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2014-16 Mission-based CompactBetween:

The Commonwealth of Australia

and

University of Southern Queensland

CONTENTS

Context 4

A. Policy Setting 4

B. The Purpose and Effect of this Compact 4

C. Establishment of the Compact 4

D. The Principles of Commonwealth Funding Support 4

E. The Structure of this Compact 5

Part One: Focus & Mission 6

Part Two: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access and Outcomes 12

Part Three: Innovation and Engagement 17

Part Four: Teaching and Learning 29

Part Five: Research and Research Training 46

Part Six: General Provisions 53

This compact is between

The Commonwealth of Australia (Commonwealth) represented by and acting through:

The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research

Assisted by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE)

ABN 77 599 608 295

Of

Industry House

10 Binara Street

Canberra ACT 2601

And

University of Southern Queensland

ABN 40 234 732 081

pursuant to University of Southern Queensland Act 1998 (QLD)

Of

West Street

Toowoomba QLD 4350

(University)

CONTEXTA. Policy Setting

The Australian Government believes all Australians are entitled to a productive, fair and prosperous life and our higher education system is crucial to achieving this. Universities impart the skills and knowledge Australians need to realise their personal and professional aspirations and contribute to the broad economic and knowledge base of our society including the cultural, health and civic wellbeing of the community.

Over the term of this mission-based compact (compact), Australian universities will confront a range of opportunities and challenges in fulfilling their social and economic remit. These opportunities and challenges include, but are not limited to, changing national and international educational markets, dynamic global financial arrangements including the rise of the Asian Century, new approaches to teaching and learning, rapidly changing information technologies and evolving priorities for research and innovation.

Australia’s universities are well equipped to harness the opportunities and meet these challenges that lie ahead. The 2014-16 compact supports this process by articulating the major policy objectives and the diverse approaches and commitments universities will adopt to achieve these strategic goals over the term of the agreement.

B. The Purpose and Effect of this Compact

This compact is an agreement between the Commonwealth and the University. Entering into a compact is one of the quality and accountability requirements which a higher education provider must meet under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) as a condition of receiving a grant. Specifically, subsection 19-110(1) of HESA requires Table A and Table B providers must, in respect of each year for which a grant is paid to the provider under HESA, enter into a mission based compact with the Commonwealth for a period which includes that year.

The compact demonstrates the Commonwealth and the University have a shared and mutual commitment to provide students with high quality educational experiences and outcomes and to building research and innovation capabilities and international competitiveness.

The compact recognises the University is an autonomous institution with a distinctive mission, operating within a state or territory, national and international higher education environment.

The purpose of this compact is to provide a strategic framework for the relationship between the Commonwealth and the University. It sets out how the University’s mission aligns with the Commonwealth’s goals for higher education, research, innovation, skills development, engagement and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access and outcomes.

The Commonwealth and the University agree this compact will be published on Commonwealth websites and may be published on the University website.

C. Establishment of the Compact

The Commonwealth and the University agree the Term of this compact is from 1 January 2014 until 31 December 2016.

D. The Principles of Commonwealth Funding Support

The Commonwealth articulates its vision for the higher education sector, through Transforming Australia’s Higher Education System (available at the DIICCSRTE website), and the role of universities in driving our national innovation system, through Powering Ideas (available at the DIICCSRTE website).

http://www.innovation.gov.au/Innovation

http://www.innovation.gov.au/HigherEducation

In supporting Australia’s universities, the Commonwealth seeks to promote:

academic freedom and institutional autonomy;

a diverse and sustainable higher-education sector;

opportunity for all;

access to university based on merit;

world-class teaching and learning that advances the international standing of Australian education;

world-class research and research training that advances knowledge, critical thinking and Australia’s international standing; and

responsiveness to the economic, social and environmental needs of the community, region, state, nation and the international community through collaborative engagement.

To ensure Australia’s higher education system remains robust and of high quality in a globally connected and competitive world, the Australian Government has adopted and implemented a number of system-wide quality measures including establishing the Higher Education Standards Framework, and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).

E. The Structure of this Compact

Part One provides for the Commonwealth’s focus for the compact and a description of the University’s Mission Statement and Strategic Priorities.

Part Two provides for matters related to improving access and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It contains Commonwealth objectives, university strategies and performance indicators and targets.

Part Three provides for matters related to innovation, industry and skills and engagement. It also contains Commonwealth objectives, university strategies and performance indicators and targets.

Part Four provides for matters related to teaching and learning including student enrolments, quality, equity and infrastructure. It contains Commonwealth objectives, university strategies and equity targets.

Part Five provides for matters related to research and research training including research performance and research capability. It contains Commonwealth objectives, university strategies, performance indicators and targets.

Part Six provides for general provisions of the compact including compact review, privacy, confidentiality and information sharing, changing the compact and notices.

PART ONE: FOCUS & MISSIONThe Commonwealth’s Focus for this Compact

The Commonwealth's ambitions for higher education include:

providing opportunities for people from all backgrounds to participate to their full potential and be supported to do so. This includes supporting the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through improved access and support arrangements. The Commonwealth is committed to ensuring the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in undergraduate and higher degrees by research (HDR), as well as staffing and academic representation, reaches population parity;

providing students with a stimulating and rewarding higher education experience;

producing graduates with the knowledge, skills and understanding for full participation in society and the economy;

better aligning higher education and research with the needs of the economy, and building capacity to respond to future changes in skills needs;

increasing universities’ engagement with all parties and linkages between universities and Australian businesses in particular;

playing a pivotal role in the national research and innovation system through the generation and dissemination of new knowledge and through the education, training and development of world class researchers across a wide range of intellectual disciplines;

improving knowledge transfer and commercialisation outcomes;

consistent with the Asian Century policy framework, ensuring education is at the forefront of Australia’s engagement with Asia; and

being amongst the leading Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries in terms of participation and performance.

In support of these objectives, the Commonwealth encourages universities to consider the following important measures in their planning and delivery:

developing partnerships with schools and other organisations to improve the participation of people from disadvantaged backgrounds in higher education;

working with business, industry and Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers to provide the Australian economy with the graduates it needs;

the suite of performance measurement tools being developed through the Advancing Quality in Higher Education initiative, work on quality in research training, and a feasibility study on research impact assessment (including the possible implementation of a mechanism, separate from Excellence in Research for Australia, to evaluate the wider benefits of publicly funded research);

applying the principles and procedures required to support a continuous improvement model for intellectual property; and

the National Research Investment Plan, including the need for a strategic outlook to address Australian Government priorities and principles at a national level.

1 THE UNIVERSITY’S MISSION AND STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

1.1 The purpose of the University’s Mission

The University's Mission sets out its values and aspirations, what it does and how it can best serve the interests of its students, staff and key stakeholders. The Commonwealth and the University recognise the University's Mission may evolve.

The University and the Commonwealth recognise the University is an autonomous institution which is responsible for the determination of its Mission and for its aspirations and strategies for their achievement.

1.2 The University’s Mission and Strategic Priorities

Copies of USQ Strategic Plan 2013-2015 and USQ Research Plan 2013-2015 are available. The refreshed USQ Learning & teaching Policy will soon be available.

The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) “Mission: To enable broad participation in higher education and to make significant contributions to research and community development. This will be achieved through maintaining USQ as a viable enterprise that: offers quality professional education opportunities that are accessible, flexible and borderless; creates fulfilling experiences for all students based on the commitment of skilled and caring

staff; develops graduates who are positioned to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing world; pursues world class research, innovation and practice in sustainable futures; and engages with communities, business and government through ongoing and mutually beneficial

partnerships.” (USQ Strategic Plan 2013-15).

USQ TodayUSQ is a regionally-headquartered university with multiple diverse campuses - USQ Toowoomba (as the oldest and headquarters campus), USQ Springfield (in outer metropolitan Brisbane), USQ Fraser Coast (at Hervey Bay) and the Queensland College of Wine Tourism (as a specialist campus at Stanthorpe). The University provides innovative blended learning programs with high levels of student support for students locally, nationally and internationally in over one hundred countries.

USQ’s long-time mission to broaden higher education participation has seen it develop as a student-focussed university with one of the most diverse student bodies in the country; both with a strong legacy around low-barrier readily accessible higher education domestically, and participating as a strong competitor in the global higher education market.

USQ is an engaged university undertaking applied and industry/community-relevant research in identified areas of strength through a select number of multi-disciplinary university centres – soon to be developed into two major institutes. The University is currently undertaking a major development of its research profile through significant investment focussing on building a strong research culture, the targeted recruitment of world-class researchers, a leveraged investment in the development of staff expertise and the proactive development of strategic mutually beneficial partnerships.

USQ maintains its strong record of sound financial management. However, the University has responded to the challenges of demand-driven higher education sector by adopting a more aggressive stance to financial planning in order to consistently achieve significant budget surpluses to support growth and development within a strong risk management framework.

Alignment with Commonwealth Focus and Mission for the Higher Education SectorUSQ’s mission is naturally aligned with the Commonwealth’s refreshed ambitions and objectives for higher education that includes expanding student participation, strengthening engagement with Asia, fostering closer ties with industry, and strengthening quality teaching and research.

(a) Student Participation: USQ’s consistent record in this regard speaks for itself: having one of the most diverse student bodies in the sector; maintaining a wide range of equity and outreach programs; providing support for a broad range of pathways into high education study; maintaining a broad scholarships program funded through a range of sources; maintaining programs for students with very high support needs; building on our recognised leadership as a distance education provider to forge our strengths in

blended-mode and personalised learning – with a commitment through personalised learning to addressing the needs of all students; and

meeting the challenge of providing for the high support needs required by a significant proportion of our students in ways that are cost-effective and scalable.

Personalised learning and online study options continue to be critical for today’s students and new strategies are needed to further embrace and enhance the online teaching environment, without compromising the quality of individual learning experience or outcomes. USQ is maintaining its position at the cutting edge of these developments through its Australian Digital Futures Institute (ADFI), the Digital Futures CRN led by USQ, and the strategic deployment of the near $50m Structural Adjustment Fund (SAF) grant received in 2011. USQ’s online courses open doors to learning and provide aspiring students with the opportunity to access flexible study options that fit in with their lifestyle, regardless of their background or location. Online study, when tailored to the individual – as is the approach at USQ – not only enriches the student learning journey but preserves the social fabric of local communities.

A key focus in 2012 was the launch of the University’s SAF Project, ‘USQ – The University for a Connected Community: Expanding and enriching student participation’. The SAF Project has two major components: Education Gateways (EDGY) Building Project, funded by the Education Investment Fund (EIF);

and USQ Connected Project, funded through the Other Grants Provision under the Higher Education

Support Act (HESA).

The USQ Connected Project has a number of elements, incorporating the Integrated StudyDesk (ISD) Project, the Connected Student Learning Journey (CSLJ) Project and the Policy Refresh Project. Together, these projects facilitate such outcomes as: personalised learning journeys that offer optimal flexibility and academic quality; confidence-

building orientation and customised induction; USQ-wide consistent processes and policy implementation; study materials with a focus on flexibility; and online expansion of USQ’s offerings, including professional offerings. The USQ Connected

Project includes a further two projects, namely:o Queensland Tertiary Education Participation network (QTEPnet) project: broadening higher

education study opportunities based on multi-sector collaboration, and including a comprehensive articulation framework; and

o Centre for Tertiary Education Participation (CTEP): USQ’s ‘think tank’ for driving innovations and developments to enrich and increase tertiary education participation.

(b) Strengthening engagement with Asia: USQ has maintained a significant off-shore education program - based initially on paper-based distance education and moving to online provision - since the mid 1980s, with particularly strong partnerships and links in Malaysia and China. The University also maintains a large on-shore international education program that includes a strong on-campus cohort of Indian students; services over 170 Australian students studying from a base in Asia; and maintains a 1,000 strong USQ alumni business cohort in Asia which is currently being engaged to expand the University’s research linkages there.

USQ offers a number of awards in language and culture including the named Bachelor of Arts programs in Asian Studies and Indonesian Studies, and named Bachelor of Social Science

programs in Asian Studies and Language and Culture – Mandarin. The University is also exploring strategies to increase opportunities for Australian students to study and gain work experience in Asia.

USQ has developed research relationships with a number of China’s most prestigious universities. These affiliations will see knowledge and expertise shared between the two countries in the principal research areas of climate and agricultural innovation, and fibre composite building materials. USQ secured Commonwealth funding for two delegations to visit China to establish formal partnerships with Zhejiang University, Nanjing University, Nanjing University of Technology, Tongji University, China Academy of Science, Shanghai University, China Agricultural University and Central University of Finance and Economics.

(c) Fostering closer ties with industry: USQ’s strong involvement in professional education has resulted in long-standing and close links with employers and professional bodies – and it is the pervasive engagement of USQ academics with relevant professions and professional bodies that ensures the relevance of USQ’s academic awards. The University enjoys close ties with industry at a range of levels – from the financial support provided by industry to creating student bursaries to the University’s formal partnership with Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise.

The University has developed partnerships with a number of major research organisations, both nationally and internationally, including AusAid, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility and the UK Met Office Hadley Centre. As an example of USQ activities in this area, USQ invited delegates from six organisations – the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), University of California, Irvine (UCI), University of Wollongong (UW), Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) and the University of Auckland (UA) to take part in the Centre of Excellence in Engineered Fibre Composites (CEEFC) 2012 International Advisory Board. A key topic for CEEFC was the global utilisation of advanced composite technology for aerospace, automotive and civil engineering applications.

In addition, USQ maintains a substantial portfolio of contract research for industry partners through USQ centres such as the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA) and the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC).

(d) Strengthening quality teaching and research: Examples of strengthening quality teaching include: the USQ Connected Project which is structured so as to align with existing strategic institutional

goals and to accelerate the good work already being done across the University, focusing on improvements for both staff and students;

the extension of relationship with prospective and current students through strong engagement and retention strategies by means of social media platforms; and

the continuing development and refinement of the Student Relationship Officer (SRO) initiative, which allocates a dedicated specialist SRO to every non-award, undergraduate and postgraduate student for the duration of their study. The SRO assists with learning and facilitates dialogue between students and academic staff to better understand the individual learning habits and needs of each student, tailoring teaching and support strategies to those needs.

In addition, the University is in the process of refreshing its Learning and Teaching Policy.

In the area of research, the need for a significant investment to improve USQ’s research profile and performance was identified as a major priority by the new University administration in 2012. A major new Research Plan and Research Funding Strategy approved by USQ Council at its March 2013 meeting will see additional investment of $10m per annum over the next triennium to position USQ for significantly improved research success and impact in the coming decade.

In addition, in 2011 USQ was a successful applicant to the Australian Government’s Collaborative Research Networks (CRN) Program. In accordance with the aims of the CRN funding and in alignment with the USQ Research Plan 2013-2015 this initiative will add significantly to USQ’s

research program, RHD program and learning & teaching program. An explicit aim of this project is to build critical mass and a 20% increase in research outcomes for USQ through collaboration.

