contents - govcms€¦ · web viewsandy bay tasmania 7005 (university) context. policy setting....

2014-16 Mission-based CompactBetween:

The Commonwealth of Australia

and

University of Tasmania

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 11

Part Three: Innovation and Engagement 16

Part Four: Teaching and Learning 26

Part Five: Research and Research Training 38

Part Six: General Provisions 44

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 TASMANIA

ABN 30 764 374 782

A body corporate under the University of Tasmania Act 1992

Of

Churchill Avenue

Sandy Bay Tasmania 7005

(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 DII CC SRTE website ), and the role of universities in driving our national innovation system, through Powering Ideas (available at the DII CC SRTE 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

The University of Tasmania fully supports the Commonwealth’s ambitions and objectives for higher education. The UTAS Strategic Plan ‘Open to Talent’ outlines our mission, vision, strategic priorities and crucially, the initiatives designed to meet those priorities.1 This plan articulates a future for the University, building upon the significant achievements of our past and setting a course for the next decade. Our priorities are a logical extension of the shared values that we uphold.2 The UTAS mission and vision align with all of the Commonwealth priority areas and Open to Talent articulates the ways in which UTAS plans to contribute to the realisation of these national goals.

Our Mission: The University of Tasmania continues a long tradition of excellence and commitment to free inquiry in the creation, preservation, communication and application of knowledge, and to scholarship that is global in scope, distinctive in its specialisations and that reflects our Tasmanian character. The University will provide leadership within its community, thereby contributing to the cultural, economic and social development of Tasmania.

Our Vision: The University of Tasmania will be ranked among the top echelon of research-led universities in Australia. The University will be a world leader in its specialist, thematic areas and will be recognised for its contribution to state, national and international development. UTAS will be characterised by its high-quality academic community, its unique island setting and its distinctive student experience. UTAS graduates will be prepared for life and careers in the globalised society of the twenty-first century.

Over the next 10 years, UTAS will recapture the energy of our founding spirit, harness the momentum of recent achievements, tackle areas of weakness and make the most of our defining characteristics through a focus on three priorities – research, students and community. These priorities are informed by our belief that universities are about people: what they can become, what they can create and how they can inspire.

An institution-wide cycle of planning and performance evaluation will articulate the vision and strategies flowing from Open to Talent through a suite of high level academic, support and enabling plans. These plans, with a focus on the 2014-2016 triennium, are currently being finalised.

As requested, the following section serves to map the UTAS priority areas and related strategies onto the key goals held by the Commonwealth for Higher Education over the life of this Compact.

1 http://www.utas.edu.au/new-strategic-plan/2 http://www.utas.edu.au/ourvalues/

Commonwealth Strategy: Providing opportunities for people from all backgrounds to participate to their full potential and be supported to do so.

Related UTAS Students StrategyExpand and diversify our student cohort by: Offering targeted support for high achieving and underprivileged students. Increasing participation in higher education across all age and social groups, including those

who may not have traditionally considered higher education.

Provide a distinctive, memorable and rewarding UTAS student experience by: Providing students with access to excellent student support and guidance services, regardless

of their location and mode of study. Aspiring to provide an equitable and inclusive environment for our students.

Related UTAS Community StrategyEngage with the economic, social, cultural and intellectual life of Tasmania and extend this engagement into national and international networks.

Commonwealth Strategy: Providing students with a stimulating and rewarding higher education experience.

Related UTAS Students StrategyDevelop a renewed curriculum which: Embraces technology as a key component of the learning experience and delivers curriculum

with the flexibility required by students.

Provide a distinctive, memorable and rewarding UTAS student experience by: Designing campuses to create an intellectual and social milieu that encourages interaction. Restoring vibrancy to our campuses by providing inviting spaces for group study, expanded and

improved student accommodation and high quality catering. Encouraging the development of interpersonal and leadership skills through clubs, societies,

volunteering, overseas experiences, work integrated learning and engagement with the Tasmanian environment and community

Commonwealth Strategy: Producing graduates with the knowledge, skills and understanding for full participation in society and the economy.

Related UTAS Students StrategyExpand and diversify our student cohort by: Pursuing the targeted expansion of fee-paying postgraduate coursework programs. Positioning UTAS as a premium destination for an extended set of distinctive curriculum

strengths, aligned to our expertise and local advantage

Related UTAS Community StrategyEnhance our education programs by engaging with Tasmania’s society and environment, thereby increasing local participation rates, expanding the horizons of students beyond UTAS, fostering skills that extend the curriculum and providing real world experiences.

Commonwealth Strategy: Better aligning higher education and research with the needs of the economy, and building capacity to respond to future changes in skills needs.

Related UTAS Research StrategyAddress the pressing problems of our time by drawing upon a breadth of disciplinary expertise and enabling cross-disciplinary approaches.

Related UTAS Students Strategy

Develop a renewed curriculum which: augments the acquisition of vocational, professional and disciplinary knowledge with a breadth

of curriculum engagement and exposure to different thought traditions, and that champions skills of premium value to graduates.

Related UTAS Community StrategyUse our relationship with Tasmania to inform research questions, test research solutions at systemic scale, and translate research models into solutions for modern society.

Commonwealth Strategy: Increasing universities’ engagement with all parties and linkages between universities and Australian businesses in particular.

Related UTAS Research Strategy Support research breadth, while pursuing the benefits of targeted research investment by:

complementing our current world standard research nodes through investment in a small number of new activities which emerge from local advantage and, together, represent the breadth of our research endeavours. Recent examples include ACIPA, Sense-T, Active Living and Health Initiatives.

