The AIG Board, at its October 2020 meeting approved a proposal to join the Australian Council of Professions (ACoP).
ACoP is a unifying alliance of Professional Associations that represents more than 800,000 Australian professionals including engineers, healthcare and computer professionals, veterinarians, accountants and now geoscientists throughout Australia. The council is acknowledged by the community, industry and government as the Thought Leaders advocating for the Professions, Professionals and Professionalism since 1971.
ACoP members are professional associations and supporting organisations who share a mission of advocating for community confidence in all professionals and their evidence-based advice in difficult times.
Key benefits of being a Member of the Australian Council of Professions include:
A strength of ACoP is its ability to bring our member organisations together to exchange ideas, share experiences and work collaboratively to progress shared interests and objectives.
The Council’s work is currently focussed on the areas of
These are areas in which there are perceived to be considerable benefits for members in AIG being able to share and learn from experiences and initiatives being pursued by other professions in these areas.
The education and accreditation initiative is looking closely at micro-credentials, employability and work-integrated learning (WIL), continuing professional development and education (CPD/CPE). This is of particular concern in Australian geoscience with a number of universities moving towards offerring generalised Earth science degrees as distinct from geology qualifications, creating an opportunity for micro-credentials to fill gaps in essential geoscientific knowledge required to secure employment in specific fields. AIG’s Education Committee is currently looking closely at core knowledge relevant to different fields of geoscientific practice.
Professionalism and ethics is looking closely at best practice in this essential field, central to public recognition and trust in professionals across all fields of practice.
ACoP’s diversity and inclusion policy focus is examining policies on broad-based diversity – extending beyond gender to include race and ethnicity, migration status, age and disability.
ACoP offers a free email newsletter covering the Council’s work. Interested members can sign up for the newsletter here. Developments and ACoP news will also be featured in AIG News.
AIG’s board is looking forward to a productive and mutually beneficial exchange of ideas and experience with other Australian professional associations.
