The Centre for International Development, Social Entrepreneurship and Leadership (CIDSEL) is the global engagement agency of the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC). Our agency follows a systemic approach to engagement and strongly collaborates with our community partners to create a positive impact on the world around us.
As our world becomes more interconnected, global engagement will be more important than ever. The ability to engage globally builds economic resilience, social integration, and attracts the talent and innovation needed to build tomorrow's society.
For more than a decade, we have supported our clients through competency development, capacity building, technical assistance, and building partnerships to develop solutions aiming at addressing the world’s most pressing challenges and achieving betterment. We are convinced that we need to approach the concept of "betterment" differently and the best way to achieve betterment is to bring about a positive transformation in society.
WHAT WE DO
We operate in a complex ecosystem where people have competing interests, and the only way to ensure sustainable impact is to reflect on and understand our worldview. Pursuing sustainable development alone is no longer enough. As a result, we at CIDSEL emphasise building human capacity to empower people to handle future challenges. Transferring skills and knowledge to the community is key to achieving societal transformation.
In collaboration with our partners, our engagement strategists provide technical assistance, consulting and capacity building across a number of key areas, including education, health, private sector development, gender, leadership and social justice.
We promote global engagement and dialogue by forming alliances with international development organisations, governments, policymakers, NGOs, and entrepreneurs who share our commitment to getting better together.
WHY CHOOSE CIDSEL?
We live in a challenging world where there is a constant need for new ideas, new approaches, and new solutions to create a sustainable positive impact. We bring an innovative approach to development which we understand as a collaborative pursuit for ‘inclusive betterment’.
We are a leading provider of expertise and knowledge, and our partners trust us to execute the complex of their projects. With our unique approach, we are able to see simplicity in the midst of the most complex of situations and thereby assist in developing the effective solutions for our clients.
Systems thinking abilities, futures orientation, critical reflection skills and experiential learning practices are all essential in this regard.
CIDSEL is proud of its achievements and is keen to share its experience and expertise with anyone who seek to engage within it in the pursuit for sustainable and responsible ‘betterment’.
Our capabilities
CIDSEL initiatives
W2W Business Expo brings together local female-led businesses
The Women to Women Business Expo featured a diversity of innovative local female-led businesses in the arts, services and food industries at The J Noosa.
W2W was created to support local communities and businesses by providing the opportunity to connect, collaborate, learn and create opportunities for success. Read more.
Australia Awards PNG participants celebrate Interational Women's Day
The cohort, which comprises 17 female and eight male entrepreneurs, enjoyed a networking lunch with local women of influence at a private function at Noosaville.
The entrepreneurs are completing a Short Course on Entrepreneurship and New Venture Creation through CIDSEL (Centre for International Development, Social Entrepreneurship and Leadership). Read more.
Leadership conference for future diplomats
A University centre based in Noosa has again played a key role in managing the annual US Embassy Student Leadership Program.
The US Embassy Student Leadership Program ’Looking to 2040 – Developing Next-Generation Leaders and Policy Thinkers of the U.S.- Australia Partnership in the Indo-Pacific Region’, recently culminated in a Capstone event in Canberra. Read more.
Gender Advisory Committee
CIDSEL strives to integrate gender programming into all their services in order to bring about a positive change in both the lives of women and men. We are working on setting up a Gender Advisory Committee composed of a group of gender equality experts who will be providing gender strategy on projects.
Academic Advisory Committee
Our Academic Advisory Committee provides guidance, knowledge, skills and feedback to our centre in specific areas of expertise. The Committee is responsible for ensuring our offering is relevant and of high quality. Our academics are a critical link in partnering with different communities in research and engagement.
- Dr Stefanie Fishel, Politics and International Relations Adviser
- Associate Professor Florin Oprescu, Health Promotion Adviser
- Dr Anna Cheyda, Private Sector Development Adviser
- Dr Bogdan Putnikovic, Economic Adviser
- Emeritus Professor Richard Bawden, Systemic Development Advisor