Related UTAS Students StrategyForm partnerships to expand our offerings in areas where we may be constrained, including pathways with schools and the VET sector and articulation arrangements with universities.

Related UTAS Community StrategyEngage with the economic, social, cultural and intellectual life of Tasmania and extend this engagement into national and international networks by: configuring ourselves to facilitate meaningful partnerships with government, industry and

communities in Tasmania and across the world, becoming an exemplar of how universities can best interact with the communities they serve.

Commonwealth Strategy: 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.

Related UTAS Research StrategySupport research breadth, while pursuing the benefits of targeted research investment by: Recognising and supporting the contribution of outstanding individuals and research teams. Increasing the number of Centres of Excellence, Cooperative Research Centres, Laureate

Fellows, Program grants and other high profile, high impact endeavours.

Expand the research higher degree cohort by: Targeted scholarships Best practice HDR training and support programs.

Related UTAS Community StrategyAttract scholars and thought leaders from around the world to UTAS, and support UTAS staff and students to spend time at other institutions.

Commonwealth Strategy: Improving knowledge transfer and commercialisation outcomes.

Related UTAS Research StrategyBring our research to the attention of the world, through partnerships and the increased accessibility of publications.

Related UTAS Community StrategyEngage with the economic, social, cultural and intellectual life of Tasmania and extend this engagement into national and international networks by: Participating in and, where appropriate, leading authentic conversations of local significance

with a focus on collaborative action around shared interests, purposes and values. Positioning UTAS as a forum for ideas, debate and discussion, open, to all members of the

community and courageous in tackling challenging topics.

Commonwealth Strategy: Consistent with the Asian Century policy framework, ensuring education is at the forefront of Australia’s engagement with Asia.

Related UTAS Students StrategyExpand and diversify our student cohort by: increasing the number of international students at UTAS, in partnership with Tasmanian schools

and the State Government, prioritising onshore students and seeking new markets.

Develop a renewed curriculum which: builds the cultural competence of our students, increasing the number of UTAS students

undertaking exchange programs, and preparing all students to work and live in our global society.

Establish the Asia Institute Tasmania: This will be a virtual institute, potentially run in partnership with the Tasmanian Government.

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

Related UTAS Research StrategyAttract, retain and support outstanding researchers. Ensure the research performance of the majority of UTAS staff is at international standard by: Renewing our research leadership and establishing the next generation of research leaders. Articulating research expectations for all staff, calibrated against international norms and

respectful of disciplinary practice. Adequately resourcing research endeavours, including access to infrastructure, research

students and time.

Related UTAS Students StrategyDevelop a renewed curriculum which: Embeds international standards in all aspects of its design and delivery. Affirms the research-teaching nexus. Has attractive and useful pathways leading into and from our undergraduate degrees,

encouraging more students to undertake at least four years of university study.

Related UTAS Community StrategyEncourage current students and alumni to engage in the life of the University through volunteering, employment and engagement in outreach activities, fostering lifelong allegiance to UTAS and benefiting from the skills and experience of our alumni.

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

CommitmentsThe UTAS Statement of Values asserts ‘We value diversity and the strength, resilience and creativity that it brings. We harness its gifts. In supporting the contribution and well-being of all, we create a welcoming, caring and inclusive environment’, and affirms that Indigenous students are welcome and can be successful at this university.

In the interests of reconciliation and closing the gap on inequity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, UTAS is committed to the goal of reaching the national population parity of 2.3% (2012 Census) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students.

UTAS will support and maintain the Riawunna Centre on the Sandy Bay, Newnham and Cradle Coast Campuses, and implement the UTAS Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015, Student Experience Plan 2013-2015, Equity Plan 2013, and the Aboriginal Employment Strategy in order to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access and Outcomes.

The University has accepted the challenge of implementing the key recommendations of the Review of the Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People (the Behrendt Report). This includes a restructuring of the Riawunna Centre to bring it out of a single faculty context, in order to give it greater presence across all University sites and make it more responsive as a support centre for all Indigenous students across all faculties. Although the discipline of Aboriginal Studies remains located in the Faculty of Arts, there is now greater emphasis placed on the fact that each faculty should plan, and have targets and implementation strategies to implement enrolment, staffing and curriculum review right across the institution. These changes are designed to create a 'whole of university' approach to student and staff recruitment and to bring Indigenous approaches and issues to bear on pedagogical decision-making and curriculum planning. The University's participation in the ARC-funded Special Research Initiative for supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers will bring a clearer understanding of the exciting initiatives emerging around Indigenous knowledge.

Each faculty and research institute will be asked to report progress against meeting Indigenous undergraduate and postgraduate enrolment targets, academic and professional staff recruitment targets and fostering understanding of Indigenous knowledges and approaches to teaching. Through workshops, seminars and the use of mentoring, we will be bringing Indigenous cultural awareness sessions to schools, faculties and institutes - we want to encourage local awareness, adaptation and initiatives throughout the University.

StudentsThere has been a steady increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at UTAS from 208 in 2004 to more than 300 in 2011. This is largely the result of community outreach work undertaken by the Riawunna Centre as well as the development and delivery of bridging and enabling programs by the Centre to prepare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students for undergraduate studies. These improvements are also reflected in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates. Graduate numbers continue to grow across the disciplines, especially Nursing as a result of Riawunna’s focused recruiting and support mechanisms.

