Institute for Ethics & Society
Thank you for your enquiry.
Our approach to professional ethics is unique
Located within The University of Notre Dame Australia, the Institute for Ethics & Society is a public-facing research institute, which aims to translate research outcomes into accessible and useful resources for industry.
The Institute values the insight and rigor of academic research and has developed considerable expertise in the field of professional ethics education that is practical and actionable for businesses. It is from this research that The University of Notre Dame Australia offers programs which support organisations to effectively address ethical issues and build robust ethical cultures.
We are committed to training leaders for ethical practice
Questions of ethical leadership, the distinction between compliance and professional ethics, and the challenge organisations face in prioritising ethical pathways in a competitive marketplace are addressed in the Institute for Ethics & Society’s training programs. Our expertise is grounded in three unique areas:
Academic research: The Institute for Ethics & Society has research strengths in normative ethics and in applied and professional ethics, including business ethics, bioethics and healthcare ethics. We also specialise in the history of moral philosophy, the philosophy of character and virtue ethics, and in ethics education for the professions.
International collaborations: Our research and practice in professional ethics draws from leading researchers and innovators around the world.
Track-record of successful and diverse professional engagements: The Institute has been engaged to deliver ethics education training and consultancy by Government, commercial businesses and not-for-profits within a diverse range of industries.
“We believe institutions can prosper in a new age of accountability. Drawing on leading academic research in applied ethics, we work with organisations across society to foster greater ethical awareness in professional life.”
Dr John A. Rees (PhD, UNSW)
Director of the Institute for Ethics & Society and
Associate Professor of International Relations
Enquire now
Contact the Institute for Ethics & Society
at ies@nd.edu.au
Professional Ethics Training Packages
ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
The program is ideal for:
- Senior Managers
- Executive teams
- Board of Directors
- Leadership development programs
Our Ethical Leadership program offers a training package for leaders and aspiring leaders within professional sectors. The program draws on academic research on the cultivation of good character to provide leaders with new insights into the nature of ethical leadership. In particular, moral philosophy and moral psychology have made significant contributions to understanding how virtues of character can be developed.
This program equips participants with tools and resources that facilitate their development as ethical leaders. It emphasises the cultivation of character traits such as wise judgment, discernment, self-understanding, integrity, and generosity, and their relevance to ethical leadership.
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Outcomes include:
- Understanding the character traits requisite for good ethical leadership
- Assessment of personal ethical leadership standards, style and needs
- Introduction to a 12-month ethical leadership cultivation tool
Mode of delivery includes:
Interactive seminar and workshop involving small group exercises and discussion.
Length
The training package can be delivered in a number of ways:
- Two-hour workshop
- Four-hour workshop
- Full Training Day
Additional offering
An optional addition to this program is the opportunity for ongoing one-to-one leadership coaching and mentoring.
FOSTERING ETHICAL &
PROFESSIONAL CULTURE
FOSTERING ETHICAL & PROFESSIONAL CULTURE
The program can be adapted for different professional contexts and is of benefit to:
- Organisations dealing with substantial and persistent ethical disagreement within the workplace; with a breakdown in professionalism; with unethical conduct or with an ethical challenge that effects both their public standing and that of an entire industry sector.
- Organisations wishing to position themselves as industry leaders in building a mature and ethical organisational culture, ensuring best practice in ethics and responding comprehensively to the demands of professionalism.
This program offers a training package for improving the ethical and professional practice and culture within workplaces. The program normalises the practice of robust ethical argument and discussion at work, and the fundamental role ethical reflection plays within professional life.
Participants are equipped with a specific set of tools and resources which enable them to address ethical issues within their organisations effectively and with integrity.
Drawing on academic research on the nature and role of a professional, the program develops participants’ capacities to positively affect ethical practice within their organisations.
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Outcomes include:
- Improved ethical literacy and awareness
- Improved capacity to act on ethical decisions within complex organisational contexts
- An understanding of the centrality of ethics and professional life
- Improved ethical culture
Mode of delivery includes
Interactive seminar and workshop involving small group exercises and discussion.
Length
The training package can be delivered in a number of ways.
- Two-hour workshop
- Four-hour workshop
- Full Training Day
Additional offering
An optional addition to this program is the opportunity for ongoing one-to-one leadership coaching and mentoring.
ETHICAL DECISIONS & GOOD LIVES
ETHICAL DECISIONS & GOOD LIVES
This program will be of interest to organisations who are looking for a way to learn the fundamentals and it is suitable for:
- Professionals who are active self-directed learners
- Workplaces and community groups experiencing ethical problems looking to commence discussion amongst personnel
This training program introduces philosophy and practical ethics. It aims to:
- Explain the basic concepts of a good life and an ethical decision;
- Explore the various substantial theories and the history of ethics in the Western tradition.
The program allows participants to think about ethical ideas for themselves and in light of the convictions they bring to the class. The course is focussed on allowing participants to explore and understand two fundamental topics: a good life and an ethical decision. Often an interest in this course will be in response to a professional or personal crisis, or developing an interest in national debates about complex ethical issues.
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Outcomes include:
- Understanding fundamental ethical concepts and normative ethics theories
- Understanding the habits of ethical thinking and acting
Mode of delivery includes:
Interactive seminar, including: presentation content, small group exercises and discussion, and self-reflection exercises.
