The ANU McCusker Institute is a student-facing hub of transdisciplinary problem-solving for social impact. Open to students at any stage of their degree, you’ll work on real projects for positive social change and build the skills you need along the way — growing your network as you go.
The McCusker Institute's for-credit course - the SoCIETIE Initiative - open to students from any degree who are seeking to create positive change in their communities and create real impact while you learn.
1. Get started with the SoCIETIE Initiative
Students enrolled in the SoCIETIE Initiative courses choose the pathway that is right for them: building skills and applying them through real-world projects. Which pathway is right for you?
Express Your Interest
Let us know you'll like to get involved
Choose your Course and Timing
Offered at 1000, 2000, 3000 and 6000 level, with discipline-specific options. Available in both semesters and all sessions.
Choose your Pathway
Focus on developing skills through our Skills Pathway, or take on a project in our Project Pathway
2. Explore Projects and Partners
You’ll be a part of a real-world project that creates impact in your community. Find a project that matches your interests and goals, or bring your own.
About Our Projects
Apply your skills to help you make a difference in the world
Browse Current Projects
Discover your next project
Meet Our Partners
Find out who we work with
3. Build Skills through our KNoTs
Our classes are called KNoTs (after the ANU motto Naturam Primum Cognoscere Rerum — to know the nature of things). KNoTs are interactive workshops that focus on building your skills and knowledge for social change. They’re flexible learning experiences you can combine as building blocks to support you project.
Explore Upcoming KNoTs
Discover the KNoTs that align with your interests and goals.
About KNoTs
KNoTs are the interactive workshops and learning experiences that make up class in the SoCIETIE Initiative.
Meet Knox
Meet our mascot, Knox
4. Complete the Assessment & Share What You’ve Achieved
Assessment in SoCIETIE turns your learning into real outcomes. It’s designed to develop your thinking and skills to create positive impact — not to find a single “right answer”. This reflects real-world challenges, which have multiple valid approaches and solutions, require you to learn from experience, and adapt as you go.
1. Plan your Pathway
Define your goals and map out your project and learning journey through your Course Pathway Plan.
2. Show Your Progress
Demonstrate what you’ve learned through your KNoTs and project work with KNoT & Project Completion Evidence.
3. Create Your Artefact
Produce a Shareable Artefact that showcases your impact and experience.
Join us to make Social Impact
Don’t have space in your degree to take the SoCIETIE Course?
Certificate
Complete the Skills for Social Change Certificate
Attend
Join us at a KNoT
Recognition
Apply for the McCusker Prize in Humanitarian Engineering, offered by the ANU College of Systems and Society
Volunteer
Volunteer with an organisation through ANU+
Transition to Work
Make a positive social impact through employment. ANU Careers and Employability can help you take the next step
SoCIETIE @ ANU McCusker Institute
The SoCIETIE Initiative cultivates the skillsets and mindsets to tackle complex challenges, from local community issues to global concerns. In a transdisciplinary learning environment, students, academics and practitioners will learn from each other to deepen our understanding of the world and turn knowledge into actions through collaboration with partners in the community sector and beyond.
Vice-Chancellor’s Courses
The VC’s Courses ran between 2009 and 2024 and have now been retired. With the introduction of the ANU Graduate Attributes into the 2025 curriculum, the AATD [ANU (Graduate) Attribute - Transdisciplinary] subject area replaces the VCUG code, and have been brought under the umbrella of the SoCIETIE Initiative.