The Riawunna strategy document The Way Forward –strategies for 2012 - 2014 aims to improve higher education outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through the following objectives: improving access for students from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds; providing an open, equitable, responsive and meritocratic educational system; pursuing an active policy of equal employment opportunity; providing employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the

University.

Specific actions associated with these objectives include:

Cultural Awareness University staff development program to increase staff awareness of the diversity of the

student population and issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student success in higher education.

Support NAIDOC and Sorry Day activities on campuses and delivery of the Come Walk With Us awareness sessions.

Continue the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content across UTAS degree programs, and build on the Footprints Awareness and Footprints Foundation online modules.

Progress development of an on-line Aboriginal Studies Resource for use by teachers and students to assist them in preparation and delivery of Aboriginal Perspectives across the Curriculum for years K-12. (Material was developed and included in the B. Ed and Masters of Education programs in 2011).

Continue support for the Elder in Residence program on all campuses.Participation

Develop data reporting and analysis systems to enable more accurate understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ performance.

Convene events such as Information Days, Film nights, BBQs, Literacy Days and School visits to promote UTAS to the Aboriginal community.

Visit other Indigenous Higher Education centres to investigate collaborative programs and to promote unique study opportunities available in Tasmania.

Continue supporting ASSETS program to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation in Science related further education.

Conduct Health Careers camps for Aboriginal students in years 10-12. Maintain two cadetship positions within Riawunna to assist with marketing and promotion. Pathways Program including mentoring and campus visits support to improve Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander student retention in years 11 and 12 and transition to further study at UTAS. Students receiving a Riawunna Springboard to College bursary will be matched with a mentor.

Research Provide workshops for Aboriginal community members to facilitate recording of oral histories. Lodge at least two Aboriginal studies related grant applications annually. Provide mentoring for early career researchers. Appoint voluntary University Associates to assist staff to increase research productivity. Progress appointment of a Chair to facilitate research within the Faculty of Arts. (Professor

Henry Reynolds undertook this role 2007-2010 and provided supervisions and public lectures. In 2011 Professor Hamish Maxwell-Stewart performed this function and in 2012 Dr Penny Edmonds was appointed).

Continue two RHD scholarships in honour of two Elders - The Molly Mallet Scholarship commenced in 2008 and the Alma Stackhouse Scholarship in 2009.

Research TrainingUTAS recognises that in order to increase its overall pool of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) HDR candidates and potential academic staff it has to direct more attention to the retention and success of its undergraduate students and their progression into honours programs.

The attrition rate for ATSI candidates is about double those of non-ATSI candidates (40% rather than 20%). Our strategy will pay very close attention to supervision and bring some of our most experienced supervisors into a supervision mentoring and support program.

UTAS is making strong commitments to support Behrendt recommendations in an attempt to increase Indigenous participation in the recruitment, supervision and completion of HDR students. We are pursuing this objective through a review of our supervision practices to better understand and therefore reduce the withdrawal rate of Indigenous HDR candidates. We will be providing mentoring for supervisors and additional support for candidates, as well as two dedicated HDR scholarships per year. Our objective through these and related measures is to build a cohort of experienced supervisors and successful candidates.

Our strategy includes:1. Analysis of potential candidates (local and mainland) and targeted support at honours level.2. Recruitment strategies including the use of scholarships to bring competitive candidates to

our attention.3. Trying to widen the disciplinary base of ATSI HDR candidates – especially into health,

education and science.4. Provide stronger supervisor support and mentoring to address attrition rates.5. Keep a close track on progress, and provide additional support where required, to reduce

attrition.6. Appoint an ATSI HDR support person to monitor, encourage, support and report on issues

affecting success rates.7. Achieving targets shown under optional performance indicators.

StaffThe UTAS Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) was reviewed throughout 2012 with a view to implementing a revitalised AES in 2013, informed by the National Indigenous Higher Education Workforce Strategy, which will focus on increased Indigenous staffing and awareness of Indigenous employment across the University.

In implementing the revitalised AES, UTAS will continue to target an annual increase of Aboriginal appointments, across a range of employment categories and professions to reflect parity with the broader community in which we operate.

The Riawunna Centre and its staff offer a wide range of skills and experience to those wanting to understand Indigenous people, their cultures and histories. On each campus an Indigenous resource room houses a collection of books, articles, audio-visual materials and cultural material, for use by all University students and staff.

Cultural Awareness training: The UTAS “Cultural Safety Programme: Come walk with us”, is currently a professional development offering to staff and students of UTAS, and on average UTAS runs approximately fifteen 3 hour sessions per annum across all campus locations. Looking forward we are intending to develop this offering, and include Come walk with us as an online component of staff induction.

UTAS maintains close links with the Aboriginal communities in Tasmania, and with Indigenous people in other parts of Australia, North America, Europe and Asia. Various schools and departments have developed relationships with community groups and providers, specific to location and specialty. As a multi-campus institution, UTAS aligns with a number of local Indigenous communities, which are recognised at all formal and public University events.