USQ Strategic Plan 2013-2015A refreshed USQ Strategic Plan 2013-15 was approved by USQ Council in December 2012 and articulates the goals, priorities and strategies for the planning period against four major themes: Personalised Learning: “We promise to partner with learners in the pursuit of their study

objectives regardless of their background, location and stage in life.” Focused Research: “We promise to be a leading partner in priority research areas providing

excellence, integrity, relevance and value in our work.” Enriched Communities: “We promise to be a responsible corporate citizen and a caring partner

in building community capacity.” Engaged Enterprise: “We promise to enable USQ to fulfil its potential by ensuring it is a robust,

productive and innovative enterprise.”

Copies of this Plan are available.

The Agenda for USQ in 2014-16 – Principal priorities and focus1. Through the period of this compact USQ will significantly raise its public profile and grow in

confidence as a university whose mission and culture puts it fully in tune with the needs of 21st century Australian society. This will be evident in our lobbying, our media presence, and our overall brand awareness. We will be well known as a challenger brand across the sector.

2. USQ is stepping up to its next stage of maturity as a university. This development will be contingent on securing a diversity of income and exercising strong fiscal discipline and focus. Alongside consistent operating surpluses to decisively invest in strategy, we will actively leverage our product and capital portfolio to ensure financial success.

3. USQ will be known for its entrepreneurial workplace culture: where people are encouraged and enabled to achieve their full professional potential. We will demonstrate the highest possible professional and personal standards of conduct and build a work place that attracts and retains high quality staff.

4. USQ's reputation in the provision of blended-mode learning will grow over the period of the Compact. Through a range of Commonwealth-funded projects, our own investment and strong leadership we will build on established strengths to develop personalised, adaptive coursework underpinned by sophisticated data analytics. Through this we will be a national leader in the quest for full educational attainment that is so necessary for nation building.

5. USQ will be known for the quality of its support for students and its caring culture. Graduates will acknowledge that through this support and relationship development they were enabled and empowered to achieve success. They will be proud of their alma mater and increasing numbers will be active alumni.

6. USQ will begin to reclaim its reputation as a leader in open education internationally, after losing ground In recent years as this movement has advanced. Through a new leadership capacity and commitment, we will secure our place as a leading contributor in the democratisation of information and the knowledge movement.

7. USQ will actively expand its product portfolio in coming years. We are planning the introduction of a large suite of new offerings at both the undergraduate and postgraduate level in our distinct form of blended mode. The expansion of our allied and community health initiatives, in particular, will meet the needs of our local and online communities.

8. USQ's efforts in civic engagement will become more focussed, strategic and evidence based. The scholarly consideration of engagement, and how it intersects with our innovation, research and learning & teaching, will become obvious and will ensure our investment in these activities and their impact is optimised.

9. Through the following years, USQ will become increasingly engaged in external relationships – with universities nationally and internationally, and with commercial partners. We will increase the external horizon of the university – building relationships to maximise our individual success. This has commenced with the RUN alliance, with our Chinese university partners and with a range of community and industry groups. By the end of the Compact period, we will have established strong, mutually beneficial relationships with a diverse range of enterprises for a diverse range of activities.

10. USQ will make a large investment in building its research capacity during the period of this Compact. We will focus our resources and internal capacity to create a virtuous cycle of investment. Building on the areas where we currently have significant research effort, we expect to build and buy research capacity.

11. The establishment of a sustained culture of innovation does not happen spontaneously. It is USQs intention to establish a light touch system to ensure innovation across all business activities. Through this we will see adopted ideas fed through a system where they are developed, piloted and implemented on their merits, minimising need for a reliance on champions. This will maximise the intellectual capacity of our staff for the benefit of the institution.

12. USQ's partnerships with other education providers will be reviewed with a view to securing fewer but more multi-layered partnerships and with like-minded organisations. In the international context, this will ensure that our inter-institutional relationships include a full range of activity, including research collaborations, staff and student exchange and joint initiatives.

13. USQ will continue systems and administrative reforms aimed at continuous improvement and the development of a strong service culture. We will ensure informed decision-making within a sound risk management framework.

PART TWO: ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ACCESS AND OUTCOMES2 ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ACCESS AND OUTCOMES

Part Two recognises the important role universities play in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s personal and professional aspirations through the provision of accessible and supportive higher education programs. Increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher education participation and success is important given the direct benefits for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities and broader economic and social benefits for all Australians.

Universities are asked to detail their strategies and targets to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access and outcomes over the compact period in this section. Principal Performance Indicators are compulsory and institutions may voluntarily nominate Optional Performance Indicators and targets considered reflective of individual institutional goals.

The Commonwealth recognises that universities have diverse missions and, consequently, targets and performance will vary between institutions. Each university should develop performance indicators and targets to reflect its individual performance and strategic direction.

2.1 Commonwealth Objectives

The Commonwealth is committed to enhancing the participation and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in higher education consistent with the Closing the Gap initiative addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage.

In realising this objective, the Commonwealth has set an aspirational national parity target for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff in higher education. The parity target equates to the proportion of the population aged between 15 and 64 years which is currently 2.3%.

To help achieve this aspirational national target, the Commonwealth has introduced a new focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reporting in the compact as recommended by the Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. Universities should report high level Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student and staffing plans and strategies in this part of the compact including performance targets for student enrolments, completions and numbers of general and academic staff. Universities may also report on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiatives under the Innovation and Engagement, Teaching and Learning and Research and Research Training parts of the compact.

2.2 University Strategies

USQ is recognised as a strong performer in the area of Indigenous education, rating in the top 10 for the sector for Indigenous student access and participation as assessed in the IPP process and noted in particular for its contributions to Indigenous Nursing. The University has publicly expressed its strong support for the recommendations of the Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People and is using these recommendations to support forward planning, and has in place an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Career Development and Employment Strategy informed by the National Indigenous Higher Education Workforce Strategy (NIHEWS) and the Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.

USQ is in the process of developing a comprehensive Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy, to be in place by the end of 2013; as well as a complementary Reconciliation Action Plan. Forward planning is building on programs and approaches with proven success.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education(a) Overall approach: USQ supports the recommendations of the Behrendt Report concerning the need for Indigenous students to be the responsibility of faculties and mainstream support services, with the support of a strong, appropriately resourced and respected Indigenous Education Unit. USQ’s approach to increased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in higher education involves both targeted and mainstream strategies, and the optimal involvement of USQ’s Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges (CAIK). Targeted strategies are multi-pronged, involving provision of: programs that promote awareness of higher education and career options and instil pride in

Indigenous culture and heritage – including a suite of schools extensions programs, programs that link school students with community leaders and mentors, and Indigenous cultural events

promotion and pathways that encourage and facilitate access – including the Indigenous Higher Education Pathways Preparatory Program (IHEPP), scholarships and transition programs involving dedicated Student Relationship Officers;

support and services that help sustain participation – with the Helping Hands Indigenous Nursing Student Support Model considered an exemplar of its type; and

encouraging (and empowering) more students to self-identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.

USQ’s Indigenous students also benefit from mainstream strategies including USQ’s extensive support network of Student Relationship Officers (SROs); the encouragement of Interaction with teaching staff and students enrolled in the same course; as well as access to discussion boards within the Student Learning Management System (USQ StudyDesk), USQ’s Student Personalised Academic Road to Success (SPARS), and USQ’s full range of personalised learning strategies.

(b) Indigenous student load growth: A major source of student load growth over the Compact period 2014-16 will be the USQ Springfield catchment in outer western Brisbane which is one of the largest population growth areas in Australia and includes one of the largest and still increasing Indigenous communities in Australia.

(c) The issue of under-disclosure: It is widely acknowledged that the rate of self-identification is variable and generally on the low side. USQ fully respects the right of a student to choose not to self-identify. However the University is also keen to ensure that its students’ needs are appropriately identified and addressed. Consequently USQ is seeking to promote an increase in the rate of self-identification and awareness of services to Aboriginal and Strait Islander students. While this is being pursued through standard marketing and communication channels, experience indicates that the most effective way to raise self-identification rates is through strengthening the University’s relationship with the local communities, based on relationship-development, word-of-mouth and trust.

(d) Examples of targeted programs: The Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges (CAIK) has as its main purpose to encourage and assist the further education of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. CAIK directly offers support to Indigenous students prior to, and throughout, their university studies. But more recently, CAIK has been having a broader institutional impact by ensuring that all areas that provide student support and services have adequate cultural awareness and understanding to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students (whether or not they self-identify). To fulfil its role, CAIK has a continuing commitment to and involvement in, the Indigenous communities of the region. USQ has started preliminary considerations of CAIK’s future shape and location within USQ in order to sustain and grow its impact. This is being undertaken as part of broader academic restructure within the University and informed by the recommendations of the Behrendt Review.

A specific example of USQ’s initiatives with regard to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander awareness and access is the Dream, Aspire, Reach & Experience (DARE) Program. DARE is a mentoring program that involves Indigenous Australian students in Years 9-12 from LSES

secondary schools located in the catchment areas of the University’s Fraser Coast and Toowoomba campuses. The program has been designed to help Indigenous students overcome the challenges associated with participating in higher education. It focuses on developing the aspiration of students through face-to-face mentoring and engagement with parents, teachers and the Indigenous community and also includes an Indigenous Games Day. The program involves: cross cultural awareness training for mentors; on-campus activities and tours; a three day camp focusing on leadership, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, career

guidance and planning; and an award ceremony with guest speakers.

Another key example particularly with respect to promoting participation is USQ’s nursing programs. USQ has one of (if not the) highest graduation rates for Indigenous nurses in the country. The program provides a conversion pathway for Indigenous health workers and an articulation pathway for those already qualified as Enrolled Nurses. There is a comprehensive culturally appropriate approach to supporting the Indigenous students in nursing. Given its demonstrated success, USQ is exploring the expansion of programs in which this approach can be applied. The initial focus is in Psychology where there has already been some Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student interest. USQ actively encourages Indigenous graduates from the Bachelor of Nursing to further their study through the Masters of Health which then provides an entry into the PhD.

As part of the University’s broader initiative to implement a contemporary Indigenous strategy within a comprehensive social justice framework, a key undertaking is the Indigenous Curriculum Content (ICC) project that is to expand and enhance the embedding of Indigenous perspectives into curricula as well as in learning & teaching, and to identify systematic professional development that encourages and supports academic staff to embed such perspectives. The current plan is for the project to focus on up to 10 of USQ’s main undergraduate awards and identify how Indigenous perspectives are (and could be) embedded into them. This is to yield a set of supported approaches that then can be applied to other awards. A particular emphasis is on the embedding of Indigenous perspectives into a planned expansion of the academic portfolio at USQ Springfield in areas such as Indigenous aspects of health, sport and games, creative arts and education – in anticipation of the growth in Indigenous student numbers at that campus.

Indigenous perspectives are also promoted through the course (subject) Indigenous Perspectives, which is compulsory in the Bachelor of Education and the Bachelor of Arts, and a permitted elective in a number of other programs.

USQ is also building a focus on applied, high impact research into Indigenous Health both as a topic in itself as well as projects within other focus areas such as Mental Health.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander EmploymentTo date, the following strategies have been implemented to increase the representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff at USQ: the operation of the USQ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Career Development and

Employment Strategy Committee to oversee and drive developments in this area; the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship Pilot Program launched in 2012 which

provides full-time 12 month fixed-term appointments at a nationally recognised Certificate III level (five positions in 2012 and five positions in 2013); and

the implementation and delivery of a series of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cross-Cultural Awareness sessions during 2012 and 2013 for academic and professional staff at all three USQ campuses.

Over the duration of the Compact, USQ will continue to coordinate a range of targeted employment and career development initiatives across each of the three campuses.

In early 2013, a three-year HR recruitment strategy was developed which has been informed in part by the recommendations set out in the National Indigenous Higher Education Workforce Strategy (NIHEWS) and the Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. This recruitment strategy depicts a tiered model with a focus on developing career pathways for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people at USQ. During 2013 there will be a continued focus on the development of opportunities for professional employees, including the continuation of the traineeship and internship programs. During 2014 the recruitment strategy will broaden with a focus on employment and career development initiatives for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic employees. 2014 – 2015 strategies also include the implementation of leadership KPIs, partnership and secondment strategies and a professional graduate employment program. The HR recruitment strategy will continue to focus on professional and academic employment, and further develop career opportunities in line with the University’s Strategic Plan.

Specific initiatives under this strategy that USQ aim to implement include: a continuation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship Program during 2014 and

2015; a continuation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cross-Cultural Awareness Program

(to be funded in 2014); the development and implementation of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student

Internship Program (two positions in 2013); the development of an employment incentive fund that faculties and departments can access

for the recruitment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees (for possible implementation in 2014);

the provision of work experience opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students; and

the development of an early career academic employment program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees (for possible implementation in 2014). It is proposed that a 3-tiered early career academic employment program will provide a number of opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to either begin or further develop their academic career. For example, the first tier will align to the proposed Learning, Teaching and Quality professional development framework where all new and existing academic employees have the opportunity to undertake this personal professional development. The overall aim of the early career academic employment program is to establish a specified number of three year fixed-term contracts whereby the successful applicants will have the opportunity to complete a Master’s degree or PhD, receive mentoring into a teaching and learning or research role and undertake the proposed LTQ personalised professional development framework to acquire and/or further develop their academic skills.

Funding is also being sought to continue the highly successful Queensland College of Wine Tourism Indigenous Traineeship program after dramatic cuts to Queensland government grant programs for 2013 saw the program go into hiatus.

As part of the development of the USQ Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy during 2013, USQ will formalise culturally appropriate protocols and has established an Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander working party aimed to ensure the University recognises on their campuses particular dates of significance in the communities of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research and Research Training StrategiesA priority for the new Director Research Training and Development position will be to determine strategies for increasing the number and quality of all HDR students to USQ; including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander HDR students.

Specifically with regard to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research and Research Training, the following strategies will be in operation during the Compact period: USQ will seek to benchmark its performance in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research

and Research Training strategies against other universities, and has commenced discussions within the Regional Universities Network to establish benchmarking groups based on a range of indicators, potentially including these.

Audit selection criteria for APA and RTS will be reviewed with a view to including specific criteria to support Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders.

A particular priority for the new Director Research Training and Development position is to introduce strategies to improve Indigenous HDR support including the strategic deployment of Australian Postgraduate Awards and Research Training Scheme to support Indigenous HDR students.

In parallel with efforts already underway in the area of ‘grow your own’ to support Indigenous employment, strategies will be explored to ‘grow your own’ for students to continue into a research career at USQ.

USQ will exploit the strong networks that it has in place with the Coal Seam Gas industry to seek industry support for Indigenous education and Workforce Participation objectives – noting that Arrow Energy have already supported USQ with $150k to put in place undergraduate Indigenous Scholarships in Engineering and Education (2013-2015).

2.3 Performance Indicators and Targets

The purpose of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performance indicators and targets is to assist the University and the Commonwealth in monitoring the University’s progress against the Commonwealth’s objectives particularly its contribution to reaching national parity.

The University will aim to meet the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander targets set out in the following tables.

Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.Principal Performance

IndicatorsBaseline

2012Progressive Target 2013

Progressive Target 2014


Target2016

Number of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student enrolments1

422 476 501 533 565

Number of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student completions2

38 55 58 62 68

Number of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professional/general staff3

12 20 21 22 24

Number of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic staff4

8 8 9 10 11

* TOTAL FTE 20 28 30 32 35

* Note to the Department: The 2016 target of 35 FTE will represent 2.5% parity in Indigenous employment. During the current planning period, an aim will be to change the structure of Indigenous employment to reduce the dependence on traineeships in 2013-14 and to achieve level parity by 2016.

1 Refers to total undergraduate, postgraduate and HDR students by headcount2 See footnote 1 for definition3 Refers to number by headcount4 See footnote 3 for definition

PART THREE: INNOVATION AND ENGAGEMENT3 INNOVATION AND ENGAGEMENT

Part Three recognises the important role of universities in our national innovation system, in boosting economic productivity contributions to improved social and environmental outcomes and growth, and in engaging, advancing and inspiring their communities. It also recognises that universities make an important contribution to building connections and partnerships that broaden and deepen Australia's understanding of Asia.

Under three themes: Innovation; Industry and Skills; and Engagement; universities are asked to detail their strategies and targets over the term of this compact. Principal Performance Indicators are compulsory and institutions may voluntarily nominate Optional Performance Indicators and targets considered reflective of individual institutional goals.

The Commonwealth recognises that universities have diverse missions and, consequently, targets and performance will vary between institutions. Each university should develop performance indicators and targets to reflect its individual performance and strategic direction.

3.1 Innovation

3.1.1 Commonwealth objectives

The Commonwealth seeks to build an innovation system that ensures Australia can meet the challenges and grasp the opportunities of the twenty-first century. The Commonwealth encourages innovation by supporting industry-led research, promoting knowledge-transfer activities and the commercialisation of research.

3.1.2 University strategies

The refreshed USQ Strategic Plan 2013-2015 approved by USQ Council in December 2012 included the following commitment: “We promise to be a leading discovery partner in priority research areas providing excellence, integrity, relevance and value in our work” (p. 10). In addition to building USQ’s capacity in priority research areas, the new strategic plan has placed a major emphasis on “developing an innovative research culture that in its DNA is outward looking, understanding of market needs and is collaborative” (p. 11) and using this culture of innovation to underpin the securing of mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships across business, industry and the wider community.

Increase Knowledge Transfer to Industry, Communities and Other End-users

Specifically with regard to effective knowledge transfer: “One of USQ’s research goals is to effectively communicate the impact of our research to academia, government, industry and the community. This will be far more than just regular press releases of research news but rather a comprehensive program that targets our research stakeholders and delivers succinct and impactful messages via the most effective channel/s” (USQ Research Plan 2013-15, p. 6).

The following specific strategies are noted: the creation of a new Office of Research Partnerships & Commercialisation (ORPC) in October

2012 charged with implementing collaborative and applied research strategy, and a renewed commercialisation model;

the directing of significant resources at industry relationship management, through ORPC, Centres, and the general research community;

the identification of specific industry development strategies and targets to support both individual researchers and Centres/Programs;

the development of principles and procedures that support a continuous improvement model for intellectual property (IP);

making a significant investment over 2013-2016 by USQ in collaborative and applied research, with a specific focus on development of industry networks, research funding support from industry and philanthropic supporters, and research impacts;

maintaining close relationship with DSITIA and Investment Queensland, leading to significant research collaborations with domestic and international partners leveraged into major research consortia including current ARC Linkage Round;

the development of a Research Consortia Governance Model centred on collaborative industry funding pools initially implemented in e-health technologies, Aged and Community Care workforce management, and nutrition and functional foods;

maintaining the University’s substantial portfolio of contract research for industry partners through centres including the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA) and Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments (ACSC); and

implementing and exploiting Digital Futures CRN projects underway, with the aim to increase research knowledge and capacity through alliances with Go8 and other metropolitan universities.

the redesign of the USQ Research Website to showcase University research impact, and marketing to industry to message the website re-development;

increasing research impact through collaborative research, industry funding, and IP transfer by identification of strategic industry partners in core research programs, targeting climate science and precision farming in the first instance;

the development of a partner acquisition model by research program – including research impact collateral development, industry networking, and identification and contact with likely philanthropic supporters; and

pursuing collaboration with Not-for-Profit and Education sector to support community programs (including ‘Community for Community’ – C4C) with research rigour in counselling and social psychology in support of Toowoomba Flexi-School and community (disadvantaged youth) mentoring program.

Improve Economic, Social and Environmental OutcomesThe following provides a platform for USQ’s approach in this area during the period of the Compact: maintaining close working partnerships with Enterprise Connect and AusIndustry to maximise

involvement in Researcher in Business Scheme where academic members of staff join with industry to advance research concepts and new product development;

implementing an applied research model in precision agriculture, agricultural climate science and resilient regions targeting agricultural production efficiencies via alliances with industry and Research & Development Corporations – for example, assessing climate impacts on Queensland sugar production and developing a detailed understanding of rainfall patterns on crop yields;

the secondment of USQ staff into Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise Limited to assist with regional investment attraction and the positioning of education and research as an enabler of regional economic development; and

the conduct of research in small and medium enterprise (SME)’s sustainability and workplace practice to assist SMEs in the Surat Basin to deal with energy and resource sector growth.

Improve Commercialisation OutcomesThe following provides a platform for USQ’s approach in this area during the period of the Compact: commercialisation resources have been increased by 100% in the six months to April 2013. securing first Right of Refusal Agreements with major industry players for IP Transfer,

commencing with precision agriculture, and followed by agricultural biotechnology and life sciences;

maintaining a close working partnership with Commercialisation Australia to maximise involvement in CA Skills & Development, and Proof of Concept Funds – with which USQ has already developed a close working relationship;

the strategic Investment in additional commercialisation resources;

the development and implementation of research staff training modules in Commercialisation Pathways; Partner Relationship Management; Commercial Intellectual Property Management; and Case Studies;

the conduct of an IP Audit of Research Centres and key researchers during 2013 to unlock more commercial opportunity and disclosures;

the use of external marketing opportunities such as “The Australian Innovation Awards” to showcase USQ inventiveness – noting that USQ was a finalist in the 2012 Awards in the engineering innovation category;

attendance by USQ at major international life sciences expos and exhibitions (including BIO2013 and AusBiotech) and active participation in the Queensland Government’s Innovation Strategy (Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts - DSITIA); and

the development of an improved USQ contract management framework to ensure unencumbered IP is ready for market transfer.

Build Innovation-focused Partnerships in AsiaThe following provides a platform for USQ’s approach in this area during the period of the Compact: build on the MOU’s already signed with ten major Chinese Universities to secure innovation

funding; work with Queensland Trade Commission and Austrade to build collaboration partnerships with

Vietnam and Singapore in agricultural climate science – noting that USQ already has secured research partnerships in Vietnam in the area of climate science predictive modelling relative to coffee production;

complete and build on the UK Met Office Partnership currently under formal discussion including their Singapore climate science partnership where UKMO officers are seconded;

continue to engage the University’s 1,000 strong alumni business cohort in Asia to explore opportunities to expand research linkages in Asia; and

explore other opportunities based on alumni contact – for example, USQ has a Nepalese PhD student cohort which is assisting with the establishment of collaborations between USQ and their home universities.

3.1.3 Performance indicators and targets

The purpose of the innovation performance indicators and targets is to assist the University and the Commonwealth in monitoring the University's progress against the Commonwealth's objectives and the University's strategies for innovation.

The University will report principal performance information and aim to meet the innovation performance indicators and targets set out in the following tables.

Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.Principal Performance Information5 2012

Number of patent and plant breeder’s rights families filed, issued and held

Filed2

Issued0

Held7

Number of all active licences, options or assignments (LOAs)6 executed and income derived

No.2

Value($)$50,000

Number and value of research contracts and consultancies executed7

No.43

Value($)$1,277,000

Investment in spin-out companies during the reporting year and nominal value of equity in spin-outs based on last external funding/liquidity event or entry cost

Investment ($)0

Value($)0


IndicatorBaseline

2012ProgressiveTarget 2013



Target 2016

Category 4 Income $456,504 $500,000 $500,000 $525,000 $550,000

3.2 Industry and Skills


The Commonwealth encourages universities and employers to work together so that courses meet the needs of employers, where relevant. This may include integrating work and learning, meeting professional accreditation requirements and involving employers in course development and delivery.


USQ has been recognised for over four decades as a higher education institution with a strong focus on professional education and with graduates who are highly prized by employers. The University routinely ranks in the top 10 in the sector in terms of its full-time employment rate as assessed in the GDS; and frequently in the top 5. This has in part been achieved through ensuring that USQ’s programs are relevant and informed by close engagement with industry and employer bodies, and by encouraging USQ staff to remain engaged with the real world. In turn, USQ attracts a high percentage of non-school leavers who are themselves astute judges of the relevance of awards to professional careers and workforce opportunities. USQ will continue to

5 This set of performance information does not require targets. Universities will be asked to advise their baseline performance and will report on their future performance in the context of the Institutional Performance Portfolio Information Collection commencing in 2013. Patent and plant breeder right family refers to a group of patent or plant breeder rights applications or grants emanating from a single filing. Note: this question only concerns patent and plant breeder rights families, and is not in reference to families of other forms of registered IP (i.e. trade marks).

6 A LICENCE agreement formalises the transfer of technology between two parties, where the owner of the technology (licensor) grants rights to the other parties (licensee). An OPTION agreement grants the potential licensee a time period during which it may evaluate the technology and negotiate the terms of a licence agreement. An option agreement is not constituted by an Option clause in a research agreement that grants rights to future inventions, until an actual invention has occurred that is subject to that Option. An ASSIGNMENT agreement conveys all right, title and interest in and to the licensed subject matter to the named assignee.

7 Please use the definition of contracts and consultancies utilised in the National Survey of Research Commercialisation (NSRC). A copy of the survey is available at this URL: http://www.innovation.gov.au/Section/Innovation/Pages/TheNationalSurveyofResearchCommercialisation.aspx

build on this strong record of success. The USQ Strategic Plan 2013-2015 commits the institution to continue to “providing qualifications that are relevant” and “embedding graduate attributes and values into all programs to future-proof the USQ graduate” (p. 9).

Ensuring the University is informed by Industry and is Responsive to Industry NeedsAs evident in USQ Strategic Plan 2013-15, the University remains committed to the successful provision of accessible, relevant, quality higher education. This encompasses ensuring that awards are relevant to individual student aspirations; satisfy and indeed exceed applicable standards; and are responsive to forecast workforce needs particularly “beyond capital city needs”. Pragmatically – and fortuitously - these three considerations are interdependent.

USQ has had for several years an internal program (award8) accreditation process that subjects all proposals for programs, new or significantly changed (such as through the introduction of a new major), to comprehensive analysis and evaluation both with respect to viability and academic integrity. The University has also required all programs to apply for re-accreditation every five to seven years – or earlier if warranted.

In the first half of 2013, USQ is rolling out a revised version of this program accreditation and re-accreditation process that further integrates into the process a variety of considerations including market research including student demand and workforce needs, and the addressing of applicable standards, be they from USQ policies and procedures, general external regulatory requirements such as AQF or specific professional accreditation requirements. Programs will not only have to meet such requirements when introduced, but will also have to demonstrate on-going attention to these at re-accreditation which will now normally be at five years. This (re)accreditation practice also includes demonstrating how component courses (subjects9) are quality assured for both academic integrity (discipline and professional relevance) and learning & teaching quality (student progression and satisfaction).

Despite pioneering particular program offerings, and especially new delivery modes for programs, USQ has an exemplary record with respect to obtaining professional accreditation; including some that are reputably “very tough”. Key examples of the former are the blended mode Engineering degree and associated degree, and, most recently the Postgraduate Diploma in Psychological Studies (a new third pathway to clinical psychology registration). Illustrating the latter are USQ obtaining professional accreditation for the first blended-mode Bachelor of Education and one of the earliest blended-mode offerings of the Bachelor of Nursing. Combined, these accreditations have enabled USQ to increase access for a very broad-based student cohort to major professional qualifications that are in areas of demand beyond capital city limits “BCCL”.

The pervasive engagement of USQ academics with relevant professions and professional bodies is a key contributing factor in this record of professional accreditation. This representation ranges across local providers through regional and state boards to national councils. This highly active engagement also contributes to current professional practice and issues informing and being embedded across the curriculum.

USQ applies no quotas to program entry; indeed through the provision of a range of pathways and direct entry for non-school leavers USQ provides access for a very wide source of potential students. The University uses sensible entry requirements in order to ensure that every admitted student has a reasonable chance of success. USQ then follows this up with comprehensive student support and services. The University is justifiably proud of its record in the successful provision of higher education to “first in family” and LSES students; and noting USQ’s considerable success at graduating Indigenous nurses.

The above mentioned and key regional workforce areas of education, nursing and engineering also serve to demonstrate USQ’s substantial efforts to provide students with professionally

8 USQ uses the PeopleSoft nomenclature – describing a subject as a “course” and an award as a “program”.9 Refer to footnote 8

relevant work experience. In the case of engineering, through its innovative blended mode delivery of professional accredited engineering awards, the University provides a major source of up-skilling qualifications for technicians across Australian industry through its long-standing suite of scaffolded awards - USQ remains the nation’s leader in the provision of an Associate degree in Engineering! These engineering students attend short intensive residential schools on campus that ensure and consolidate coverage of the critical professional skills and practices for all.

In the case of nursing and education, the provision of work experience to students entails placements across a very wide network of locations. In 2010, USQ nursing students built up 100,000s of kilometres in travelling to and from placements across Queensland. To encourage regional students to work as graduates in regional, rural or remote locations, students generally undertake at least one placement in such locations; balancing this is at least one experience in a more urban context.

In nursing and midwifery, the University has invested heavily in on-campus simulated nursing wards in order to prepare students for placements. As a result, USQ nursing students are highly regarded by placement providers as being very well prepared for professional practice.

To enable students in programs that do not require placements to access work experience, a number of USQ undergraduate awards include a work experience unit; although this unit is not necessarily compulsory given the complications this could cause for students already employed and only able to study part-time. For on-campus students at USQ Springfield, where a high proportion of students are “first in family”, significant support has been provided for undergraduate students studying on that campus to access work experience. A number of students have commented that studying with students from diverse employment and cultural backgrounds, particularly through sharing online discussion forums, has provided invaluable personal and professional lessons.

Of necessity the above commentary has focussed mainly on undergraduate awards. USQ’s flexible postgraduate award offerings also strategically target the provision of awards that provide entry into areas of national priorities such as engineering, science teaching and indigenous health. In addition, the University’s awards support flexible access to quality on-going professional development that addresses what can be considered a disadvantage for professionals working beyond capital city limits; therefore stemming a potential source of workforce leakage from the regions. This observation extends to USQ’s provision of flexible access to higher degree research awards and work-place based professional doctorates that facilitate impactful, applied research.

