University strategies. La Trobe commissioned a review of Knowledge Transfer and Commercialisation in 2011 and the outcomes of this review have largely been implemented. A draft Knowledge Transfer and Commercialisation Strategy has been developed and externally reviewed by international consultancy company Battelle. The strategy, yet to be formally ratified, commits the University to better resourcing for commercialisation including patent filings, review of existing and emerging intellectual property, greater support for 'proof of concept' and commercialisation applications, and increasing leverage from the University’s Research and Development Park over a 10 year planning horizon. Reviews have commenced of existing products and technologies to ascertain market potential and stage of development that will inform future investments by the University. Resourcing to support researchers and commercialisation was doubled during 2012 and further increases in resources are planned for both 2013 and 2014. A pilot six month commercialisation training program has been completed in the Faculty of Health Sciences and a suite of commercialisation workshops for staff has been developed. As a multi-campus university with a strong regional base in Victoria and in northern Melbourne where urban growth is one of the fastest in Australia, La Trobe has a unique role to play in productivity and innovation, including knowledge transfer and commercialisation. We act as a major leader in Melbourne’s north and in regional communities and play an increasingly central role in the economic well-being and social vibrancy of those regions. Substantial investment has been made in building the University’s capacity to respond to the needs and demands of the regions in which we work. The University has a strong user-driven focus to research and extremely strong links into the communities with which we work. The University has collaborated with State and Commonwealth Governments in the designation of the Northern Biosciences Precinct. The Precinct draws on the Centre for AgriBioscience, a joint venture between La Trobe and the Victorian Department of Primary Industries, the La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, and the University’s Research and Development Park. The emerging Northern Biosciences Precinct is a major initiative, based around La Trobe fields of research that are rated at ERA 5 which will drive significant investment and business activity in the north of Melbourne. Future Ready sets out key goal...
University strategies. Our aspirations and key priorities for enhancing teaching and learning quality We aspire to produce flexible and creative thinkers – leaders for Australia and the wider world. To do this, we need to provide an enriching university experience that equips our graduates with enquiring minds and essential life skills in critical thinking and communication. Our students must have excellent opportunities to participate in co-curricular activities if they wish to do so, and have access to high quality infrastructure and support services. To maintain and build on our success in these areas, our short- to medium-term priorities will focus on three complementary areas. Our plans Renewing our curriculum and learning environments We will continue to implement our curriculum renewal strategy by pursuing a coordinated University-wide process of reform of our courses. At the heart of this strategy lies a commitment to providing an 'engaged enquiry' learning experience for our students, in order to strengthen the development of our graduate attributes. Such learning experiences reflect the University’s reputation for both research and community engagement. They are consistent with our students' expectations as learners and our staff as teachers. 'Engaged enquiry’ provides the vehicle by which we will focus on further enhancing the research and inquiry learning outcomes that are central to our graduate attributes. We are currently mapping students’ reports of research- enriched learning experiences, and working with our Engaged Enquiry Scholars networks to identify and disseminate examples of approaches that xxxxxx effectively the development of research skills by our undergraduate students. The second aspect of our ‘engaged enquiry' curriculum strategy is the embedding of community- engaged learning, including work-integrated learning (WIL), in our curricula. This commitment will involve professional disciplines in particular, in further strengthening the engagement of employers in our teaching and curriculum development, and in further developing our pedagogical expertise in this area to inform curriculum renewal. One example of how we are pursuing this agenda is seen in the establishment of a new WIL research group in the Faculty of Health Sciences. Our approach to curriculum renewal will continue to be both holistic and sustainable. We will use University-wide agreed principles to link our faculties’ curriculum renewal work explicitly to the need for responsiveness to ...