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 Indicators

Baseline2012

Progressive Target 2013



Target2016

Number of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student enrolments3

301 358 408 478 568

Number of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student completions4

33 41 50 54 60

Number of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander professional/general staff5

24 26 35 41 41

Number of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic staff6

4 6 8 10 10

Optional Performance Indicators

Baseline2012




Target2016

Number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student HDR enrolments

12 9 12 14 16

Number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff employed at senior staffing levels

1 2 3 4

3 Refers to total undergraduate, postgraduate and HDR students by headcount4 See footnote 1 for definition5 Refers to number by headcount6 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

UTAS, by virtue of its position as the “State’s university” has a long history of engaging in knowledge transfer activities with local communities to improve social, economic, environmental and cultural outcomes - as well as with national and international partners. It is of note that in the 2012 ATN/Go8 Research Impact Trial, UTAS was represented by more case studies than any other participating institution and that these case studies spanned all four sectors assessed, ie Defence, Economic Development, Society and Environment. Highly ranked UTAS Impact case studies ranged from those which impacted local communities (Promoting Australia’s Colonial Heritage which pioneered new ways of understanding, interpreting and promoting Tasmania’s and Australia’s colonial heritage) to those which had global impact (Oceans and Global Climate highlighting the impact of work by UTAS and ACE CRC scientists in the IPCC Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

These examples mirror many others where the University is engaging in three-way partnerships involving government and local industry to provide ready conduits for the transfer of research to end-users.

Over the forward planning period UTAS plans to increase engagement with the principal end-users of the University’s research, providing innovative solutions to research questions of state, national and international significance. This engagement will include greater entrepreneurial and flexible partnerships with industry, community and government at the design, resourcing and creation of new knowledge. The object is to significantly increase the impact of this engagement to include a stronger process of ‘knowledge transfer’, the commercialisation of research innovation and more partnerships with industry in the research training of HDR candidates and postdoctoral fellows.

In support of this vision UTAS is in the process of rethinking its current business development and knowledge transfer support. A four year agreement with UniQuest is reaching its conclusion in June 2013 and the University is currently in the process of appointing a Director: Business Development whose role will include developing a University-wide business engagement framework, in addition to identifying and managing commercialisation opportunities.

On 17 August 2012, following a 2-year revision and consultation process, Council approved the replacement of the existing Intellectual Property (IP) Policy with the IP Ordinance (Ordinance 18).

Innovation and engagement is increasingly seen as a core activity of university purpose and as such is reflected in the UTAS Strategic Research Plan objectives as below:

Innovation Objectives Maximise the social and economic benefits of the University’s intellectual property and

employee’s skills and expertise. Establish and sustain local, national and international partnerships with end-users such as

industry, government and the community. Encourage interdisciplinary approaches to research, innovation and commercialisation activities

at UTAS. Enhance the reputation and prestige of the University through demonstrated relevance and

impact of its research and the conversion of knowledge and intellectual property. Reward, retain and recruit staff and students who wish to engage in innovation and

commercialisation activities.

Strategies Research clusters: collaborate with the State government and identify multidisciplinary areas of

unique advantage to Tasmania, and develop research and innovation clusters in partnership with government and industry.

Produce a business development strategy for the University specifically targeting Tasmania’s unique advantages (environment, tourism, forestry, agriculture and food production, fisheries and aquaculture, Southern Ocean and Antarctic studies, population-based research, amongst others).

Increase the number of spin-off companies and commercial licences arising from activities of staff and HDR students.

Implement the new commercialisation and industry-engagement strategy.

Sense-T:Sense-T is a partnership program between the University of Tasmania, the Tasmanian Government, CSIRO and IBM. It establishes Tasmania as a centre for technology and research excellence, where shared data drives new approaches to social, environmental and economic sustainability.

Sense-T received Federal Government funding for economic diversification through the Tasmanian Forestry Agreement, which is administered by DRALGAS. Sense-T has strong support from Tasmanian stakeholders – particularly industry partners.

Sense-T core infrastructure is being deployed. Five projects are currently being implemented by researchers in conjunction with industry and community partners. These are: Aquaculture Optimisation (Southern, North West and East Coast Tasmania) Viticulture risk management and productivity (Northern and Southern Tasmania) Dairy & Beef Pasture and Animal Health Optimisation (North West and North East Tasmania) Community based adaptive water management (North East Tasmania)

Other projects under development include logistics, health alerts based on environmental monitoring, reduction of compliance costs and green tape using sensor technology, and science in schools program.

Commentary on Performance Indicators:The data in 3.1.3 below shows a steady decline in Category 4 (CRC) income. The projected downturn in CRC funding reflects the end of both the Forestry CRC and the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC in 2014. While UTAS is active in the development of new CRC bids (eg Resilient Regions), future CRC funding is not certain. Successor projects such as the National Centre for Future Forest Industries will be Category 2/3.

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.


Principal Performance Information7 2012

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

Filed: 2 Issued: 7 Held: 15

Number of all active licences, options or assignments (LOAs)8 executed and income derived

No. 2 Value($) 200,000

Number and value of research contracts and consultancies executed9

No. 127 Value($) $22,443,457

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)


Principal Performance

Indicator

Baseline2012

ProgressiveTarget 2013



Target 2016

Category 4 Income $7,643,817 $7,828,492 $8,156,052 $4,994,503 $3,547,687

7 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).

8 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.

9 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

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.


As the only university in the state, UTAS has a comprehensive course profile and seeks to capitalise on its unique Tasmanian identity by providing distinctive courses aligned with the University’s focus areas and the State’s identified educational needs. Each University course has a Course Advisory Committee which, in addition to relevant UTAS academic staff, includes members from government, professions and industry who provide important input into course development and review activity. These committees meet when developing new, or undertaking reviews of, courses as well as annually scheduled meetings. The committees provide academic staff delivering courses with a range of stakeholder views and assist in ensuring that courses are relevant to emerging needs of industry and professional bodies. Professional courses utilise key industry members as contributors to their courses through visiting lectures or appearances on discussion panels, for example Law and Medicine.

