Centre for Academic Learning & Communication (Academic L and C)

At Academic L and C, we believe in the power of a courageous and open approach to all opportunities for learning, and the importance of communicating understandings and ideas with insight, impact, and respect. Through written or spoken word, in person or online, Academic L and C is dedicated to developing and facilitating powerful learning and communication, based on respectful and open interaction with the people we learn and communicate with. In our diverse world, learning and communication often brings us into an intercultural space. Valuing and nurturing this space, within universities and in wider society, is a key focus for Academic L and C.

We seek to empower people to develop effective ways to learn and communicate, particular in settings which may be new and unsettling. Academic L and C offers evidence-based resources, workshops, and presentations to facilitate and guide successful student transition to university, informed by our research with first-year students. We focus on preparing students for transition before they commence their university studies. We also offer resources which develop the capacity for respectful intercultural relationships built on open and trusting communication within diversity, particularly between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Academic L and C specialises in providing services for students and academics to build academic skills and academic English expression.

Academic L and C conducts research and consults in the fields of higher education teaching and learning, student transition and success, cultural competency, and Students as Partners (SaP).

Currently based in Perth and Melbourne, Australia – with national and global reach.

Dr Andrea Dodo-Balu- Founder and director

An expert in communication and Higher Education, Andrea combines her research knowledge with extensive experience in university level teaching and learning and involvement in professional societies.

Andrea holds a Doctorate in Higher Education and a Master of Education in language teaching and international education from Murdoch University. Her research focuses on the impact of higher education policies and systems on the experiences of students and academic staff involved in face-to-face and on-line learning, and examines implications for wellbeing in the university setting and beyond. This includes transition to university, students as partners, transformative learning, and intercultural partnerships in academic teaching. Andrea has published her research in academic journals, presented at national and international education conferences, and delivered lectures and workshops internationally.

She is currently Asia-Pacific regional Vice-President and co-chair of the Convenings Committee for the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL). She is a member of Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA) and was a committee member for the HERDSA WA Branch  from 2015 to 2020. Andrea is an associate editor and reviewer for the Journal of Further and Higher Education and also reviews for ISSOTL and the International Academic Forum (IAFOR). She is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE).

To view Andrea’s profile on academia.com click here