University strategies. Deakin's strategic agenda LIVE the future renews Deakin's strong commitment to Indigenous education and to equity, and to improving access and support for students who might otherwise not benefit from higher education. Deakin continues to have the largest enrolment of Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Strait Islander (Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander) students in Victoria and is amongst the most significant providers of Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander higher education in Australia. Deakin's Institute of Koorie Education community-based delivery model allows students from all areas; rural, remote and metropolitan, and across all ages particularly mature age, to undertake studies without compromising their family and community obligations. Deakin also ensures Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Strait Islander students in faculties receive appropriate support both academically and culturally, for example there are now two Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander students in the medicine course. The Institute of Koorie Education does not offer its own courses. It delivers Deakin degrees through a community based mode in a culturally inclusive way, with a strong community responsive pedagogy. Courses are administered through Academic Course Teams (based at the Institute) in consultation with Unit Chairs, Course Coordinators, and Schools and Faculties. Community based learning integrates teaching and student support strategies through the development of an Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Strait Islander focus within the curriculum. The courses and their delivery are subject to all of Deakin’s quality and standards assurance processes and provide pathways to a broad range of professions in the arts, education, nursing, social work, public health, law, commerce and natural resources management. An emerging success is the role Deakin@your Doorstep plays in attracting outer metropolitan Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander students to higher education. In 2012 the total enrolment in D@YD was 220 of whom 6 were Indigenous; the overall success rate was 80%. D@YD Learning Centres established in outer metro and regional Victoria in partnership with TAFEs and Local Government, provide the potential to attract Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander students into foundation courses, for example in education and nursing. The Higher Degree by Research (HDR) program delivered in the Institute incorporates Indigenous Knowledge Systems alongside Western systems while ensuring rigorous academic standards....
University strategies. Our aspirations and major priorities for research performance and capability The University of Sydney is a comprehensive research-intensive university with a breadth and depth of research excellence across the disciplinary range. In the 2012 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative, all of the two-digit fields of research for which we submitted portfolios were rated at or above world standard. We aim to maintain our ERA 2012 result of having 100 percent of our disciplines rated at or above world standard, while we will continue to increase the share of our fields of research rated ‘above’ or 'well above’ world standard. In broad terms, our 'one university' vision for research is disciplinary excellence that enables innovative, cross-disciplinary research of high impact. Fundamental changes in the research environment, both in Australia and internationally, require new approaches to achieve and sustain research excellence in Australia's universities. While our researchers must remain free to pursue the research path they choose, strategic focus is needed to enhance the quality and impact of both our disciplinary and cross-disciplinary work. We will build upon our existing research strengths and respond to community priorities, ensuring our research has the needed scale, scope, and sustainability required to be globally competitive. Our plans Our 2011-15 Strategic Plan, White Paper and 2011-13 Compact Agreement set out our vision and objectives for the University's research agenda. We have made considerable progress since our 2011-13 compact and have reported on this regularly. Over the course of the 2014-16 compact we will continue to implement an integrated package of strategies focussed on enabling us to sustain disciplinary excellence, while developing new multidisciplinary approaches to address important societal problems. Fostering disciplinary excellence While our ERA 2012 results are strong and improved significantly between the 2010 and 2012 exercises, there remains room for improvement. We will continue to enhance the quality of our disciplinary research through strategies that include the following. Transforming our overall approach to research management and support. We will build on the major reforms we have made to our Research Portfolio over the last four years toward implementing a whole-of-University framework for research resource and infrastructure planning, management and support. Promoting focus and excellence in our faculti...
University strategies. Xxxxxxxxx Institute's higher education teaching activity involves delivering an enabling program for Indigenous adult learners and teaching into a select number of professionally accredited undergraduate awards (Nursing and Teaching degrees) as well as other professionally and culturally relevant undergraduate degrees and postgraduate coursework programs hosted by Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx University. CDU takes over-arching responsibility for policies and procedures for course review, industry engagement and quality management and Xxxxxxxxx Institute has agreed to work in collaboration with CDU to ensure appropriate levels of industry and community engagement are sought and responded to within the curriculum. In parallel, the Institute will continue to maintain independent dialogue and relationships with employer groups, community representatives and other key stakeholders invested in the graduate attributes of ACIKE students and will bring this input into interim and major course reviews at CDU. The 'Preparation for Tertiary Success' program remains a centre-piece of the Institute's teaching programs and provides employer groups with an attainable enabling program designed specifically for Indigenous employees within their organisations and acts as an educational stepping stone toward professional qualifications at the undergraduate level. Over the life of this Compact, the Institute will work with government agencies, industry groups and large Indigenous organisations to adopt this program as an essential element of their Indigenous staff career development strategy. This will include developing innovative and responsive course delivery models that enable cohort engagement at an organisational level. The Institute's teaching effort in ACIKE brings into the partnership the Institute's proud and valued history and expertise in delivering nationally recognised undergraduate qualifications especially designed and delivered to strengthen Indigenous identity, achieve learner success and transform lives of Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander people and communities. As Batchelor and CDU work to establish market acceptance for the ACIKE programs on offer and build student cohorts across all courses, the partnership will seek to develop new programs of relevance to Indigenous learners in consultation with community, government and industry stakeholders. In terms of research training awards, the Institute accredits and manages its higher degree by research programs - a Mast...