The University has, as one of its strategic priorities, the development of course level learning outcomes for all courses. Course Advisory Committees play a role in this important review and development work.

The University also has an integrated grants scheme that supports innovation and a focus on the use of innovative applications of technology and blended learning approaches in curriculum design.

UTAS has made a firm commitment to work-integrated learning (WIL) as this excerpt from the Strategic Plan for Learning and Teaching 2011-2014 makes clear -a. Engage with local, national and international communities to build and maintain the

relationships that optimise successful WIL.b. Deliver purposeful, high quality University WIL programs though local partnerships

maintained at the Faculty/School level.c. Coordinate WIL placements to ensure that agreements, processes and communication with

partners provide optimum conditions for mutually beneficial outcomes. UTAS wide policy, procedure and short and long agreement forms are available on the UTAS website for use by Schools.

d. Work with national networks to expand WIL opportunities for students, business and industry.

e. Ensure that WIL programs are socially inclusive and provide opportunities for all students. The development of breadth units, in particular in areas of service learning and volunteering are in the early planning stages. These will be available to students across the institution and open up unprecedented opportunities for students to engage in WIL experiences.

Work-integrated learning is also measured against the University Standards Framework (USF) under standard 6.16: Students are provided with opportunities for active participation in learning (e.g. work integrated placements, practicums and work experience opportunities). The performance indicator used here is the number of students who participated in work-integrated placements and practicums.

UTAS has a strong record in working with government, business and industry in this area with significant offerings particularly in Health Science, Business and Education that have been developed in direct consultation with industry partners. The development of our Health Science and Business programs at our Sydney campuses are a key example.

UTAS industry partnerships feature student work placements, particularly in health, education and business. Partners in Health is a good example. This is a strategic partnership between the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in Tasmania and the UTAS Faculty of Health Science. This partnership arrangement is unique in Australia and was formed in 1998 because the DHHS and UTAS understood the importance of developing and maintaining a strong partnership which would contribute to the strategic objectives of both organisations in terms of health workforce, health research and health education. Partners in Health has a number of policies that underpin student workplace learning, such as the Clinical Placement System.

It has been agreed to extend the State Partnership Agreement (see section 3.3.2) to cover health education, so that the partnership with the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services can be further strengthened.

Another example is the Corporate Internship Program run by the Faculty of Business. It provides students enrolled in degrees or combined degrees in the Faculty of Business with an opportunity to combine theory with practice and gain industry-specific and generic graduate skills prior to graduation. Student learning is enhanced by undertaking a work-placement with a business organisation related to their degree and area of interest. UTAS has partnered with a wide variety of business and government entities to deliver this initiative including: Hobart City Council Department of Justice Skills Tasmania Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts Royal Hobart Hospital Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioners Ten Days on the Island Festival Warp Magazine Variety the Children’s Charity.

New ProgramsUTAS is developing targeted new programs in the Creative Industries to support our successful EIF bid for an Academy of Creative Industries and Performing Arts (ACIPA), which involves industry collaborators such as Theatre Royal, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and Museum of Old & New Art. The iconic ACIPA provides a unique creative industries development platform to position Tasmania at the international cutting edge of creative industries training and practice.

These programs will include professional performing arts degrees, as well as related creative industries, technology, new media, events management and digital futures programs and should generate over 1200 EFTSL of additional enrolments after the first three years of operation. The programs will all involve students gaining experience in an immersive creative environment through intensive practice-based training and practical internship with major industry partners. All partners were closely involved in identifying skills deficits within Tasmania and in developing the proposed ACIPA course profile.

UTAS has recently developed an Associate Degree in Dementia Care in collaboration with peak bodies associated with residential and aged care. This combines foundation units in academic literacies, as well as on-line content and workplace units negotiated with partners. This course is responding to a critical area of national workforce demand and student enrolments have already been significant. We are developing this program into a bachelor award, again with industry input and support, and expect this program to attract 400 EFTSL in 2014.

UTAS plans to develop its Newnham campus as a demonstration site with a focus on, and modelling, physical activity and healthy lifestyle. This will bring together key strengths in health training, technological development, community engagement and translational research that will make Launceston and northern Tasmania a focus in establishing more effective future capacities and systems to deal with emerging national health management issues. UTAS estimates that this

initiative will generate 500 new full-time equivalent students per annum within three years of implementation.

UTAS programs relating to improving health and wellbeing and the promotion of nutrition, life-long exercise and physical activity will become a part of the student experience at Newnham and will be embedded in UTAS graduate attributes. All students will be encouraged to take units from these programs as part of their undergraduate study, either as electives or as part of a concurrent award. This will ensure that the next generations of Tasmanians are better equipped to address these issues personally and within their communities of influence.

UTAS’s extensive health-industry, research and other partnerships will provide a network of closely linked organisations to build regional capacity and student opportunities. Partners will provide a critical mass of resources and collaborative opportunities that will be leveraged to develop learning pathways and student work placements and projects and to establish visibility across the region. This will have a fundamental impact on a range of health-related indicators in the Tasmanian population and generate improvement in workplace productivity and lifestyle. It will address the issue of poor health literacy within Tasmania through a systemic approach to educating the community, developing individual responsibility, and creating greater workforce capacity in areas of current demand.

An example of our work with regional SMEs to strengthen supply chain management and leadership is the Graduate Diploma in Business, a program UTAS has been delivering to SMEs in the north-west region of Tasmania for 3 years with great success. This program has been refined to a point where it can be delivered to other regional areas across Australia. The program targets cohorts of mainly trade-trained managers and leaders with extensive business experience but with limited opportunity to engage in formal study.