Length
The training package can be delivered in a number of ways.
- Two-hour workshop
- Four-hour workshop
- Full Training Day
Additional services
The Institute can also be engaged by commercial organisations to deliver tailored services, including:
- Keynote addresses at commercial and professional conferences
- Seminars and workshops on specific ethical issues
- Tailored advice
- Coaching and mentoring
“We partnered with the IES on a highly specific and innovative ethics education program in the hope that they would be able to help us measure its effectiveness in a meaningful way and give us concrete suggestions for improvement. They delivered on all of this and more by tailoring their expertise to suit our needs and ultimately delivering a high quality report, which has been an enormous help to the leadership of St Vincent’s as part of our broader ethics strategy. The staff at the IES have a high level of professionalism and mix this with a focus on adaptability and contextual sensitivity, which make them the perfect partners for work in professional ethics.”
Dr Dan Fleming
Visiting Fellow | Faculty of Law | The University of Technology, Sydney
Associate Member | Law, Health and Justice Research Centre | The University of Technology, Sydney
Our People
Dr Annette Pierdziwol
BA Hons., GradCert Higher Ed., PhD
Annette is the Assistant Director of the IES and has a PhD in Philosophy. Annette’s research focuses on the history of moral philosophy, especially during Enlightenment Europe. Annette has delivered professional ethics training in the tertiary education and not-for-profit sectors. She also has 3 years professional experience in executive roles in the not-for-profit sector.
Mr Xavier Symons
BA Adv. Hons., MA
Xavier’s research focuses on bioethics and professional healthcare ethics. He has worked on industry partnerships with several national healthcare providers, and is a past member of Northern Health’s Research and Governance Committee and the Austin Health’s Human Research Ethics Committee. He is regularly featured in the media commentating on contemporary ethical issues.
Mr Tim Smartt
BA Hons., MPhil
Tim’s research focuses on the nature of rational choice and rational belief. He has delivered professional ethics training in the state government, public school, and independent school sectors. He also has 3 years professional experience in the not-for-profit sector.
SUPPORT RESEARCH IN ETHICS
Fellowships | Awards | Collaborative Research
The Institute for Ethics & Society is a national institute of The University of Notre Dame Australia which focusses on collaborative research projects. We curate three active research programs in the areas of Moral Philosophy & Ethics Education (including Professional Ethics), Bioethics & Healthcare Ethics, and Religion & Global Ethics. We foster ethical awareness in social and professional life through academic research, public engagement, and ethics education.
Your organisation can give back to the community by supporting Fellowships and Prizes programs and by partnering with us in Collaborative Research projects.
To find out more contact ies@nd.edu.au
Fellowships
Named Collaborative Fellowships
- IES Ethicist in Residence Program – named Research Fellow in Professional & Applied Ethics, where the researcher spends half-time in residence with the supporting organization to deliver services such as lunchtime seminars, mentoring, a professional development schedule, and discussion and reading groups on professional and applied ethics.
- IES Ethics Industry Secondment Program – secondment of an organizational employee to IES for a brief time to conduct industry specific ethics and work with the Institute of Ethics and Society to develop a project. IES researchers will assist with developing the project, and exploring further connections with the industry partner as a result of the initial research conducted in this period.
To find out more about how your organisation can support IES Fellowships contact ies@nd.edu.au
Awards
Named Prizes
- IES National Media Prize for Leadership in Public Ethics – named annual prize awarded for the best piece of media writing or media engagement nationally on the topic of professional and applied ethics. The supporting organization can choose a topic area, such as, Ethical Leadership in the Finance sector.
- IES National Prize for Leadership in Professional Ethics - named annual prize recognising leadership in professional ethics practice within a commercial organisation.
- IES National Research Prize for Professional & Applied Ethics – named annual prize awarded for the best piece of peer-reviewed research (article or book) in the area topic of professional and applied ethics. The supporting organization can choose a topic area; such as, Ethical Leadership in Finance sector.
To find out more about how your organisation can support IES Named Prizes and Awards contact ies@nd.edu.au
Collaborative Research
Named Research Positions
- IES Chair in Professional & Applied Ethics – named chair at the Institute for Ethics & Society at The University of Notre Dame Australia.
- IES Senior Research Fellow and /or IES Junior Research Fellow in Professional & Applied Ethics – named Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Institute for Ethics & Society at The University of Notre Dame Australia for a period of 1-3 years, for a researcher to work at the Institute on research in professional ethics. Field of research can include: ethics in the financial sector, business ethics, ethical leadership, behavioural ethics and ethical decision making.
- IES Summer Publication Fellowships in Professional & Applied Ethics – named fellows to work at the Institute for Ethics & Society over the Summer break period of the University (approx. December - March) to publish a either a book or journal article or media pieces in the area of ethics. Topics can include: finance, business and ethical leadership.
Industry-funded Research
- Collaborative research with industry partner – ideal for organizations that have a research question they would like investigated. For example, to assess ethical competence or development over time of leadership or employees. Please contact us directly to discuss possibilities for industry-funded research collaborations on specific topics.
To find out more about how your organisation can support Collaborative Research contact ies@nd.edu.au