COMU7103 ASSESSMENT SCENARIOS
SPRING 2024
SCENARIO 1
THE UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND
SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND ARTS
INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT - GRADUATE EDUCATION
The University of Queensland “acknowledge that the participation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples – and inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and perspectives – in higher
education is meaningful and important for all members of the University community.” To achieve this
commitment, the University of Queensland aims to provide meaningful access to higher education
opportunities and develop an environment that values Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s
contributions. As an integral part of higher education and research at UQ, the School of Communication and
Arts aims to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander engagement in its post-graduate and higher degree
by research (HDR) programs.
THE BRIEF (NOTE: THIS IS A SIMULATION)
1. Clint: The School of Communication and Arts (SCA) at UQ wants to encourage Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people to apply for post-graduate and higher degree by research (HDR) programs.
2. Goal: Enhance SCA’s and UQ’s position as an option for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
and to increase the number of applications for post-graduate and higher degree by research (HDR)
programs from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
3. Target audience: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have completed their
undergraduate education.
ASSESSMENT TASKS
Through three assessments, you will conduct research on both the issue and the discipline and the ways
in which strategic communication will allow you to achieve the client’s goal to reach, connect with, and
persuade your target audiences to visit, learn from, and engage with the exhibition.
1. PAPER/ REPORT/ ANNOTATION – Strategic Comms/PR concepts + application: You will conduct desk
research (using the library and other academic and professional search devices) to seek information,
arguments, and writers about:

a. THE TOPIC: UQ’s history and current position in terms of diversity in education in general and
specifically in terms of higher education at UQ and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people. Relevant data about past and current practices, initiatives and organizational
strategies. General trends about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and higher
education in Australia. A good starting point is the UQ Indigenous Engagement website,
Reconciliation section of the UQ website and the Reconciliation Action Plan 2019-2022.
However, you will need to go beyond these documents to search for relevant academic texts,
news coverage about UQ, diversity, reconciliation, and employment of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people.
b. THE DISCIPLINE: You will research and define relevant strategic communication concepts and
themes; you will assess whether and how relevant theory and techniques from strategic
communication and related disciplines can help you, promote UQs efforts and persuade your
target audiences or publics.
Structure: You may organise the review by concepts, topics, authors, on: (a) UQ Indigenous
higher education, and (b) Strategic communication themes. You may use material from
weeks 1-4. Always include a brief introduction and conclusion. Presentation and structure are
key in academic work.
2. ESSAY/ CRITIQUE - Building relations today: You are asked to present a research-based, well-
informed, and supported argument about the types of relationships that you need to build, secure,
and/or manage (online/offline) to effectively achieve your client’s goal and promote your message
among your target audiences and publics. You are asked to build an argument and support it with
relevant information from academic literature and/or applied examples. To help you write your essay,
you may ask yourself: What are the types of relations that are most suitable to build, manage and use
to help your client? Interpersonal communication? Media relations? Social media relations?
Community relations or engagement? Commercial/corporate relations? Advocacy, activism? Others?
For this assessment, you will benefit from course materials on relationship building and community
engagement our course focuses on between weeks 5 and 8.

3. "Newsworthy" strategy and asset (assessments). You will apply the findings of your literature review
and the essay to produce a ‘newsworthy asset’ - a text, media release, blog post, or series of social
media posts, or videos that are memorable, attractive, include some novelty details, can be
potentially appealing to your audience and may potentially be disseminated on relevant outlets or
sites.
To execute this task, you are encouraged to ask the following questions: What is the newsworthy tactic
that might help you persuade your target audiences to consider post-graduate education at UQ? This
can be a series of social media posts, viral videos that help you build a social media community.
Alternatively, it can be a media release that may be potentially published by specialised journalists and
outlets or a memorable blog post. Perhaps, face-to-face events can be an option. Or a mix of some of
the above?