This program is delivered over a number of intensive sessions and the commencing unit – Learning through Practice – specifically incorporates work-based reflections and work-project-based units. Monitoring and evaluation of the UTAS program highlights how work as a site of learning builds motivation and confidence. Many of the first cohorts of students are now enrolling in MBA studies and this training is highly valued by staff and management.

The Australian Institute of Health Services Management (AIHSM) is a partnership between the University of Tasmania and Sydney Local Health District. The AIHSM services students and health facilities from across Australia, but is physically based in the Sydney Local Health District, with teaching and research facilities at Rozelle. These highly successful fee-paying programs incorporate significant work-based and research projects and are delivered on-line supported by intensive workshops, with delivery involving UTAS staff, embedded academics, and senior staff within NSW Health. The programs were developed in close collaboration with senior staff from NSW Health and training is highly contextualised. It is proposed to extend these Masters programs to public and private health organisations nationally in the near future.

These Masters programs also articulate into a professional doctorate program which extends the leadership capacity of the staff involved but also provides those staff with appropriate academic qualifications to deliver content back into their workplaces. These leadership programs extend beyond administrative and executive management as we also have a Master of Clinical Leadership program which is offered extensively in NSW. All of these programs are delivered both in metropolitan centres and in regional centres such as Dubbo and Broken Hill.

UTAS has developed a range of new professional doctorate programs in collaboration with industry partners and has plans to expand these programs. The traditional route of research and monograph does not always fit well with the aspirations of all students and employers. Particularly in scientific, engineering, health, education and business disciplines, many potential candidates would prefer to be more engaged with the professional practice of research.

Some research areas cannot adequately be explored in a traditional university setting; an increasing number of students do not wish to remain continuously in full-time education beyond

honours level; while mature students often have commitments which make their re-engagement with a research higher degree impossible on a full-time basis. These factors suggest that a complementary track to a research higher degree may be appropriate to a significant cohort of potential students.

It is vital to the external perception of the University that all doctorates, whatever kind, be of the highest quality. Professional Doctorate students are expected to work on a number of projects of professional/ industrial relevance. The challenge is therefore two-fold:

to ensure that the individual projects are of sufficient depth, innovation and rigour to demonstrate satisfactorily a student’s technical, scientific and scholarly ability; and

to ensure that the resulting research outputs – thesis, publications, reports, patents and so forth – are generated and maintained at a standard comparable to that of traditional routes.

The principal candidate cohort is professional employees with R&D functions who wish to pursue a Doctoral Degree structured around their professional activities. These professional connections will lead to additional research and teaching contact and provide a nucleus around which to build academic-professional collaborations.

The Professional Doctorate encourages close cooperation across the university/ industry/ professional interface and provides a framework for the integration of professional expertise and scholarly inquiry. For UTAS, initial discipline and professional interfaces will be established or extended in clinical medicine, public health, engineering, education and business.

The opportunities in the health sector are likely to be significant given the proposed recommendations of the Strategic Review of Health and Medical Research in Australia, which proposes support for a significant number of research-focused health professionals over the next 10 years and embedding research into health professional training and accreditation.

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.


Our position as the sole university in Tasmania brings exceptional potential for engagement with the economic, social, cultural and intellectual life of the island and for connecting with national and international networks. Open to Talent therefore casts Community as an equal priority alongside Research and Students. We recognise that core business at UTAS is necessarily partnered and collaborative. Our current aims in this arena are outlined below.

Become more mature in our institutional approach to engagement and collaborationEngagement is a central and defining characteristic of the UTAS mission and as such community-engaged research and teaching are seen as core business. Over the duration of this Compact, UTAS will re-conceptualise and re-energise our institutional approach to community engagement, and use this conceptualisation to prepare a Community Engagement Plan. We will also ensure that, in this context, engagement is fully embedded as part of our approach to our core activities of research and learning and teaching. A key enabler of the latter is to ensure that our policy drivers (e.g. performance expectations and promotions criteria) reflect this appropriately.

Continue to work with the State Government in partnership As well as its partnerships with local government bodies, UTAS has a longstanding partnership with the Tasmanian Government. The latest iteration of the Partnership Agreement (2012-2015),

focuses on educational attainment, research collaboration and international education and health.

The University has worked closely with the State Government to identify a series of shared research and innovation priorities. These include support for areas of traditional strength - agriculture, aquaculture, mining and viticulture for example, as well as innovative areas - Antarctic, IT and remote sensing and the creative industries for example. These shared priorities open support for the creation of innovative clusters and precincts that cohere strengths in IT and sensing through the Sense-T project, creating an Antarctic precinct in Hobart and a state of the art electronic creative arts precinct.

A further example of this collaborative arrangement has been realised with State Government support for the Asia Institute Tasmania that brings academic language, cultural, technological and scientific capacity within the University, stronger engagement with targeted Asian governments and universities to work closely together. For the University this supports its recruitment of additional undergraduate and postgraduate students, staff exchanges, research collaborations and additional joint research and industry engagement strategies. The Institute also provides a suitable platform on which to build upon existing outbound (and inbound) programs for student mobility throughout Asia; its focus undoubtedly benefiting established programs and providing opportunity to foster new exchange partnerships. In particular, UTAS is keen to maximise opportunities from the Australian Government’s strategically significant AsiaBound initiative. Whilst our current outbound student experience programs are mainly focussed around existing Asian language and culture programs at UTAS, we are keen to extend the range of Asian in-country experiences for students from other discipline areas. In 2012 some 150 students participated in outbound experience/exchange programs; through AsiaBound and related initiatives we are looking to double the number of students participating by 2016.

