We provide theological and religious education for potential and current educators, non-teaching professional staff and leaders in Catholic schools. In doing so, it’s our privilege to equip them with their accreditation requirements, as set by the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia.
Since 1975, we’ve prepared thousands of teachers and leaders through units at Edith Cowan, Curtin, and Murdoch Universities. We also provide our own courses for Accreditation as well as spiritual and faith formation and renewal programs for experienced educators, non-teaching professional staff and leaders.
Our Team
Mission & Vision
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How it all began
1975
In most of Australia, religious orders provided courses in their own training colleges to prepare teachers for Catholic schools, but this wasn’t the case in WA. Seeing a gap here, an innovative model for training teachers for Catholic schools in this State was prepared — the model was the first of its kind in Australia. In 1975, a pioneering group of students, who planned to seek employment in Catholic schools, were trained.
1976
The program proved a success, and the following year, 45 students were accepted for enrolment in religious education units designed and presented by staff of (what was then called) the Catholic Pastoral Institute and taught at the Mount Lawley Teachers’ College through its Diploma of Teaching program. This was the first instance of a State teachers’ college collaborating with a Catholic institution in a jointly recognised course.
Today
Over the past 47 years, CIWA has been at the forefront of educating and forming current and future staff in Catholic schools. The Institute continues to offer tertiary units for accreditation and also proudly contributes to teachers’ and leaders’ spiritual and faith formation through the Galilee program.