University strategies. In 2012 the Institute developed and released its latest Training, Teaching and Learning Plan 2012- 2015. This strategic document is aligned with the Xxxxxxxxx Institute Strategic Plan 2012-2014 and draws on relevant academic and administrative policies and procedural guidelines and other internal and external documents relating to Teaching and Learning. The Training, Teaching and Learning Plan provides a framework for promoting Xxxxxxxxx Institute’s excellence in all matters pertaining to teaching and learning. In particular it guides teaching and training staff in effective, student-centred and culturally respectful teaching, helps them deliver relevant curriculum and promotes approaches for inspiring students to discover and apply their creative and intellectual potential. Xxxxxxxxx Institute has a proud history of providing training and education to Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islanders and prides itself with its work in strengthening identity, achieving success and transforming the lives of our students. Through implementation of the Training, Teaching and Learning Plan across the life of this compact, the Institute aims to build on its existing strengths and set the platform for the continuous provision of leadership and quality in Indigenous education and training. Those five key objectives are to:
University strategies. Students Xxxxxxxxx Institute’s mission and strategic plan is entirely focused on providing education and training access and outcomes for Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander students and we deliver Higher Education and VET programs aligned to the needs and aspirations of Australia’s Indigenous people. For over 40 years, the Institute’s primary constituency is Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander peoples from remote areas. As a specialist Indigenous tertiary education institution, the Institute serves the education and training interests of Indigenous peoples throughout the Northern Territory and across Australia. Improving access, educational experiences and outcomes for Indigenous Australians is central to the mission and business operations of the Institute. The Institute’s equity plans are fully incorporated into our institutional strategic and operational planning cycles. Data from the Institute's 2012 Institutional Performance Portfolio (IPP) (2011 data) position the Institute as having a 77.95% Low SES student profile compared with a national sector average of 14.61%. This data is based on postcode indicators and in the case of Batchelor Institute is comprised exclusively of Indigenous Australian Higher Education students. The remaining 22.05% of the Institute HE enrolment for 2011 would also be made up almost exclusively of Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Island students. Using the same Low SES descriptors for the 2011 year, the Institute 'Access Rate' for all commencing students at Xxxxxxxxx Institute was 53.57% (compared to a sector average of 16.72%) and our 'Participation Rate' was recorded at 52.53% (compared to a sector rate of 15.72%). The Institute 'Attainment Rate' was approximately 58% (compared to a national sector average of approx 14%) however the overall Institute 'Success Rate' (57%) and 'Retention Rate' (57%) were both below sector averages of 84% and 80% respectively. In 2012 Batchelor Institute moved into an arrangement with Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx University (CDU) to deliver undergraduate and coursework postgraduate courses and units through the Australian Centre for Indigenous Knowledges and Education (ACIKE). The impetus for the ACIKE partnership was on improving the participation and completion rates of Indigenous students in higher education for both organisations. Enhanced programs, a wider range of delivery options and improved students support services has been central to the partnership. Under the ACIKE arrangement, students who co...