The Institute will reap the benefits of Tasmania’s unique ability to engage with Asia and is a key component of the state strategy to foster an Asia-literate Tasmanian community and an Asia-capable Tasmanian workforce. UTAS has already made a significant initial commitment to the Asia Institute Tasmania, advertising internationally for a senior academic leader to serve as Director, and a proposal is being developed for a Tasmania China Business Forum. The Institute will play a crucial brokerage role in bringing specialist Asia expertise to key stakeholders in business, education, industry and the general community. The Asia Institute Tasmania will align with the National Research Priority ‘Understanding Australia and the World’ in the context of the 2012 Australia in the Asian Century White Paper.

Collaborate to strengthen world-class research UTAS aims to increase engagement with the principal end-users of the University’s research, providing innovative solutions to research questions of state, national and international significance. This engagement will include greater entrepreneurial and flexible partnerships with industry, community and government while designing, resourcing and creating new knowledge. Our object is to significantly increase the impact of this engagement to build a stronger process of ‘knowledge transfer’, the commercialisation of research innovation and more partnerships with industry in the research training of HDR candidates and postdoctoral fellows.

Strategies will include: Providing structured support for UTAS staff involved in the development CRC applications. Collaboration with the State government to identify multidisciplinary areas of unique

advantage to Tasmania and develop research and innovation clusters in partnership with government and industry.

Creating a business development strategy for the University specifically targeting enhanced linkages with the State government and capitalising on Tasmania’s unique advantages (environment, tourism, forestry, agriculture and food production, fisheries and aquaculture, Southern Ocean and Antarctic studies amongst others).

Developing meaningful measures of engagement for the University’s faculties and research concentrations and include “enterprise metrics” in the targets provided to academic units.

Increasing the number of spin-off companies and commercial licences arising from activities of staff and HDR students.

Implementing the new commercialisation and industry-engagement strategy through the Research Office to deliver business and commercialisation training modules to staff and selected HDR candidates.

UTAS has successfully pursued 3-way partnerships with Government (Federal and/or State) and industry; examples include - The establishment in 2012 of the Experimental Aquaculture Facility to support the expansion of

the existing aquaculture industry (already the largest producer of seafood in Australia). Key partners include Federal and State Governments, US food giant Dardens, as well as Tasmanian industry partners.

Sense-T, launched in 2012, is one of the largest coordinated investments in knowledge infrastructure in Tasmania, partnering with IBM, Aurora Energy, State and Federal Governments, and CSIRO.

The Perennial Horticulture Centre in the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture is the lead agency for cherry research, development and extension under the National RD&E framework. Their role is to ensure that future research aligns with industry-developed RD&E objectives.

UTAS has developed expertise in the management of complex research collaborations involving national and international partners. This is typified by our successful lead agent role in the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), one of twelve capabilities funded under Australia’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. Ocean observing is a global enterprise, and UTAS operates within an international context in leading IMOS.

This is a significant initiative, with core Australian Government funding of $110M and co-investment from partners (including international partners) contributing to a total investment of ~$260M over the period 2007-2014. UTAS contracts with nine other organisations across the National Innovation System to operate the facilities making up the national network. IMOS facilities are funded to deploy equipment and deliver data streams for use by the entire Australian marine and climate science community and its international collaborators. This national system is linked to the international Ocean Tracking Network (http://oceantrackingnetwork.org/) led by Dalhousie University in Canada. IMOS also represents Australia’s contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS, http://www.ioc-goos.org/).

Collaborate to strengthen distinctive learning experiencesOne of the core principles of the Strategic Plan for Learning and Teaching 2011-2014 is that University goals can only be delivered through partnerships with students, staff, employers, accrediting and other statutory bodies, federal and state government, and other universities in Australia and overseas. The Plan is based around four goals, one of which is to develop and maintain quality partnerships.

The Centre for University Pathways and Partnerships was established in 2012, and has as its mission ‘to create entry pathways to university study and to foster sustainable partnerships that provide an enduring benefit to local communities and to the University of Tasmania.’ The Centre coordinates the University’s involvement in the Tasmanian Articulation and Credit Transfer (TASACT) Committee, through which UTAS seeks to provide high level institutional and sectoral leadership to maximise credit transfer and articulation arrangements between the Tasmanian Academy, the Tasmanian Polytechnic, the Tasmanian Skills Institute and the University in order to encourage skills and knowledge acquisition for individuals, develop the intellectual capital base within the State, and create learning pathways between institutions.

UTAS also continues to develop collaborative networks for the development of courses and for teaching. For example, Health Sciences have been a particular area of growth and development. Strong collaborations have been established with Tasmanian health providers and with a number

of New South Wales health providers – St Vincent’s and Mater Health Sydney and Sydney South West Area Health Service. UTAS also has a strong focus on interdisciplinary training in the health area, providing a range of career pathways and transitions for health graduates.

At the same time, the University has a strong focus on global engagement and internationalisation, with the appointment of the University’s first Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) in 2012. A global dimension was embedded into Open to Talent, aiming to internationalise education and research as key priorities for UTAS and by doing so, contribute to the economic development of the State. A global engagement strategy will be developed over 2013 to augment Open to Talent and other subsidiary plans.


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.