Beyond the pervasive engagement of USQ staff members with the professions and industry, the University has in place structures to ensure institutional engagement with industry and the professions to inform education (and indeed research) at USQ. All faculties are required to have broadly representative advisory committees; the meeting minutes of which are required to be submitted to Academic Board, and subsequently also to Council. Beyond this, programs, disciplines and faculty sub-units (schools or departments) have optionally had advisory committees. In order to strengthen this situation, from the start of 2014, a consistent and comprehensive approach to sub-faculty advisory committees will be in place; with the chairs of these committees making up the core of the faculty advisory committees.

3.3 Engagement


As part of its social and economic remit and as an important precursor to innovation, the Commonwealth encourages universities to engage with all levels of government, other universities, businesses, schools, the vocational education and training sector, employers, the professions, research institutions and the wider community including international partners particularly those in the Asian region.


The USQ Strategic Plan 2013-15 is structured on four major sections: personalised learning, focused research, enriched communities and engaged enterprise. Relevance and engagement are core features of each section and all areas of USQ’s activities – as represented by informed practice, outward looking approaches, a concentration on the applied and the relevant, and the securing of opportunities for staff and students to engage and broaden their experiences.

Support Current Collaborations and Build New EngagementUSQ’s strategies during the Compact period build on the following platform: USQ is committed to collaborative and applied research, and all activities reinforce this strategic

position. Considerable effort is devoted to industry engagement and involvement of end-users in

research activity. As examples, the University enjoys Researcher in Business Scheme success (USQ currently has 4 RIB’s underway to a value (ex-GST) of $409,260; with an additional two to a value of $175,000 close to finalisation); active participation in Life Science Queensland, AusBiotech and the Life Sciences industry; strong relationships with government in support of innovation policy; and involvement with energy and coal seam gas organisations as industry activity in Queensland’s Surat Basin expands.

USQ supports current relationships with well developed (research) governance and management systems, with researchers supported in their relationship management activity by business professionals from the private sector who help with contract negotiation, contract development, and overall relationship management training and practice.

USQ participates on the AusFoodtech and AusBiotech national committees and alliances have been strengthened with Life Science Queensland where the University contributes to regular monthly publications in the Life Science Queensland newsletter distributed to a national and international audience of 4,500 readers

USQ has engaged with Lockheed Martin and John Deere to explore strategic alliances and first right of refusal IP position, and The University’s commercialisation model is currently expanding networks in the global aviation, automotive, and teleconference software sectors.

Relationship development has commenced with Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering at the University of Sydney, and the Queensland Institutes of Health.

Through strengthening our international collaborations, USQ is pursuing increased joint supervisions/appointments as well as secondments. Currently this is happening with individual researchers who are returning to their home countries for a period of time to conduct their research. It is also planned that this be developed to measure impact on community.

Increase Outreach Activities (including those that support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access and outcomes)Points to note in this area include the following: USQ maintains and continues to develop a broad and comprehensive suite of educational

outreach programs, including programs specifically targeting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students – some of which have been outlined in section 2 of this Compact. A list of these programs is available.

One example of the University’s outreach programs is Building Engagement ad Aspirations through Mentoring in Schools (BEAMS) which operates at USQ Springfield. This is a voluntary peer mentoring program involving USQ students visiting local schools on a regular basis to interact and support students in a classroom environment. This program enhances the skills and knowledge that school students need to continue their education and training beyond secondary schools.

USQ is part of the Queensland Consortium group awarded funding under the competitive participation grants scheme through HEPPP which is coordinating the implementation of outreach initiatives in schools across Queensland to raise awareness and higher education aspirations in LSES schools. USQ’s suite of programs under this initiative includes a range of access and participation initiatives and strategies based on schools outreach, advocacy, scholarships and bursaries.

Demonstration of Research ImpactsUSQ concentrates on industry/community-relevant applied research which seeks to have a high impact. This will continue through the Compact period.

Assessments of impact are routinely built into research project review protocols. USQ Centres with a strong record for projects with a high impact on the community include the following: The USQ National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture can demonstrate a strong track record

in precision farming, farm mechanisation and soil/irrigation product development in direct support of agriculture. Successful outcomes include commercialised products such as Irrimate™, PIMS™, and SISCO™ which assist the agricultural sector with irrigation, soil and moisture management.

The Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments works with stakeholders of the agricultural sector to model and predict climate science effects upon agricultural production and yields. Centre Director, Professor Roger Stone, leads this research program, with the impact of his research internationally recognised through his work with the UN as Open Program Chair, UN WMO Commission for Agricultural Meteorology and as Expert Team Leader, UN Commission for Climatology, Geneva.

Organisational change research led by Australian Centre for Sustainable Business & Development in alliance with the Queensland public service and Queensland Health has led to the optimisation of organisational change in Queensland government departments through Doing More with Less: Aligning workforce in a reform environment.

The Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health – a jointly badged Centre with the University of Queensland - conducts and facilitates health-related research and training in rural and remote communities for the benefit of the community and the health workforce.

During 2012-13 USQ, as part of a Regional Universities Initiative, USQ has available an Economic Impact Statement that quantifies its economic impact on its regions and is supporting a complementary study to ascertain the University’s social, cultural and environmental impact on its regions. These studies provide a basis for USQ to better understand the full impact is has on its regions, and positions it not only to communicate this information more effectively but to factor this information into its own planning as a basis for enhancing its impact.

This study highlighted a number of research programs having a high community impact, including: Managing change for environmental sustainability in Small and Medium Size Enterprises

conducted by the Australian Centre for Sustainable Business Development; Investigating the impact of a web-based, ‘discussion-support’, agricultural-climate information

system on Australian farmers’ operational decision making conducted by the Australian Centre for Sustainable Catchments;

Enhancing the Knowledge and Skills of Advisory and Extension Agents in Mental Health Issues of Farmers and National Suicide Prevention Strategy Project: building bridges learning from the experts conducted by The Centre for Rural and Remote Area Health.

In addition: USQ’s novel automotive industry IP, Variable Length Connecting Rod, was a finalist in “The

Australian Shell Innovation Awards” and won the People’s Choice category; has received $50k in funding from Commercialisation Australia, and is receiving considerable interest from industry; and

USQ is engaged in an evaluation with the Defence, Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) for USQ’s “Aerolance System” intellectual property and has attracted interest from four of the top ten international aerospace organisations.

Movement and Exposure of Staff and Students to Industry and Community SectorsPoints to note in this area include the following: USQ is currently involved with four Enterprise Connect Researcher in Business grants where

USQ researchers work alongside industry to develop solutions to industry problems; USQ is to advertise investable opportunities in the Queensland Government’s new Research

Investment brochure (DSITIA) for the first time; USQ and Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland is one of two selected potential

contractors to deliver EcoBiz, the former Queensland government sustainable business program;

USQ is strengthening strategic partnerships with Chamber of Commerce and Industry Queensland through developing a large scale project to jointly deliver energy efficiency diagnostic and awareness programs to Queensland SMEs; and

USQ has commenced a formal partnership with Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise.

Creation of Opportunities for Australian Students to Study in AsiaWhile USQ has a significant on-shore and off-shore international education program and has enrolments of around 500 Australian students studying online from an off-shore base (some 35% of whom are studying in Asia), outbound student mobility programs have not featured strongly at USQ. The University is currently seeking to address this as part of a broader range of strategies to increase non-research linkages between the University and Asia. Over the Compact period there will be: the commitment of 12,000 Australia Awards (Asian Century) over five years to nations in Asia to

encourage people to people links with the region; an expansion of work and holiday program agreements with countries in Asia over time,

starting with an increase to 1,000 places in the Work and Holiday Visa program in place with Indonesia;

an extension of Australia Awards (Asian Century) offered to recipients in Asia to include work placements and to support mid-career sabbaticals in Australia;

a strengthening of the extensive alumni networks of Australian educated leaders in Asia by providing a focal point for coordinating the networks through an Australia Awards Office;

support for a high quality private sector scholarships that will bring future Asian leaders to Australia;

the use of the National Broadband Network and digital technology to boost online collaboration between researchers, community groups, students, schools and universities in Australia with their counterparts throughout the region;

a nurturing of programs that promote cooperation between Australian and regional faith communities and community organisations;

the encouragement of sports, academic, professional and scientific communities in Australia to become fully part of the region through collaboration and partnership arrangements; and

competing for grant opportunities enabling outward student mobility as and when they arise.

As to the last point, USQ is exploring the opportunities created by the Commonwealth’s new AsiaBound program – particularly in relation to creating opportunities for USQ students to access AsiaBound grants for study with the University’s delivery partners in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. The feasibility of credit-bearing short study tours (of 2-4 week duration) is also being investigated. This shorter period may be of interest to slightly older students who have

fulltime family and work commitments, and who would otherwise find it difficult to be away for longer periods.

Encourage Philanthropy and Industry Investment Though USQ has benefitted from a range of fundraising activities and generous benefactors over its history, in recent years it has hesitated in the establishment of a sophisticated advancement function.

Most recently the University has been successful in raising donations for student bursaries, which particularly benefit nursing students who are required to travel to complete practicums. A small team responsible for alumni and advancement maintain these donations and, in addition, have made strong inroads into the reconnection of alumni with the University. The last two years have seen the celebration of Alumnus of the Year awards and the establishment of active domestic and international alumni chapters.

However, it is USQ's view that it needs to develop a more mature Advancement function. Opportunities in this area are actively being investigated and action is underway towards the establishment of an endowment which will enable additional investment into its research and infrastructure. The state of University philanthropy in Australia is being examined to determine the most appropriate legal and organisational structure and strategy for USQ to be successful in this challenging task.

The endorsement and support of USQ Council will be a key approval step for any initiative beyond that which currently exists. It is anticipated that the USQ Council will endorse this activity and over the period 2014-2016 USQ will establish an appropriate capacity to drive major campaigns for the benefit of the University. However, as with all Advancement activity, it is unlikely that this will bear significant fruit in the first few years of its establishment, which will coincide with the Compact period.

Improve the Quality of Engagement Locally, Regionally, Nationally and Internationally USQ enjoys strong links with the community and conducts a wide range of community engagement initiatives, many of which have a proven regional, State and national impact

(a) “USQ’s regions”: In terms of defining the geographical regions with which USQ naturally engages, the dual hub of the USQ Toowoomba and USQ Springfield campuses creates a region for engagement in southern Queensland extending from peri-urban Brisbane west to the South Australian border; an area in which the University enjoys close links and is working to further improve its profile and impact.

Local engagement has been a major feature of all USQ campuses. As part of the organisational restructure conducted in 2012, the responsibility for engaged research clearly rests with the DVC (Research & Innovation) with the support of a new Office of Research Partnerships & Commercialisation (ORPC); while the responsibility for coordinating the University’s extensive civic engagement activities with the DVC (Students & Community). The Associate Director (USQ Springfield) and Campus Academic Coordinator (Community Engagement) at USQ Fraser Coast are charged with the responsibility for coordinating community engagement activity at each of these campuses, respectively.

USQ Toowoomba:o as the original and parent campus created as a result of strong community lobbying in the

1960s, has always enjoyed a close relationship with the Darling Downs and western Queensland;

o longstanding programs of particular note include Artsworx cultural engagement with the community, the IDEAS schools leadership initiative, the Toowoomba Flexischool for disenfranchised youth, and the USQ Multicultural Centre; as well as a wide range of projects conducted by USQ’s research centres as described earlier; and

o a current priority for the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students & Community) is the development of a strong civic engagement framework for USQ as a whole.

USQ Springfield:o has embedded a community project component in all programs offered from that campus.o is investigating strategies for building on its strong Work-integrated Learning (WiL) programs

to encourage a scaffolded tiered approach to employment experience for students in collaboration with local schools and TAFE;

o has joined the Community Youth Alliance, Ipswich (involving 32 community organisations) to contribute to strategies in three priority areas – education, early childhood and crime & youth; and

o is exploring projects relating to disaster resilience in the Ipswich community. USQ is actively shaping USQ Fraser Coast into an exemplary outreach campus; that is, not a

general university campus but a campus that is responsive to local community and industry needs. To meet those needs, USQ is planning to:

o enhance its offerings through the campus; increase community-work integrated learning experiences, provide development opportunities for local professionals and, enhance access pathways;

o make available the Engineering associate degree in supported external mode through USQ Fraser Coast in 2014;

o engage Human Services students at USQ Fraser Coast in the provision of services through the local community centre;

o continue to provide both education and nursing at USQ Fraser Coast with a number of professional development opportunities for local professionals; and

o explore with community leaders In Maryborough a proposal for a possible community hub to encourage and support engagement in higher education in that socio-economically depressed sister city to Hervey Bay.

The Queensland College of Wine Tourism (QCWT) at Stanthorpe on the southern Darling Downs is a specialist facility operated as a joint venture between USQ and the Queensland Department of Education and Training. USQ partners with Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE, Stanthorpe State High School and 13 other Gateway Schools in the provision of training from secondary to tertiary levels in viticulture, oenology, tourism, hospitality and business. The education and training programs are developed in partnership with the wine tourism industry. QCWT itself is a flagship community/industry engagement initiative.

To improve the coordination of USQ’s engagement efforts, and to encourage team building around community engagement themes as a basis for promoting more high impact initiatives, the University has established a Civic Engagement Working Group which is tasked with developing a framework, identifying flagship programs, prioritising initiatives, securing funding to increase and develop a coordinated approach to civic engagement at USQ, and addressing the considerable challenge of developing workable performance metrics.


The purpose of the engagement performance indicators and targets is to assist the University and the Commonwealth in monitoring the University's progress against the Commonwealth's objectives and the University's strategies for engagement.

The University will aim to meet the engagement performance indicators and targets set out in the following table.


IndicatorsBaseline




Target2016

Number of active collaborations10 with industry and other partners in Australia

27 50 57 60 65

Number of active collaborations11 with industry and other partners overseas

- 9 36 40 45

Category 3 Income $3,552,291 $3.7m $4.1m $4.5m $4.95m

10 Collaboration involves active joint participation with other organisations, by contributing resources such as intellectual property, knowledge, money, personnel or equipment, with the aim of obtaining a shared goal or objective. Straight fee-for-service arrangements, such as contracts and consultancies, are deemed not to be collaborative and are therefore excluded. Collaboration with Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) is also to be excluded. This definition is in line with the ABS and OECD definitions of collaboration.

11 See footnote 8 for a definition of collaboration.

PART FOUR: TEACHING AND LEARNING4 TEACHING AND LEARNING

4.1 Student enrolments


The Commonwealth is committed to expanding higher education to provide high quality opportunities for people of all backgrounds to participate to their full potential. An expanded higher education system will educate the graduates needed for Australia's future economy, which will be based on knowledge, skills and innovation.

The main objectives of the Commonwealth are to ensure that: by 2025, 40 per cent of all 25 to 34 year olds will hold a qualification at bachelor level or

above; by 2020, 20 per cent of undergraduate enrolments should be students from low socio-

economic backgrounds; national parity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff is achieved over

time; and universities are producing graduates that meet the nation’s skills needs.

These objectives are supported through the Commonwealth Grant Scheme and, in particular, the demand driven funding of students in bachelor level courses.


Please note that USQ uses the PeopleSoft nomenclature that describes awards as “programs” and subjects as “courses”.

