Professor Michael Cuthill

Director of the University of Queensland Boilerhouse for Community Engagement Centre, Australia

Professor Michael Cuthill has been involved in the broad area of participatory democracy for 13 years. He has worked in government, the private sector and academia, and has held his current appointment at the University of Queensland, as Director of the UQ Boilerhouse Community Engagement Centre, since 2005. Under his direction the centre has now developed and implemented 18 major action research projects primarily relating to issues of engaged governance and social sustainability. These projects actively involve over 100 private, public, community and university sector stakeholders working together to build better communities.

Biography

Michael is currently involved with international research projects involving the Kettering foundation, the International Association for Public Participation, and North American and UK universities. He is on the editorial board of the International Journal for Public Participation, and is regularly invited to speak at national and international conferences. He is the University of Queensland representative on the Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance and has recently coordinated development of a ‘Quality Management Framework for University Engagement in Australia'. Michael is a strong advocate for universities having an active role in helping build just and sustainable communities. In his spare time Michael enjoys sailing, a glass of red wine and the company of good friends.