University strategies. University Strategies to Improve Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander Staff The University contributes to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander people by supporting their aspirations for development through education and employment, and through local and regional engagement with the Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander community. In doing so, the University recognises that its courses should reflect the interests of the Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander community, and that we should provide the support required by Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander students and staff members to ensure they are able to maximise their contribution to the community. The University's Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) provides a framework for creating meaningful relationships and opportunities for Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander people studying and working at the University. The University’s Ngunnawal Indigenous Higher Education Centre (the Ngunnawal Centre) has primary responsibility for providing academic and pastoral support for all Indigenous students on campus. The Ngunnawal Centre offers discipline-specific support through ITAS tutorials; a dedicated computer laboratory; identified accommodation offerings through the University Village; and a Student Liaison Officer who assists students in all academic and social welfare matters. Indigenous students enrolled at the University are spread across every faculty and are represented in most discipline areas. The Ngunnawal Centre also delivers units in the Indigenous Studies curriculum, and undertakes research projects that address Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander interests, nationally and locally. The Centre hosts an Elder in Residence who acts as a mentor for Indigenous staff and students. In 2013, a review of the operations of the Ngunnawal Centre will be conducted, taking account of the recommendations of the Review of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal & Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander People, including shifting the focus of academic support for Indigenous students to faculties. The terms of reference for the review are as follows:
University strategies. The University considers itself a leader in this field and has acknowledged the culture and insight of Indigenous Australians in its new Mission statement and also has key objectives for Indigenous Australian students and staff. Xxxxxxx Xxxxx University has already implemented a number of strategies specifically for the improvement of higher education access and outcomes for Aboriginal and Xxxxxx Xxxxxx Islander students and staff. These include an Indigenous Australian Employment Strategy which was first introduced in 2005, and an Indigenous Education Strategy approved in 2008. The Indigenous Australian Employment Strategy has regularly been reviewed and updated to take account of recent trends and in particular the National Indigenous Higher Education Workforce Strategy of 2011. With this in mind, the CSU Indigenous Australian Employment Strategy 2012- 2015 focuses on the following: • achieving and maintaining a representation of Indigenous Australians at CSU of at least 3%; • supporting the appointment of indigenous people across a diversity of occupational groups, levels and work areas; • introducing specific strategies to support the appointment and development of Indigenous academic staff; and • supporting the career development and progression of exiting Indigenous staff. For example, in 2012, CSU introduced the Indigenous Academic fellowship project as a strategy to develop Indigenous graduates with potential for an academic career, in recognition of the small pool of existing Indigenous academics within Australia. The aim of this project is to enable Indigenous graduates to contribute their professional experience to the relevant faculty’s undergraduate program while furthering their qualifications and being mentored into an academic role. CSU is committed to increasing the number of Indigenous Australians participating in higher education. This is demonstrated by the University's student load which has increased significantly over the past five years - in 2008 our EFTSL of 200 has grown in 2012 to approximately 000 XXXXX. The Indigenous Education Strategy (IES) was approved in 2008 and contains five key performance Indicators, nine key objectives and 36 recommendations. The IES provides a comprehensive whole-of-institution framework for engagement with Indigenous communities and the positioning of CSU as a lead provider of Indigenous education, research, and cultural competence training. CSU is committed to raising the profile of Indigenous resea...
University strategies. The La Trobe University Capital Project Program (hereafter the Capital Plan) has been structured to support the University’s strategic objectives as outlined in Future Ready. The University seeks to offer a contemporary, technology-rich, well-designed and equipped campus environment that has a positive influence on staff and student performance and satisfaction. Planned growth in student and staff numbers will place higher demands on University infrastructure that will need to be addressed within a context of constrained capital funding. The clear implication and overriding theme of the Capital Plan is that the University must adaptively reuse existing infrastructure effectively and efficiently. The working guidelines are to: REDUCE: optimise effective use of floor space by consistent application of the Space Planning Guidelines; REUSE: adaptive reuse of existing building stock for a similar function in preference to constructing new stock, thereby reducing churn; and RECYCLE: where necessary, adapt existing building stock for new uses rather than building new. Existing infrastructure is planned to be maintained and refurbished in a manner that maximises utilisation and ensures it can respond to the changing needs of users. All new infrastructure projects will be designed to address gaps in existing capabilities, optimise value for money, and demonstrate clear alignment with La Trobe’s strategic priorities. Planned changes to curriculum, along with more flexible timetabling and increasing diversity in modes of course delivery, are consistent with the goal of increased utilisation of existing facilities. The Capital Plan is designed to be more flexible in servicing and supporting existing facilities to permit this increased use. The Capital Plan will also ensure that future flexibility is built into all refurbishment and new construction projects. This approach will also address the University’s sustainability goals. Adopting a strategy based on refurbishments enabling improved energy efficiency while minimising new construction and retaining the embodied energy of existing building stock, will significantly reduce the University’s carbon footprint per EFTSL. Due to a range of operational and financial issues, La Trobe University invested only 1% into backlog maintenance between 2011 and 2012. The consequence of this is that the University's backlog maintenance liability is approximately 9.90% of Asset Replacement Value (ARV), significantly below the 3% ARV...