Enrolment Planning OverallThe most notable features of USQ’s enrolment planning strategy for 2014 to 2016 are as follows: The expansion of the program offerings through USQ Springfield which will be greatly facilitated

through the completion of the Education Gateways (“EDGY”) Building for which USQ has received significant Structural Adjustment EIF funding. Of existing programs, this most immediately includes those relating to engineering, nursing and science (astronomy) together with other distinctive education specialisations, with expanded community studies and creative arts plus applied media offerings also being possibilities. Reflecting workforce and community demand, the intention is for the Bachelor of Nursing offering at USQ Springfield to focus on mental health nursing and Indigenous health. As indicated below a strategy involving TAFE articulation is currently being explored to enable at least some of these offerings to commence before the completion of the EDGY Building.

More generally, additions to and revisions of USQ’s academic program portfolio at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels are under consideration with their proposed offering being subjected to the rigorous internal accreditation process described in section 3.2.2 of this Compact. This includes changes arising from steps needed to ensure AQF compliance of the Masters portfolio. Other programs under most immediate consideration are:

o a revised Bachelor of Laws program (moving from embedded honours to a 3 + 1 honours model);

o a new multi-major, multi-disciplinary Bachelor of Agricultural Systems with a focus on smart agricultural and the full agricultural business cycle;

o aligning with this, a new Masters of Regional Development and Leadership potentially with a minor in Emergency management that may also be a Graduate Certificate;

o a new major for the Bachelor of Science in Laboratory Technology; o a new major for the Bachelor of Health in Human Movement and Exercise; o a new major for the Bachelor of Health in Community Well-being, and

o an embedded suite of postgraduate offerings in (health) clinical management and studies including a professional doctorate.

All awards will also be required to address USQ’s emphasis on the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in all undergraduate awards, and, of instruction in career management; including considerations for sustaining oneself in demanding professions such as mental health nursing. Both of these along with the award areas themselves will make the awards attractive to a diverse student cohort including to the large Indigenous community within the USQ Springfield catchment.

As evident from the list above, USQ is not planning any major discipline shifts but rather focussing on the quality and viability of its existing portfolio while expanding its focus on the primary health, community well-being, and regional resilience.

USQ will continue to develop USQ Springfield as a major general campus and USQ Fraser Coast as a community-needs-focussed outreach campus; while the Queensland College of Wine Tourism at Stanthorpe will remain a specialised facility jointly operated with the Queensland Department of Education & Training, which also incorporates a USQ learning centre. USQ’s physical presence in western Brisbane – an area of high population growth – is particularly important to USQ’s future and the University is working to consolidate and grow this presence.

USQ’s Structural Adjustment HESA funding is enabling the University to consolidate and enhance its online presence both for the delivery of USQ’s comprehensive online/blended mode offering portfolio and USQ’s comprehensive supportive student environment. USQ will be seeking through this presence to widen and increase engagement with its accessible programs particularly in areas of low participation where (unfortunately) the confidence to tackle online higher education is limited both because of the level and the delivery mode. A key strategy in this is partnering with institutions such as TAFE with the capacity to provide local support and tutoring for USQ’s online units. To this USQ applies its partner management model that AUQA identified at the time of USQ’s last AUQA audit in 2009 as sector best practice; with USQ approving tutors and retaining control of curriculum and assessment.

More specific advice is provided below for each area, as requested:(a) Sub bachelor planning: In seeking to successfully provide accessible, relevant and quality higher education to one of the nation’s most diverse student cohorts, USQ places major strategic emphasis on its provision of enabling courses, of pathways, both internal and through partnerships particularly with TAFE, and where professionally appropriate, of diplomas and advanced diplomas.

USQ is a national leader in the provision of a university entry program; USQ’s Tertiary Preparation Program (TPP) is both offered on-campus and on-line. USQ remains committed to the provision of TPP although the progression and retention rates for such a program cannot be expected to reach those of standard undergraduate programs. USQ is piloting intensive TPP during the summer to widen school-leaver participation. Another a growing aspect of USQ’s enabling programs is the provision of the English Assistance Program for students from non-English speaking background (NESB) domestic students.

USQ recognises that first-in-family students are encouraged by the provision of shorter duration embedded awards. USQ’s Associate Degree in Engineering is the most striking example of this with enrolments in the first offering of the Associate Degree in Civil Engineering through USQ Springfield significantly exceeding those accompanying the Bachelor of Engineering although most students have indicated their intention to go on to Bachelor level. USQ has developed entry-level diplomas that provide access to a range scaffolded awards with enrolments in these programs expected to grow slightly.

Along with the above-mentioned partnering to provide support for USQ’s external programs, USQ is also looking at dual award offerings with TAFE where they too provide for increased participation in the full spectrum of higher education awards and value-add through reverse

articulation. Current areas under consideration are early childhood, nursing, business (hospitality) and engineering. Also discussed has been inclusion of the Certificate III in Fitness (personal trainer) in the proposed Human Motion and Exercise major.

(b) Bachelor degree planning: Much of the commentary relevant to this has been provided in the initial strategic summary. Three further points are: the focus on the development of majors within degrees will be accompanied by a review, and

where appropriate, the teach-out or revision of existing majors; USQ has completed an audit and follow-up actions to ensure all honours degrees are AQF

compliant; from 2014, USQ will introduce the (Hons) teaching out the Bachelor of Engineering with Hons, and the 3 + 1 model for the Bachelor of Laws; and

within the Bachelor of Education, USQ intends to diminish emphasis on “ordinary” primary school teaching and encourage participation in value-add combinations such as with middle school teaching, disciplinary specialisations, special education and physical education.

(c) Postgraduate planning: As evident from the initial strategic summary, USQ is looking to enhance its postgraduate coursework portfolio with attractive and relevant continuing education options. Through this, USQ is seeking to increase its domestic fee paying (Fee HELP) student numbers.

The main focus of USQ’s postgraduate CGS load remains in education. Again USQ will be seeking to diminish the emphasis on “ordinary” primary school teaching. USQ will be closely scrutinizing the potential impact of a mandatory two years Masters of Teaching on participation from LSES backgrounds and on the CGS load profile.

In 2012 USQ underwent a review by DIISRTE and subsequent negotiation (in good faith by both sides) of the postgraduate awards in which it offers CGS places against the requirements for Ministerial approval. From 2014, the University will look to offer CGS places in USQ’s Juris Doctor and Master of Education subject to consultation with the department. USQ will also seek CGS places for (school) guidance and counselling. There may need to be some other changes arising from USQ’s efforts to ensure its Masters offerings are AQF compliant.

For greatest flexibility to respond to student demand and varying cluster demand profiles, USQ would prefer to be able to treat its postgraduate and sub-degree CGS load allocations as one “bucket”.

USQ would also like to point out the managing the approval to offer CGS places in only some majors of a Masters award is problematic; if only because students are not locked into majors. It is also seen by students to represent discrimination by the University.

(d) Medical planning: USQ does not currently intend to seek medical places over the period 2014 to 2016. Nonetheless USQ will continue to explore opportunities to partner in the provision of medical or post-qualification medical education (especially in the generalist rural speciality) that will help address the health work-force of its source communities and regions. For the same reasons, as mentioned earlier, USQ will be looking to new postgraduate offerings in clinical sciences and management.

4.2 Quality


A focus on teaching and learning quality underpins the Commonwealth’s vision for Australia to be one of the most highly educated and skilled nations in the world.

The Commonwealth has made a commitment to provide more autonomy to universities through the removal of funding caps on Commonwealth supported bachelor level places. In turn, the Commonwealth requires the University to participate in the higher education quality arrangements which are overseen by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. The arrangements are designed to support academic autonomy while ensuring that the achievement of standards can be demonstrated and that there is a strong focus on enhancing the quality of teaching and learning while expansion of the higher education system meets national participation ambitions.

The Commonwealth’s commitment to quality is demonstrated through initiatives such as the Office for Learning and Teaching, which provides a suite of grants, awards and fellowships to recognise quality and promote innovations in learning and teaching.

The University also has obligations under the quality and accountability requirements in Division 19 of HESA. This compact does not change those obligations.


There is too little recognition given in the sector to institutions such as USQ which have and largely remain the workhorses for the nation’s broadening higher education agenda; and which have led the way in achieving the consistent and across-the-board quality in learning & teaching required to successfully teach to a highly diverse student body. At USQ, quality is not achieved through restricting student enrolments to students identified as strong independent learners. It is achieved, purely and simply, through excellence and innovation in learning & teaching and student support.

As noted in the USQ Strategic Plan 2013-15 (p. 6): “Accessibility, engagement and relevance continue to characterise USQ’s education offerings. The University continues to achieve positive outcomes for one of the world’s most diverse student populations, with its graduates highly sought after both within Australia and globally. Through innovation USQ harnesses emerging technologies to enable collaborative teaching and individualised learning for its students regardless of lifestyle. We inspire teachers and learners alike. …

USQ remains the best place for students to complete their first qualification and we have built our reputation as “the university for a lifetime”. USQ develops lifelong relationships with its students that often see them return to the University as the employment market and students’ life goals require them to return to study. An increasing number of students enrolled elsewhere choose to enrol for individual courses at USQ capitalising on the flexibility that USQ provides.”

The Quality of Learning & TeachingUSQ recognises that attaining its strategic goal of providing a high quality personalised learning experience for all students regardless of their background, location or stage in life is aspirational and requires significant foundational and continued development.

A refreshed USQ Learning & Teaching Policy that applies to all members of the USQ community who contribute to the quality of the learning & teaching experience of our students, is due for consideration Academic Board on 30 July 2013. It confirms learning & teaching as the cornerstone of USQ’s activities and establishes USQ’s expectations in regard to standards of learning & teaching.

In terms of key principles, USQ will: develop, maintain and evaluate regularly a learning & teaching environment conducive to

effective learning and excellent teaching;

use a range of approaches and strategies to promote excellent learning & teaching; apply specified minimum expectations; and require all USQ students to use the University approved digital learning environment.

(a) Staff development initiatives: The platform for USQ’s activities in this area includes: the development of the Personalised Professional Development (PPD) framework aligned to

the USQ Strategic Plan 2013-2015 approved by the Learning & Teaching Committee of Academic Board (before replaced by a refreshed Education Committee) in November 2012 - this document is available for review;

the initiation of the development of an online learning model currently being tested successfully across a range of programs and intended for ongoing implementation from 2013; and

the re-development of the new academic staff induction program - a personalised multi-modal program developed and trialled from 2013.

The University will maintain a portfolio of professional development and training activities within a flexible conceptual framework and implemented through a coherent, comprehensive professional development plan. Staff are supported through the various phases of their academic life from pre-commencement, induction and early career through ongoing development during mid-career, recognition as experts including membership of the USQ academy and beyond USQ as adjunct staff. As such, this framework underpins a holistic approach to academic support and professional development which is intended to meet the needs of academics developing as professional teachers in higher education and who are facilitating and supporting the student learning journey.

The portfolio of activities and projects will be rolled out and monitored from 2013-16.

(b) Supporting, fostering, disseminating and embedding good teaching practice: USQ has multiple strategies for embedding preferred teaching practice in University operations. The suite of strategies is in place to influence the design and development of courses and course materials and the delivery practices of teachers. It is the University's intention to iteratively adjust and develop programming throughout the 2014-2016 Compact period based on recently developed and current programming.

Professional development activities, as outlined above, represent an important approach that complement direct support of learning design, course development, and educational technology; while embedding values through policy formation, managerial committee structures, and performance review are also import elements of supporting desired teaching practice. The following are examples of some methods used to embed good teaching practice: Learning Innovation Teaching Enhancement (LITE) is a team-based, collaborative form of

professional development that supports faculty academic staff to enhance learning and teaching. LITE teams are made up of a range of support staff from these areas who work with faculty academic staff on learning & teaching enhancement projects nominated by faculties. Through LITE teams, USQ has adopted an approach to embedded professional development as a core method for implementing the Personalised Professional Development (PPD) framework that provides relevant, contextualised assistance to staff in faculties.

Visiting Scholar workshops provide opportunities for USQ staff to be exposed to ideas and theoretical underpinnings from scholars working beyond the institution. In 2012 these workshops involved 277 academic staff as participants in 25 presentations and workshops.

“Professional Development on Demand” is another faculty embedding strategy designed to provide just-in-time pedagogical development for lecturers. The approach includes workshops requested by academic staff and those conducted within LITE Team activity as well as individual consultations between academic staff and academic learning support staff seeking assistance with learning & teaching issues.

(c) Recognising and rewarding good teaching practice: The University has an awards system aligned to the Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) priorities and processes that form a

developmental pathway for academic staff from faculty, through institutional to national recognition. Faculty Awards operate from a standard set of guidelines that is applicable across each of USQ's faculties and aligns with USQ as well as the OLT initiatives. Within this framework, each faculty manages the decision making processes for selection which enables consistency of timelines, stipends, criteria, and panel processes and supported by OLT. In the coming years USQ intends to extend rewards to include USQ Teaching Awards, and USQ Program Awards in an effort to embrace a broader scope of work. Although the general awards categories will remain constant during the Compact period, the criteria will evolve as capacity develops and will continue to focus recognition on learner success and the University goal of personalised learning.

As well as recognising and rewarding good teaching practice, award processes are seen as a basis for identifying and disseminating best practice and innovation in learning & teaching.

Promotion Arrangements Academic promotion processes treat the two categories of teaching and teaching scholarship, and research in an equivalent manner for academic staff. (The third category is that of service.) Such staff members can assign the same range of weightings to each; consequently for each, there is a required minimum and a permitted maximum. However, only staff members in teaching-specialist or research-only positions can zero the weighting for research or teaching, respectively. There are published qualitative descriptors for the promotion panel members scoring of each category.

How Teaching is Informed by Research Since the Murray reforms of the 1950s, research has been recognised as a core element of what it means to be a university in Australia. “Performing world class research and being recognised for it … can be a major driver in attracting the best and brightest students to our programs in the highly competitive higher education market. Performing well in research generally raises esteem and reputation, thus over time, building the value of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees awarded” (USQ Research Plan 2013-15, p. 1). A strong research culture sets the required tone of innovation and scholarship within the university; inspires, informs and challenges all academic staff; and, in a vein not dissimilar to that achieved by securing strong links with industry, adds immeasurable rigour and excellence to the learning & teaching program.

Research and scholarship inform teaching via a range of channels. The first of these is by academic and professional staff members being actively engaged in staying at the fore-front of their academic area through their own research and scholarship and that of their colleagues. USQ has a strong tradition of teaching teams, consisting of at least course examiners and moderators, who share responsibility for ensuring that curriculum and assessment stays current. In most of its disciplines, USQ is distinguished by a very strong active engagement in the application of research and scholarship to communities and the professions. A number of USQ academic staff members are on relevant state and national bodies; remain active in their profession and on professional bodies and undertake accreditations, and, engage in industry research and consultancies. Supporting this, USQ has a number of groups active in educational research and scholarship, and, associated with these a number of channels by which developments in teaching practice can be disseminated to other staff. The Australian Digital Futures Institute (ADFI) is a leading example of the former, and, the Learning Teaching Support section and the a large number of academic Communities of Practice maintained by the University, are examples of the latter.

