Vice-Chancellor’s Forum7 – 8 September 2009

Bathurst

Political climate

Skilled workforce

Increased participation

At recent Universities Australia (UA) meeting David Phillips gave a very critical take on ‘the known unknowns’ in a demand-driven system. He noted:

  the lack of any official analysis to inform how the targets

(40% of 25-34-year-olds, etc.) might be achieved

the lack of clarity about the starting point

the failure to make links between the participation targets and possible increases achieved as a result of skilled migration.

 Thus the questions: what increase, what structural change might be needed to achieve the 40% participation target?

Compacts

At the UA meeting DEEWR gave a reassuring view on Compacts:

emphasising the need for consistency and transparency, individual institutional improvement over time rather than comparative assessment of performance (mentioning attainment, participation, engagement, quality)

a change in State-Federal relationships was foreshadowed - universities will play more of a role through compact negotiations with the Federal government.

Compacts

DIISR vs DEEWR

DEEWR ‘wants universities to tell them what should be done’

DIISR has an agenda (with the task given to bureaucrats being enormous)

Compacts

National Objectives vs DIISR/DEEWR goals

CSU will develop a goal-oriented strategy directed towards national priorities:

for Compacts for the Charles Sturt University 2012 – 2016 Strategy

Compacts

At the UA meeting there was concern/disquiet about the DIISR presentation on research:

need for better modelling for Sustainable Research Excellence (SRE)

problem in introducing ERA before properly thought out.

Template for Mission‐based compacts for universities

- Draft preamble template- University mission- What the university is at present [general statement]- What the university aspires to be [general statement]- What differentiates the university from others

• Within its region/state or territory/nationally• Does the institution intend to accentuate/diminish that differentiation?

If so, how?- Major planned initiatives

• Academic• Research• Organisational• Infrastructure• Any other

Compacts

Structural Adjustment Fund (SAF)

Reported at the UA meeting:

is designed for one-off ‘injections’ and large rather than small allocations

intended to improve outer-metropolitan and regional provision

has to be a substantial impact on an institution that positions it for the future

has to align with government objectives

SAF funding should align with EIF funding.

Low SES target and associated performance funding still unclear

Regional loading under review

EIF bids

National Institute of Paramedic Education (NIPE)

National Water and Carbon Remote Sensing Facility

AUQA

Prep visit held on 4 September 2009

Industrial action

Recent Publications and Research Income

Recent Publications and Research Income continued…

Good Universities Guide 2010

Research Intensitivity – 1 star =

Research Income – 2 stars =

Teaching Quality

Graduate Outcomes

Getting a job

Staff Qualifications

Key Questions:

Is our current culture right for the research outcomes to which we aspire?

What are the right questions to ask to solve the issues that face us?