None
Friday, 17 December 2010

A former Director of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute WA Research Centre, Professor Paul Flatau, has been appointed Chair of Social Investment and Impact at The University of Western Australia.

Professor Flatau will join the Centre for Social Impact at the UWA Business School.  He has more than 60 publications in the fields of economics and social policy and outstanding success in applying for and winning external national competitive research grants and industry/government grants and consultancies.

Dean of the UWA Business School, Winthrop Professor Tracey Horton said Professor Flatau had a strong track record of leading research focused on the economics of social exclusion - homelessness, long-term unemployment, poverty - and on government policies and community strategies to improve these conditions.

"We look forward to his leadership in this important new area of work in the UWA Business School," Professor Horton said.  "To complete this body of work, we are developing strong partnerships with philanthropists, not-for-profit organisations, governments and corporate social investors to find new ways to respond to the pressing social challenges that impact on all of our lives."

The UWA Business School Centre for Social Impact is part of a national initiative headed by Macquarie Group Foundation Professor Peter Shergold at the Australian Business School, University of New South Wales.  It aims to create beneficial social impact in Australia through teaching, research, measurement and the promotion of public debate . The Centre brings together the business, government, philanthropic and third (not-for-profit) sectors, in a collaborative effort to build community capacity and generate social innovation.

Professor Peter Shergold said: "Western Australia is uniquely positioned to make a distinctive contribution to social investment and impact.  The economic opportunities presented to WA present obvious opportunities but also serve to highlight the challenges of sharing the benefits of prosperity.

"I welcome Paul into the leadership of the national Centre for Social Impact and look forward to Western Australia's leadership in this endeavour."

"This is a tremendously exciting opportunity to respond decisively to some of the real social challenges faced by the community, here in Western Australia, and nationally," Professor Flatau said.

"By bringing together government, business, the community sector and social investors and providing research and evidence of what works, more comprehensive solutions and responses can be developed.  I am delighted to be leading this endeavour from the Centre for Social Impact at the UWA Business School."

BACKGROUND

Professor Paul Flatau

Much of Professor Flatau's work in recent years has involved close contact with the not-for-profit sector, social enterprises, with government partners and with industry and philanthropists.  He has made significant contributions to the analysis of social and economic outcomes and social impact and the effectiveness of programs and interventions in Indigenous housing, poverty, unemployment, homelessness, housing, and the assessment of social innovations.

Professor Flatau holds a PhD in Economics from Murdoch University, an M.Ec. from UWA and a B.Ec. from Sydney University.

ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR SOCIAL IMPACT

The Centre for Social Impact (CSI) is a unique partnership between the Business Schools of the University of New South Wales, the Melbourne Business School, Swinburne University of Technology and The University of Western Australia Business School . The CSI mission is to create beneficial social impact in Australia through teaching, research, measurement and the promotion of public debate.

The CSI seeks to respond to the rapidly evolving needs of the third sector, the
emerging framework of social investment and the developing challenges of corporate responsibility and sustainability in four key ways:

  • by promoting public debate and influencing public policy through action based research
  • by building collaborations and partnerships and developing strong national and international affiliations
  • through the creation and transfer of knowledge, promoting best practice and keeping participants abreast of trends and developments in the social sector
  • through a teaching program aimed at supporting the next generation of leaders, providing professional development, and providing mentoring and networking opportunities.

Media references

Heather Merritt (Director, External Relations, UWA Business School)  (+61 8)  6488 8171
Verity Chia (Communications Officer, UWA Business School)  (+61 8)  6488 1346
Janine MacDonald (UWA Public Affairs)  (+61 8)  6488 5563  /  (+61 4) 32 637 716

Tags

Channels
Business and Industry — Media Statements — University News