The link between learning & teaching and research is also being pursued through a range of initiatives to provide multi-disciplinary experiences for USQ’s undergraduate students. For example, USQ is exploring means by which its strengths in STEM-related research can be utilised to raise the experience of pre-service education teachers in mathematics and science with a view to breaking down the barriers that are currently impacting negatively on the teaching of mathematics and science in schools.

Student EngagementStudent engagement is an activity that spans the whole University and is supported through each of USQ’s four major divisions, Academic, Academic Services, Research & Innovation and Students & Communities.

USQ has established a Student Engagement Advisory Committee (SEAC). to take leadership on issues and opportunities impacting on the student experience for all student cohorts at the University and to develop a USQ Student Engagement Framework - chaired by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students & Communities) and including representatives from all faculties, campuses, student organisations and departments. The committee will facilitate the development of coherent and structured approaches to maximising student engagement across the University; and improve student retention by creating opportunities for students to successfully participate in University life, improve awareness and utilisation of services, and generate a closer sense of community.

The following are examples of specific student engagement strategies: Over the past twelve months, USQ has extended its relationship with prospective and current

students through strong engagement and retention strategies by means of social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, YouTube and student blogs. In 2012 the University launched the mobile version of its website to support the increase in smartphone use across all demographics.

A ‘Phoenix Central’ presence has been established on all three USQ campuses primarily to assure the need for higher profile on-campus engagement activities in response to growth in enrolments. Phoenix Central also manages the Student Amenities Fee and student representation requirements, and covers services left unattended by the USQ Student Guild withdrawing from certain student support related services including Sport, Events, Clubs and Societies.

Meet-Up program provides a range of peer-led support strategies intended to assist first year students to orient to study in their chosen discipline while providing leadership opportunities for later year students who are trained as peer leaders. External and on-campus students engage with and are motivated by peer leaders in discipline-specific and generalist groups in face-to-face, blended and online environments. Data shows positive student engagement with, and evaluations of Meet Up initiatives over more than 20 years.

The Meet-Up program’s objectives are to: provide a social learning platform where students can engage with discipline learning via group

participation with their peers improve students’ learning skills, including thinking and reasoning, independence and reflection provide students with useful and successful study strategies and techniques develop leadership skills in student leaders provide feedback to academic staff on students’ needs and expectations serve as an explicit example of USQ and Faculty support for students

Meet-Up continues to attract students in on-campus sessions while the growth in the accessing of Meet-Up Forums, which are made available from course study desks, is clear in the data gathered. Meet-Up is held in high regard by all stakeholders including lecturers and students. Meet-Up Leaders are contributing to a growing pool of student leaders at USQ and are regularly offered other leadership roles within the university. On graduation, Meet-Up leaders find their role as a Meet-Up leader a contributing factor to their being offered a position in the workforce in their chosen career. Some leaders are choosing to stay at USQ for post-graduate studies. Physical and virtual Learning Centres provide access to tutors who are able to build academic

language and learning skills as well as basic mathematics and statistics skills. Workshops, intensive bridging modules and personalised support are all intended to increase confidence, persistence, success and retention. A trial of the SmartThinking online interface enables students out-of-hours access to academic language and mathematics support which benefits

distance students, in particular. Learning analytics are increasingly being used to provide data for evidence to inform practice.

Academic Developers in Learning & Teaching Services (LTS) collaborate with staff in faculties on curriculum design projects intended to enhance approaches to teaching which support student centred learning. Although these activities happen in a number of forums, USQ has started to institutionalise capacity through the initiation of Learning Innovation Teaching Enhancement (LITE) teams, discussed above.

The Integrated StudyDesk Project aims to deliver a learning and teaching environment that has improved learning experiences for students. Four sub-projects will create the key elements of a consistent, familiar digital learning platform and build capacity and capability of academic staff.

The Student Personalised Academic Road to Success (SPARS) project aims to develop a systems-based ‘health check’ approach to supporting students. Its benefit will be delivered through linking academic student support to the University student learning journey – via a student driven learning approach. As SPARS will be embedded in the USQ Customer Relationship management (CRM) environment, it will provide information about the forms of support that a student has utilised and so build a ‘knowledge base’ concerning that individual student and their needs and deliver a range of learning analytics to serve the university decision making.

A review of student support and engagement services and strategies is currently underway to ensure that a coherent range of services is available to all students regardless of mode of study or location.

Student Outcomes USQ has a core institution-wide commitment to strongly supporting its students to achieve their study objectives. A significant proportion of USQ’s undergraduate student population are older non-school-leavers often already experienced employees who are studying externally. USQ students are provided with a range of opportunities to develop generic and professionally relevant attributes and skills. In those programs in which placements are required, students are typically required to study and demonstrate basic skills prior to those placements; which can entail external students attending campus for intensive residential schools. In the few programs where there are no placements requirements, there is normally at least an elective work-integrated learning (WiL) subject option - not mandatory, in recognition that not all students require such experience.

Community-based learning is a particular feature of the USQ Springfield learning experience. USQ Springfield has long-established WiL programs in place in Business, Law and Sciences, and is starting to build links in Engineering. The Campus maintains a WiL Facilitator position to build strong and mutually beneficial relationships with local Ipswich and Brisbane businesses and industry, and to link students with suitable local employers for workplace placements. As the placement proceeds the WiL Coordinator also supports the course leaders as they assume responsibility for the academic experience and outcomes in the form of the project report delivered at the end of the placement. At the completion of their placement an evaluation is completed by the student and the host organisation to receive feedback and to identify outcomes, successes and challenges of the placement.

Students report a significant increase in knowledge and skills relevant to their profession making them more ‘work ready’ and employers improve their appreciation of the expertise graduate students bring to the job. Many have secured employment as a result of their placements.

Professionally relevant basic research skills – including underpinning skills such as critical thinking, analysis and information management - are developed in the later years of all degrees; and similarly assessed. Many students are exposed to research through the active engagement of USQ researchers in teaching. (As mentioned above, standard academic staff must demonstrate at least adequate achievement in both areas to obtain promotion.) Recognising that students often first go into employment before considering further study including research training, USQ

continues to develop a range of flexible graduate pathways into research higher degrees that include professional doctorates.

Beyond the academic provisions for improving student outcomes, USQ provides comprehensive career development and advisory services that encourage students to engage with career engagement from their first contact with the University. These services have pioneered online career services in Australian higher education; including an award-winning virtual careers-fair.

Finally, the point is made again that the student-oriented culture that continues to pervade USQ means that academic and professional staff members generally display an over-commitment to assisting and supporting students in achieving their study objectives. The unsolicited positive feedback on this expressed via many channels remains striking as does the more formal measures achieved despite USQ having one of the nation's more diverse student populations and operates with significant fiscal discipline.

Note: All calendar year references below relate to projects and awards in that calendar year.Principal Performance

IndicatorsBaseline




Target2016

Number of active learning and teaching projects supported by the PELTHE12 program where the University is the lead institution

1 2 3 4 5

Number of active learning and teaching projects supported by the PELTHE13 where the University is a partner institution

0 3 5 6 7

Number of citations for outstanding contributions to student learning

2 4 6 8 10

Number of awards for teaching excellence

0 2 4 6 7

Number of awards for programs that enhance excellence

0 1 2 3 4

12 Promotion of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education - the program providers learning and teaching grants, awards and fellowships and is administered by the Office for Learning and Teaching.

13 See footnote 10 for definition.

Grants and Awards

2006Carrick

2007Carrick

2008ALTC

2009ALTC

2010ALTC

2011ALTC

2012OLT

Awards for Excellence in Teaching

2 1 0 0 0 0 0

Awards for Programs and Services that Enhance Learning

0 2 0 0 0 0 0

Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning

5 5 6 4 3 3 2

Grants (Lead Institution)

1 2*** 1 1 1 1 1

Grants (Partner Institution)

1 7# 4 1 4 2 0

AAUT= Australian Awards for University Teaching, pre 2006Carrick = Carrick Institute for Learning & Teaching in Higher Education, 2006-7ALTC = Australian Learning and Teaching Council, 2008-2011OLT = Office for Learning and Teaching, 2012.***includes Promoting Excellence funding which was only on offer in 2007.#Discipline –Based initiative Funding was only on offer in 2007 – escalation due to receiving four grants under this scheme.

4.3 Equity


The Commonwealth is committed to a fair and equitable higher education system that provides equal opportunity for people of all backgrounds to participate to their full potential and the support to do so.

In particular, the Commonwealth has an ambition that by 2020, 20 per cent of higher education enrolments at the undergraduate level will be people from low socio-economic status (SES) backgrounds.

The Commonwealth expects all universities to play a part in meeting the Commonwealth's higher education participation ambitions, consistent with the objectives and regulatory requirements of Commonwealth funding.

The Commonwealth funds a range of programs to encourage and support access to and participation in higher education by people from low SES backgrounds and other under-represented groups, including the Higher Education Loan Program and Student Income Support.

The Commonwealth will monitor the University’s equity performance through the reporting requirements and evaluations of programs and initiatives. The University’s performance in meeting equity objectives will also be linked with teaching and learning Performance Funding targets.

Universities have obligations under the fairness requirements in Division 19 of HESA. This compact does not change those obligations.


Overall Approaches to Broadening Educational Access, Participation and OutcomesAs noted earlier in this Compact, a major element of USQ’s stated mission is broadening educational participation and USQ can lay claim to a consistent record over more than four decades of operation for supporting access and equity as a mainstream institutional activity. As a result, the University: has one of the most diverse student bodies in the sector, as reflected in the annual IPP –

consistently ranked in the top 5 in the sector for LSES students (by postcode indicator) and for regional students; and in the top 10 in the sector for Indigenous access and participation;

maintains a wide range of equity and outreach programs, including an extensive suite of schools outreach programs to raise higher education and professional careers awareness in local schools; including numerous programs specifically in the areas of STEM;

provides support for a broad range of pathways into higher education study, including long-running preparatory/bridging programs, extensive articulation arrangements with TAFE across States, and a close association with the nationally award-winning Toowoomba Flexi-School for disenfranchised youth;

maintains a broad scholarships program funded through a range of sources; maintains programs for students with very high support needs – including an extensive

correctional centres program that provides opportunities for incarcerated students to study while in custody, a strong support program for refugee-background students, and the piloting of a Residential Academic Intervention program for at-risk LSES students;

has built on our history of recognised leadership as a distance education provider to forge our strengths in blended mode and personalised learning – aiming to address the needs of all students regardless of background, location or individual circumstances; and

addresses the challenge of providing for the high support needs of a significant proportion of our students through a strong student-centred culture, systems and technological innovation, and a relationship management approach that covers all stages of the student learning journey.

USQ has a well established framework for its student support based on meaningful engagement at all points of the student learning journey – from first contact through to graduation and beyond. Key elements of this approach include the following: An extensive Student Relationship Officer (SRO) program that sees each student assigned a

specific SRO for their full time at the University. USQ’s SROs work alongside each and every student, stretching them to achieve their goals while anticipating their needs and providing them with timely and relevant information and support. SRO’s strive to connect students to their chosen future, aiding them in their quest for fulfilment. They help students achieve their goals by supporting them through challenges and celebrating their successes. USQ’s Student Objective Orientated model focuses on the establishment of a long-term relationship by ensuring every student is connected with their SRO from their initial enrolment. The SRO Network proactively manages and anticipates known student transaction and service points while continuing to monitor and improve results. They are empowered to tailor services within an agreed framework and encouraged to also maintain a focus on the efficiency and effectiveness of our processes.

Learning Support at USQ is provided under the collective of ‘The Learning Centre’ (TLC), supported by trained academic staff and learning advisors, is one of a suite of academic support services provided for on-campus and distance students at USQ. Most services operate in blended form, offering face-to-face and virtual opportunities for students to access such support. Services tend to target USQ’s low SES, ‘first-in-family’, refugee and mature learners returning to study after breaks of many years.

The Meet-Up program aims to provide academic assistance to students through the development of their academic learning skills and their understanding of discipline concepts to enhance their academic performance and develop a sense of learning community. This assistance is provided in on-campus sessions and/or online environments by trained student

or peer leaders who facilitate activities, exercises, problems, or practice opportunities in collaboration with lecturing staff. The program also aims to contribute to the establishment of a body of student leaders at the University and assist with the development of student leadership skills.

Online support is being expanded through new initiatives implemented in 2013 and intended to provide learning support for students at all levels of study. For example, piloting of 24/7 access to academic writing and mathematics support using an online option provided by SmartThinking will be evaluated in 2013 for its efficacy as a means of expanding support to our distance learners, particularly those studying in isolated regions and different time zones.

Innovations such as the Student Personalised Academic Road to Success (SPARS) initiative that provides a ‘health check’ based approach to supporting the academic student journey. The SPARS project is being rolled out in 2013 as a means to provide self-diagnostic support with targeted online resources in a personalised integrated study planner format. Initial evaluations show very positive student uptake of pilot projects.

The collection and recording of individual student objectives via student analytics and utilizing this information to provide customized student support outcomes.

The University will continue to strive to maintain its leadership in broadening educational participation by employing the following strategies over 2013-16: conducting a Social Justice Review with a view to securing an even more strategic approach to

access and support functions resulting in improved and more effective coordination of social justice initiatives across the institution;

the ongoing provision of multiple pathways through enabling programs and a full range of diploma programs for under-represented groups including those from NESB/CALD and refugee backgrounds, incarcerated students and rural and remote students.

- extending and increasing the range of scholarships for disadvantaged students including the provision of residential scholarships for rural and remote students and those experiencing financial hardship;

continued enhancement and expansion of regional, rural and remote school outreach programs featuring school based mentoring, tertiary tasters, campus engagement and career development and aspiration building programs;

the provision of ongoing intensive support and services for students with a disability and the ongoing enrichment of the student experience for disadvantaged students from diverse backgrounds by providing access to quality health, welling being, welfare and support services and raising awareness of these services;

building and maintaining long-term relationships and formal and informal partnerships with local communities including schools, universities, non-profit organisations, industry and local and state government aimed at widening participation and mobilising women in the workforce in rural and remote areas through education and training opportunities;

providing courses aimed at increasing student self-esteem and self-efficacy in mastering academic tasks;

awarding extra university entrance score points to students from low SES and rural, regional and remote areas;

creating and adopting University-wide equity principles for curriculum development and renewal;

providing early detection and intervention programs for first year students at risk; and building student engagement, belonging and cultural capital through the provision of the

following mainstream activities: professional services (academic, pastoral and professional development); peer mentoring and networking programs and opportunities; academic skills support; and social engagement opportunities (e.g. clubs and societies, social spaces, student residential spaces, student/committee representation around institutional policy making and decisions).

USQ’s ‘New Additional Equity Group’ for Compacts Purposes

USQ attracts and supports students from all recognised disadvantaged groups. However, for the purpose of the first Compacts process, the University was obliged to nominate ‘a second equity group’ in addition to a consideration of LSES. For this purpose USQ nominated Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander students as its ‘second equity group’. With this group now required to be considered by all universities for the second Compacts process, USQ has been asked to nominate a ‘new additional equity group’. For this purpose, USQ nominates students from non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB). Within the USQ community, this group includes Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) students who are first or second generation migrants to Australia and students from refugee-backgrounds residing in the immediate local catchments of USQ campuses.

