speakers – to be announced soon!Friday 16 May: ResilienceExplores how deliberative practices can contribute to building democratic resilience. It will consider deliberation in contexts where there are entrenched special interests, deep power inequalities, or divergent views on possible solutions to complex issues.  This masterclass builds an understanding of both the opportunities and limitations for deliberation to break impasses and generate more broadly accepted policy outputs.   Participants will master:A critical understanding of how deliberation can mitigate extremist threats in contexts where there is deep polarisation, mistrust or disinformation.An ability to design processes that appropriately consider relevant social movement actors and stakeholders.A toolkit of deliberative approaches and design choices that can mitigate division and entrenched views.Guest speakers – to be announced soon!RegistrationParticipants can enrol in each masterclass separately if they are only interested in one or two topics. Alternatively, the masterclasses will run on three consecutive days allowing participants to enrol in all three as an intensive. $385 (incl. GST) per day$990 (incl. GST)  for all three masterclasses Register for:Representation (single day) - Register hereImpact (single day) - Register hereResilience (single day) - Register hereAll three masterclasses - Register hereRegistration includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. CertificateParticipants will be provided a participation certificate from the Centre of Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance.

09:00 - 17:00 2 more dates available

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