The following points are noted: USQ has a long-standing commitment to multiculturalism – being one of the first universities in

Australia to put in place a Multiculturalism Policy in 1995 and maintaining the USQ Multiculturalism Centre as a community research and engagement unit since 2004.

As a regionally-headquartered university with a high proportion of its students studying at a distance, USQ traditionally has enrolled a proportion of NESB students that appears relatively low compared with urban-based universities. However, USQ has maintained a significant international program for nearly three decades and so has a strong record with CALD students who exhibit many similar needs to students from NESB.

USQ’s projected growth targets for students from NESB in 2014-2016 will be reached largely through the population dynamics of its local student catchments.

o Toowoomba and the Darling Downs has received a significant influx of people from refugee-backgrounds over the past decade and remains the third largest refugee settlement area in Queensland; with initial waves of settlement made up of people from southern Sudan but more recently being made up of Francophone people from the Congo, as well as from Eritrea and Ethiopia. [The Refugee Council of Australia has declared the Toowoomba Region as a Refugee Welcome Zone - one of only three local council areas in Queensland so recognised]; and

o USQ Springfield campus in outer western Brisbane services a very large Pacifika population (particularly Maori, Samoan, Papua New Guinean and Fijian) in Ipswich City and Logan City; as well as other migrant groups from NESB (particularly Vietnamese) in one of Australia’s highest population growth areas. NESB student populations can be particularly high in certain schools – for example, Glenala SHS has 60% of its students Maori or Pacific islander.

o [Students from NESB do not form a significant component of the USQ Fraser Coast student catchment.]

The NESB students enrolled at USQ tend to have high support needs and typically do not achieve high GPAs. Strategies designed to improve success for these students include:

o a position of Refugee Support and Student Inclusion Officer is maintained with the Open Access College at the USQ Toowoomba campus to make available programs to preparatory and commencing CALD students on a needs basis in areas such as e-literacy and academic skills development, and to generally support CALD students at all stages of study;

o bridging pathways involving English language program and university preparatory program have been secured for domestic NESB prospective students by successfully adapting long-established pre-tertiary pathways and programs for international students from NESB; and

o USQ Springfield is in the process of establishing a ‘Pacifika arm’ of its successful Building Engagement and Aspirations through Mentoring in Schools (BEAMS) program to target the particular needs of this group;

o arrangements are in place that afford NESB students special academic provisions, such as access to a dictionary and additional time in examinations; and

o to position USQ for continued improvement of provision to students from NESB over the course of the Compact period, a major investment has been made in 2013 on projects specifically targeting this group.

A project is underway to improve the identification of NESB students based on improving self-identification, and improving the collection of data collection and analysis on this group to inform decision making.

Through its Social Justice Faculty Fund competitive grant scheme, the Faculty of Arts and Faculty of Education have been awarded $100,000 in funding to undertake two separate projects over two years aimed at increasing the retention and success of NESB students.

o The Faculty of Arts, in partnership with the Open Access College and Faculty of Business & Law, is conducting the ‘CALD to Success’ project which aims to develop a database that identifies and tracks LSES NESB students’ transition to university and their ongoing retention and success. By identifying key barriers to their transition and success, the program aims to promote solutions to successful student achievement and staff awareness of these barriers.

o The Faculty of Education’s Retention: English for Academic Completion Help (REACH) program targets identified students-at-risk of failing and engages with them to complete their first year of studies. The project will develop an academic English course for delivery over three semesters with the aim of improving first year retention rates; with a view to eventually embedding this English program into mainstream courses.

A Toowoomba-based program that has received funding through the University internal Equity Incentive Fund is aimed at enhancing the cultural transition of students from NESB to higher education by developing their intercultural social and communication skills. Learning and teaching staff will also be supported through training in intercultural competencies for improving cultural literacy.

4.3.3 Participation and Social Inclusion Targets

Proportion of domestic undergraduates who are from a low SES backgroundBaseline for improvement target: To be determined

Proportion of domestic undergraduates who are from another underrepresented groupBaseline for improvement target: x% (Either 2009 or average of 2008 and 2009 data)

Principal Performance

Indicators

2014 Reward Payment(target for 2013

students)

2015Reward Payment(target for 2014

students)

2016Progress target(target for 2015

students)Excellence Target To be determined To be determined To be determinedImprovement Target To be determined To be determined To be determinedOutcome - - -

Principal Performance

Indicators


students)


students)

2016Progress target(target for 2015

students)Improvement Target To be determined To be determined To be determinedOutcome - - -

4.4 Teaching and Learning Infrastructure


The Commonwealth is committed to the development of world class higher education infrastructure. A contemporary, technology rich, well designed and equipped campus environment has a positive influence on staff and student performance and satisfaction.

While the responsibility for capital infrastructure development and maintenance rests with the University, the Commonwealth’s commitment is demonstrated through programs such as the Education Investment Fund. Universities also utilise Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding for capital works and maintenance.

The Commonwealth will monitor the University's infrastructure performance, through the Institutional Performance Portfolio/CAMS.


Notes with regard to learning & teaching infrastructureUSQ manages a suite of ICT based systems that are used to enhance the student learning experience, both with their studies and in relation to preparing for their future career. It does this by providing a coherent set of online tools to allow students to interact not only with their teachers, but also with each other and in a variety of modes (text, audio, and video). USQ is committed to providing these services in a secure space, so that students can feel free to share their learning journey with their fellow students, but also, when a student is ready, they may share their learning more broadly with prospective employees.

Importantly, from USQs perspective, the systems that are used allow both on-campus and off-campus students to interact freely, thereby enhancing the learning experience by minimising the barriers traditionally associated with distance education delivery.

A case study in learning & teaching infrastructure design – USQ Springfield EDGY BuildingUSQ has received $41.9 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Education Investment Fund (as part of the Structural Adjustment Fund) for the Education Gateways (EDGY) Building at the USQ Springfield Campus. The EDGY Building is a glass, steel and concrete structure with a gross floor area of approximately 10,000m across four above-ground levels. The Building’s design significantly strengthens the overall coherence of the USQ Springfield campus, enhancing aesthetics and improving efficiency. The building is strong in ecologically sustainable development (ESD) features and will achieve a 5 Star Green Building Council of Australia rating. The ESD components balance the provision of a comfortable environment with a reduction in energy consumption.

The design of spaces and their locations within the Building is structured to encourage collaborative learning as well as blended learning opportunities. The Learning spaces are designed to facilitate a variety of opportunities for teacher/student inter-relationships between standard didactic modes and more open collaborative modes.

The accommodation in the EDGY Building is primarily structured around learning and teaching functionality themes, namely:

Category 1 – Configurable Learning EnvironmentsThe focus in these areas is on the provision of a range of learning options such that students are able to configure their own personal learning journey experience, both physical and virtual. As their preferences vary, they will be able to choose the option that best suits their particular needs thus enabling a richer learning experience in an attractive and engaging environment. The provisions will also support outreach and engagement activities.

Category 2 – Collective Learning EnvironmentsThese areas will provide spaces for ongoing innovation in more structured class-based and larger informal-group education activities including, but not limited to, mixed presence (physical and virtual) classes, workshops, break-out groups, collaborative learning and teamwork.

Category 3 – Applied Learning EnvironmentsThese areas focus on innovation in applied (“hands-on”) learning and teaching, particularly simulated learning environments and laboratory spaces. All spaces will be flexible to accommodate multiple disciplines as well as multi- and inter-disciplinary use, digitally connected to provide for remote access, and adaptable to the demands of a broad variety of professional training.

Category 4 – Education ConsortiumThis area provides accommodation for the cohorts of staff involved in activities supporting the expansion of participation and enrichment of the student experience. The shared common spaces are intended to encourage interaction and synergisms amongst staff.

The performance of the University estateThe performance of the University estate has been improving since 2010. USQ chose to adopt a Strategic Asset Management (SAM) approach to the management and development of the built estate in 2011. Since that time various planning linkages, systems, process and databases have been developed and implemented to inform both the performance of the estate and also investment decisions around estates development, retirement and renewal.

The SAM framework continues to develop and in 2013 it is intended to strengthen the linkage between corporate planning cycles and estates planning by expanding the content of the planning templates and creating stronger relationships from the estates planning to the Capital Asset Management Plan (CAMP). This will result in a CAMP that more closely reflects the influences of student and staff load, academic product variation and pedagogical development.

For USQ the operation of the physical estates represents a significant portion of the enterprise expense and consequently increasing focus is being placed on using the assets efficiently. The Tertiary Education Facilities Management Association (TEFMA) has some excellent resources regarding space management and also measuring the utilisation of space. The University adopted the TEFMA model in 2009 and since that time has undertaken space utilisation audits to determine performance and will continue to do so. Space audits are only the beginning though and USQ has committed to not only performing the audits but to act upon the results.

For 2013, the focus for USQ will be on the retirement or repurposing of older building stock. This involves projects around three buildings at the Toowoomba and will reduce the overall GFA and improve utilisation of similar spaces elsewhere on the Campus. In parallel, the University is challenging itself around other consolidation opportunities and also the teaching window, within which spaces are available for use. The repurposing of space may involve making the space available for external leasing thereby retaining the asset for future contingency whilst offsetting the holding cost, adding to the campus activity levels and providing an estates platform for activity with strategic partners.

To manage the growth of the estate USQ is considering the following internal policy enhancements: For the period 2013-16; not less than 500m2 per annum will be repurposed for external

revenue or retired from circulation. Excluding existing projects, there will be no net increase in the estates GFA.

Other instruments may also be considered to create appropriate drivers for efficient space use, including internal space charges as part of a revised budget model. USQ key performance indicator for utilisation: Utilisation % = Occupancy % x Frequency % (as

per the TEFMA standard).

While optimising the utilisation of the estate is key, that outcome will also be influenced by the estates condition and the extent to which it is fit for purpose.

For USQ, condition assessment is a relatively new capability, with the first condition assessment data being collected in 2009/10 by internal trade staff. While the data has been useful it is not as complete and consistent as it needs to be. For 2013, the Facilities Management and Finance areas are collaborating to leverage off the annual revaluation exercise to embed a review and update of the condition assessment data by the valuation provider. This will result in a fresh perspective and an enhanced data set to inform the Capital Asset Management Survey return later in 2013.

USQ key performance indicator for condition: backlog maintenance value as % of Asset Replacement Value

The final part of the estates picture is of course how fit for purpose are the spaces, particularly in light of some of the significant changes in the pedagogy.

For 2013, USQ will focus on developing a model for categorising the various types of pedagogy support functions required from a space and then assessing the space against the model. This will result in spaces being classified as suitable for particular pedagogy models and not suitable for others. We also anticipate a Facilities Functionality Index to be derived from this exercise.

Developing a clear understanding of the fitness for purpose will also allow for a balanced portfolio approach to be taken to the repurposing (or refitting) of these spaces against the academic portfolio of the University, and this will in turn be reflected in subsequent CAMP developments.

The completion of these three core areas will represent a significant portion of the SAM framework and position the estate as a strategic enabler for USQ.

PART FIVE: RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING5 RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING

A range of research and research training performance indicators and targets are proposed in this section. Principal Performance Indicators are compulsory and institutions may voluntarily nominate optional performance indicators and targets considered reflective of individual institutional goals.

The Commonwealth recognises universities have diverse missions and, consequently, targets and performance will vary between institutions. Each university should develop performance indicators and targets to reflect its individual performance and strategic direction.

5.1 Research performance and research capability


The Commonwealth encourages excellence in research performance and the strengthening of research capability. Particular objectives are to: progressively increase the number of research groups performing at world class levels, as

measured by international performance benchmarks; and promote collaboration, amongst universities, across sectors, between researchers and

industry Australia and internationally.

The Commonwealth, through the Australian Research Council (ARC), conducts the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) which evaluates the quality of research undertaken at Australian universities by discipline against international benchmarks. ERA is used to assist in determining funding in the Sustainable Research Excellence in Universities program administered by the Commonwealth.


USQ has had a Research Centre’s Policy in place since 2005 which has seen the institution increasingly focus its research effort on identified priority research areas involving multidisciplinary teams; and the two ERA rounds conducted to date indicate that the University has several areas of research strength to build on. However, investment in research at the University has been insufficient over the last decade to enable the University to keep pace with developments in the sector. This was identified as a major area of priority for USQ when the current administration commenced in 2012, and steps have been taken to address this situation.

At the March 2013 meeting of USQ Council, approval was given to a major new Research Plan for the period 2013-2015 as well as approval for the allocation of a Strategic Research Fund that will see $10M additional investment per annum over the next triennium as a basis for consolidating the institution’s research focus, significantly building the research culture and capacity of the University, and forging strategic research partnerships. This very significant investment is based on the imposition of fiscal discipline that is enabling the University to achieve significant surplus budgets-commencing from 2012.

A major emphasis is to ensure that USQ is “grounded in our communities and industries and aligning our research around the issues that leverage interest, investment and partner commitment” (USQ Strategic Plan 2013-15, p. 11). Active research and scholarship is also seen as critical to informing USQ’s learning & teaching; both directly in terms of such initiatives as providing pre-service teachers exposure to active research as a basis for achieving graduate teachers who are better informed and more confident in teaching STEM subjects; and indirectly through the vibrant academic culture that a strong research program engenders.

Increase the Number of Research Groups Performing at World Class LevelsA Strategic Research Fund (SRF) has been established to invest in USQ Research Priorities. The SRF is a major component of the platform to enhance our research performance and obtain our research goals. It will be invested to continue the development of Research Program Teams

(RPTs) in our Research Priorities. It is anticipated that the majority of the funds deployed will be for the appointment of postdoctoral fellows (Levels A/B) and mid-career researchers (Levels C/D).

USQ appreciates the challenges of recruiting and retaining high quality staff in a competitive employment market, and so is putting an emphasis on focussing on and building on its proven strengths “… to be among the world’s leaders in a number of core areas”; which is achievable through a “strong strategic focus” and committed strategic investment (USQ Strategic Plan 2013-15, p. 10). Critical to building research capacity are sustainable research programs which are those that continually secure external funding to support their research activities. As such, the track record of the RPTs to develop and maintain a sustainable research program is a SRF investment criterion. Other SRF criteria are alignment with the Research Priorities, the quality of the research program and its potential impact. The performance of RPTs receiving funding from the SRF will be managed accordingly.

The recruitment of high quality Research Program Teams, who would be expected to bring with them Category 1 grants and a track record to produce further funding in this category, will form the basis for USQ increasing its Category 1 income; supported by strategic investment through the University’s Strategic Research Fund.

Research leaders and active researchers will be identified to allocate more research workload to allow them to be more competitive and thus increasing ERA results in their research area. In addition, a grant development program will be implemented to improve the quality of the University’s grant submissions and funding success rate. This will include grant mentoring, and external expert review of grant proposals. The grant development program will be managed by the new Director of Research Training & Development.

The funding from other USQ internal research funds will be consistent with the focused research strategy.

Promote Collaboration Between Researchers to Improve Research Performance“Coupled with [USQ’s research strengths and priorities]…., the Institute for Agriculture, and the Environment and Institute for Regional Resilience will be formed. These new institutes will be umbrella organisations that combine research capacity from existing centres and faculties. They will not be separate structures within USQ but will serve to break down researcher isolation and promote collaboration across the university to garner critical mass in our Research Priorities. An Executive Director for each institute will be appointed from within USQ to lead these flagships, providing strategic direction of research, mentorship, research training, external collaborations, publication strategy, and co-ordination of major funding initiatives. Memberships to these institutes will be available to researchers who wish to belong” (USQ Research Plan 2013-15, p. 3).

The following strategies will be employed over the Compact period: USQ will establish a new framework for its core research activities based on two new

multidisciplinary structures - the Institute for Agriculture and the Environment, and the Institute for Regional Resilience – as described above;

the Research Management Committee (RMC) will be formed during 2013 as the core management structure for the University’s Research & Innovation Division. Its members will be selected from the Executive Directors of Institutes, Associate Deans of Research, Directors of Centres, Director of Office of Research & Higher Degrees, Directors of core research support offices and other researchers within USQ; and

a management framework that integrates research initiatives and activities throughout the University will be introduced.

Building Areas Performing at World Standard as Evaluated by ERAThe following strategies will be employed over the Compact period:

The major thrust of the USQ Research Plan 2013-15 is to improve USQ’s research performance through:

o strategic focus and significant investment in establishing and developing the capacity of two Research Institutes in area of recognised strength; as well as

o developing and aligning USQ’s RHD program to these Institutes and the University’s identified Research Priorities under a new position of Director of Research Training & Development.

In addition:o emerging areas of strength, as identified by scores of 2 in the last ERA ranking are now having

more strategic funding used to move them to 3s in the next ERA round; ando an in depth understanding of the drivers of ratings will be undertaken and actions

implemented to optimise our ratings in specific Field of Research codes.

Approach to Under-performing AreasThe discussion for this overlaps with that made above concerning strategies to: ‘Increase the Number of Research Groups Performing at World Class Levels’.

Management information on performance will be routinely monitored and action taken as necessary to address under-performance at all levels.

A discussion of under-performing areas is also included under 5.2 Research Training below.

Develop Research Capacity in Areas of Strategic Importance “A fundamental component of obtaining excellence is focus. As such USQ will focus its research efforts into its core area of agriculture and the environment and emerging areas of regional systems, digital futures, computational mathematics and biomedical sciences. These are USQ’s Research Priorities.” (USQ Research Plan 2013-15; p. 2)

As discussed above, the University will focus on developing RPTs within the research priority areas that will also help to promote collaboration. USQ’s core areas of strength are in the area of agriculture, environment and landscape as well as regional resilience. These areas scored at world class levels for ERA and the plan in place is to increase these teams and collaborative partners to, in turn, increase their ERA performance.

Additional consideration: Culturally- sensitive Research Protocols

The following strategies will be in operation during the Compact period:

USQ follows the Values and Ethics: Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research (2003) and has three Indigenous representatives on the University’s Human Ethics Review Committee;

HDR supervision training policy will be changed with the introduction of the Director of Research Training to reflect a culturally sensitive protocol;

USQ’s Centre for Australian Indigenous Knowledges (CAIK) is assisting with ensuring that USQ’s research protocols are culturally- sensitive; and

a cross-cultural awareness training program is being tailored to the needs of the Research & Innovation Division.


The purpose of the research performance and the research capability performance indicators and targets is to assist the University and the Commonwealth in monitoring the University's progress against the Commonwealth's objectives and the University's strategies for research performance and research capability.

The University will aim to meet the research performance and research capability performance indicators and targets set out in the following table.

Principal Performance Indicators ERA 2010 ERA 2012 ERA 2015 Target

Number of disciplines, as defined by two-digit Fields of Research (FoR), performing at world standard or above (3, 4 or 5)

3 3 4

Number of disciplines, as defined by four-digit FoR, performing at world standards or above (3, 4 or 5)

1 0 2

Disciplines the University commits to demonstrating substantial improvement

in as defined by two-digit FoR and/or four-digit FoR

Disciplines nominated in 2011–13 Compact

Disciplines nominated in 2014–16 Compact

FoR 01, 02 and 07 Disciplines were not specified in the 2011-13 Compact

FoR 01, 02 and 07


IndicatorsBaseline




Target2016

Category 1 income $2,068,281 $2,000,000 $4,500,000 $5,000,000 $6,000,000

Category 2 Income $1,983,865 $2,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,500,000 $3,000,000

Number of joint research grants in Australia

22 9 17 20 25

Number of joint research grants overseas

7 - 1 2 2

Number of jointly supervised PhD students in Australia14

35 37 40 43 46

Number of jointly supervised PhD students overseas15

16 19 12 15 15

14 Please provide the number by headcount of jointly supervised HDR students enrolled in your institution who have a supervisor from an external organisation in Australia (examples include someone from a government organisation, hospital or another university).15 Please provide the number by headcount of jointly supervised HDR students enrolled in your institution who have a supervisor from an external overseas organisation (examples include someone from a government organisation, hospital or another university).

5.2 Research training

5.2.1 Commonwealth objectivesThe Commonwealth encourages excellence in the provision of research training. Particular objectives are to: support research excellence and develop an internationally competitive research workforce

in Australia through high quality research training; develop an internationally competitive research workforce in Australia through high quality

research training; and significantly increase the number of students completing higher degrees by research over the

next decade.5.2.2 University strategies

Note has been made of the major developments in the building of research culture and capacity that are arising from the USQ Research Plan 2013-15 and the accompanying Strategic Research Fund approved by USQ Council in March 2013. Building the University’s Research Higher Degree (RHD) capability is a major component of USQ’s overall Research strategy. Central to USQ achieving its Research priorities and goals is capacity building, and fundamental to this is continuing to develop integrated Research Program Teams (RPTs) driving research program(s) consisting of several projects.

Enhance the Quality of Research Training ProvidedRHD students play an important role in the University’s research program and achieving excellence in the RHD program is hence a critical factor in the University achieving the improvement it is seeking through its new Research Plan. This excellence in RHD training is achieved through ensuring high quality projects aligned with USQ’s Research priorities, best practise supervision, and an enrichment that comes from studying in a high quality learning environment informed by a multidisciplinary, innovative and collaborative research culture. In relation to the ensuring high quality projects, the alignment with USQ’s Research Priorities

and therefore USQ’s RPTs will be a consideration in the selection of the Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) and USQ Postgraduate Scholarships.

With respect to RHD supervision, the University will ensure that all future RHD students will be supervised or co-supervised by an RPT leader or active researcher who has undertaken the required supervisor training.

Securing the high quality training environment and research culture required is discussed in dome detail in section 5.1.2 of this Compact. Enhancing the quality of the research training provided represents the primary responsibility of the new position of Director of Research Training & Development; who will develop and implement an Excellence in Research Training program which will be both RHD student and supervisor focused.

Support for the Completion of Higher Degrees by Research (HDR)Putting in place the increased support of supervisors and aligning our research areas with our research priorities, as well as appointing a Director of Research Training & Development will help to further the current support that the HDR student team currently offers. This Director will work closely with each Faculty Associate Dean (Research and Research Training) to collectively ensure the quality of the HDR student experience as well as implementing prompt and effective responses to any emerging issues that may be impinging on a student’s progress. USQ’s strong culture of valuing and caring for its students provide a strong base to build on.

To further quality assure the RHD student experience including their research training, various metrics including RHD student progression, retention and completion rates along with results in the RHD student experience questionnaire, are part of the integrated quality monitoring and enhancement process through which the University monitors its institutional key performance indicators. Improving the quality and timeliness of the management information available to inform decision making is a major priority.

Enrolment of HDR Students in High Quality Research EnvironmentsUSQ’s overall strategic approach to research as articulated in the USQ Strategic Plan 2013-2015, is underpinned by a significant investment by the University in the Research Program Teams (RPTs) in the identified areas of research focus. This investment and the associated performance expectations will support and require these to provide high quality research environments. To further drive excellence in research training, the alignment with these Research Priorities and therefore the RPTs will be a consideration in the selection of future Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) and USQ Postgraduate Scholarships. Outside of these, students will only be permitted to enrol if the quality of the intended research environment the research supervision available and the proposed project have been ascertained by the University to be of acceptable quality.

Provide HDR Students with Generic Skills and Innovation Capabilities to Communicate with Groups Outside of Academia and to Support their Productivity in a Wide Range of Employment Contexts

USQ’s focus on applied industry/community research, including a significant involvement in contract research, provides substantial opportunity for the University’s RHD students to undertake their training in contexts with strong industry involvement and exposure.

USQ’s Academic Board and Academic Division have identified in their forward work plan a review of USQ’s HDR awards. Current USQ policy permits up to a semester of coursework in the PhD; therefore a question for the review will how that facility might be best utilised. A key component of these considerations is the embedding into the awards of the necessary skills and knowledge development components to firstly lay the foundations for progression through the doctorate, and secondly to enhance their employability and broaden their employment options post-award. It is to be noted that USQ’s focus on applied research often in partnership with industries or industry bodies does itself assist students to obtain skills and networks that contribute to their productivity and employability post-graduation. USQ considers this also a key strategy in increasing the attractiveness of the PhD to domestic students. In addition, commercialisation training is to be included in the Excellence in Research Training initiative.

It should also be noted that USQ has a highly successful suite of professional doctorates that are generally coursework awards but typically include a substantial research requirement – to the degree that a proportion qualify as HDR awards. These awards are particularly successful in allowing students to undertake higher degree research that is relevant to their source profession and, often, to their own workplace - contributing to advancement and innovation in ways that are particularly relevant to the students and their workplace. USQ’s has demonstrated an ability for supporting part-time, mature-age, under-represented and external students to succeed in these HDR studies; a pleasing example of this is USQ’s graduation in 2011 of two Indigenous doctorate students.

Further to this, graduating researchers capable of sustainable research careers, able to continually obtain external funding, will be both beneficial to the researcher and to USQ Hence, the University is considering the introduction of more short-term post-doctorates to assist graduates and their supervisors achieve the publications that a doctorate should normally yield and which a crucial to laying down the necessary track record.

To allow for this a research career development program will also be implemented

Approach to Under-Performing AreasUSQ is dedicated to ensuring that HDR students are trained in the highest quality research environments. To this end the USQ Research Plan 2013-15 includes the following strategies: Appointment of Director of Research Training & Development and implementation of the

Excellence in Research Training program. RHD Students must be supervised or co-supervised by a RPT Leader or researcher who has

completed the Excellence in Research Training program. Alignment of RHD scholarships and USQ’s Research Priorities to ensure the strategic alignment

of RHD scholarships to areas of strength. Implementation of Research Career Development Program.

5.3 Performance indicators and targets

The purpose of the research training performance indicators and targets is to assist the University and the Commonwealth in monitoring the University's progress against the Commonwealth's objectives and the University's strategies for research training.

The University will aim to meet the research training performance indicators and targets set out in the following table.


IndicatorsBaseline




Target2016

HDR student load 274.4 275 272 280 290HDR student completions by masters

7 15 15 16 18

HDR student completions by doctorates

40 58 60 60 62

PART SIX: GENERAL PROVISIONS6 GENERAL PROVISIONS

6.1 Compact Review

6.1.1 The Commonwealth and the University will review the compact annually. This review will be a mechanism for considering progress made towards agreed goals outlined in this compact. Compact review will aim to ensure that the Commonwealth and the University will continue to focus on key objectives and strategies and will be an opportunity to consider developments that may impact on the compact or trigger a need to change the compact.

6.1.2 To facilitate this review the Commonwealth will produce an annual Institutional Performance Portfolio and the University agrees to contribute to the annual Institutional Performance Portfolio Information Collection (IPPIC). The Commonwealth will consult with the higher education sector on the information collection requirements and any issues arising from the IPPIC process.

6.2 Privacy and information sharing

6.2.1 Subject to clause 6.2.2 below, the University acknowledges and agrees that any information it provides to the Department for the purposes of this compact, may be accessible under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and may also be:

published by the Commonwealth in any manner in accordance with any legislative requirement;

used by the Department for any purpose of the Commonwealth, including dealings with other Commonwealth or State or territory agencies;

used in reporting to or answering questions from a Minister of State of the Commonwealth or a House or Committee of the Parliament of the Commonwealth; or

disclosed where the Commonwealth is required or permitted by law to do so.

6.2.2 The Commonwealth and the University agree to carry out their roles under this compact in accordance with any obligations they have under the Privacy Act 1988 or any state or territory law relating to the protection of personal information.

6.3 Changing the Compact

6.3.1 Either party may propose changes to this compact at any time. Any variation to this compact is to be in writing and signed by the University's, and the Commonwealth’s Representatives.

6.4 Notices

6.4.1 A party wishing to give notice under a provision of this compact:

a. must do so by sending it to the other Representative set out in clause 6.4.2; andb. must, if a response is required to the notice, set out the time in which the response is

to be given;

6.4.2 The Representatives are:

a. University Representative

Professor Jan ThomasVice-Chancellor and PresidentUniversity of Southern QueenslandToowoomba QLD 4350Ph: 07 4631 2168E-mail: [email protected]

b. DIICCSRTE RepresentativeDivision HeadHigher Education GroupDepartment of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary EducationGPO Box 9839Canberra ACT 2601

OR

[email protected]

6.5 Dictionary

In this compact, unless the contrary intention appears:

‘Department’ means the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education or any successor.

‘HESA’ means the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and includes any subordinate legislation or Ministerial determination made under that Act.

‘Institutional Performance Portfolio’ (IPP) is a report which provides an historical record of a university's performance based on information provided by the University and an analysis of the Higher Education Data Collections. An IPP will be prepared by the Commonwealth for the University annually using the latest available data.

‘Institutional Performance Portfolio Information Collection’ (IPPIC) is a set of Commonwealth instructions requesting that universities provide a submission to the Commonwealth, endorsed by the University's chief executive, that includes student, staff, financial and research information needed for the preparation of an Institutional Performance Portfolio for that university.

‘Minister’ means the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research.

‘Mission’ means the University’s Mission set out at Part One of this compact as amended in accordance with the variation provisions in this compact from time to time.

‘TEQSA’ means the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.

‘Term of this compact’ means the period set out in Part B of the Context of this compact.

‘University’ means University of Southern Queensland, ABN 40 234 732 081

mailto:[email protected]

Signed for and on behalf of the University of Southern Queensland

by

…………………………………………………….. …………………………Signature Date

Professor Jan Thomas

the Vice-Chancellor and President

In the Presence of:

.....................................................................................

WITNESS

.....................................................................................

Full name and occupation or profession of witness (Please print)

SIGNED for and on behalf of

THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA

by

…………………………………………………….. …………………………Signature Date

Mr David de Carvalho

the Head of Division

of Higher Education Division

of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education

a Delegate of the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research

In the Presence of:

.....................................................................................

WITNESS

.....................................................................................

Full name and occupation or profession of witness (Please print)

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