Indicators

Baseline2012




Target2016

Number of active collaborations10 with industry and other partners in Australia

138 150 164 181 199

Number of active collaborations11 with industry and other partners overseas

36 38 39 41 43

Category 3 Income $18,255,290 $18,432,856 $20,735,398 $21,938,427 $23,384,249


Baseline2012




Target2016

% of publications with international co-author

37% 37% 39% 41% 43%

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.


Student Enrolment PlanningThe University of Tasmania remains fully committed to the Australian Government’s participation agenda and plans to continue growing both domestic and international student load. In terms of longer-term planning, UTAS Council has set a target of 25,000 EFTSL by 2025, but this is subject to review in the light of much more ambitious targets recently established for international students.

UTAS has recognised that it has a lower proportion of international students than many other universities. To address this, we are implementing marketing and program-related strategies, with the aim of achieving 8,000 international students by 2018.

UTAS has had a successful long-term focus on improving the graduate profile within Tasmania, increasing the proportion of Tasmanians aged 15-64 with a bachelor degree or higher from 11.5% in 2000 to 20.7% in 2012, however this continues to be below the (2012) national average of 25.4%.

Many UTAS students, especially those from rural and regional areas, are the first members of their families to attend university. UTAS is committed to assisting these students in their transition into university and supporting their academic success. We also seek to extend our range of community engagement and outreach programs through Tasmanian schools to encourage aspirations for higher education in regional communities.

There are significant social and economic reasons to provide greater access to higher education for regional communities; and to encourage students to maintain their connection with their communities even if they live away from home to study. This can be achieved through providing better transitional pathways to higher education and by actively seeking to provide opportunities for community connections throughout undergraduate degree programs. Community connections can be encouraged by ensuring students who have practicum, clinical or work placements as part of their study are given the opportunity to undertake these in their home community; by incorporating more work- and project-based learning into a broader range of awards so that students have the opportunity to undertake these tasks in regional and rural

areas; and by developing more programs that focus on the generic skills required in regional communities. This, in turn, supports the retention of graduating students within the community.

Sub bachelor planningThe development of sub bachelor programs at UTAS has been a long-term initiative with significant supplementary academic support budgeted in our forward planning. These enrolments have increased progressively in line with available resources and have been subject to ongoing research and review and detailed quality assurance.

The market for UTAS sub bachelor programs is not prospective TAFE students, but rather the large number of Tasmanians, many of whom are mature aged, who have not developed aspirations to progress beyond year 10 level. These people need very targeted and supported pathway programs and a detailed scaffold of preparatory and pathway programs have been developed on the basis of the University’s experience over the last 10 years, built with clear structures for student support to ensure better retention and completion rates.

UTAS is working to manage its student intake for sub bachelor programs within the current (2013) cap of 1,683 EFTSL; we would however be keen to further grow our load if the opportunity arose in future to increase the current allocation.

The framework is based around a set of key principles: The need to provide strong support for students who have been traditionally excluded from

higher education because of social, economic or family circumstance. Preparation programs and pathways are designed to help individuals succeed at University. Preparation programs and pathways assist faculties to maintain academic standards in

undergraduate degree programs. The pre-degree framework articulates developing standards in line with the national standards

including the Australian Qualifications Framework, the Australian Core Skills Framework, CRICOS Standards for Foundation Programs.

The pre-degree framework aligns with the development of graduate attributes and the first year experience framework.

Student experience and expectations should be consistent for both domestic and international students.

A generic academic skill and knowledge base is required for all students. Extensive scaffolding of student learning in early stages of preparation for under prepared

students is provided. Recognition of prior learning opportunities are available to maximise appropriate student

progress. Discipline specific foundation units are required for specific Diploma pathways. Multiple entry points, multiple pathways and multiple exit points are available. All students have access to high standard foundation programs and English Language Support

where needed.

In the light of the sub bachelor cap, UTAS is developing more extensive support and retention strategies for a number of bachelor level programs.

Bachelor degree planningA significant area of growth for the University over the period 2014-2016 will be in performing arts programs, in line with the targets set out in our recently approved Education Investment Fund Regional Priorities Round project to establish the Academy for Creative Industries and Performing Arts. This initiative will see an increase of some 1200 EFTSL in our performing arts and related creative industries programs between now and the Academy’s first year of operation (2017).

Engineering and science programs are also projected to experience strong growth, particularly through programs offered through our Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, the Australian Maritime College, and the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies.

Another identified area of growth is in our Nursing, Health and Allied Health initiatives. Apart from continuing the positive enrolment trends of existing programs in Nursing and Paramedicine, this will include new initiatives in areas such as Dementia Care and Health Studies.

A number of key enrolment growth areas are outlined in the Industry and Skills section 3.2.

Postgraduate planningUTAS regards the need to increase Tasmania’s postgraduate profile to the national average as a key element of its overall strategies to improve higher education participation. Establishing a base of professionally trained staff in key sectors, such as teaching and health, but also more broadly, is a key part of the cultural change necessary to support higher education participation in the broad community and also in business, industry and government. One of the core problems is the lack of role models with this specialist training within the Tasmanian community.

The cap on postgraduate Commonwealth-supported places has limited our ability to build on the work of previous years in growing the Tasmanian postgraduate profile. With income levels in Tasmania typically well below the Australian average, the level of interest by potential students in full fee-paying places is limited. Should there be no future increase in the number of Commonwealth-supported postgraduate places allocated to UTAS, our ability to continue to grow the postgraduate profile in Tasmania will be dependent on promoting fee-paying options in the national arena. A number of these options are outlined in the Industry and Skills section 3.2.

Within the limitations of the postgraduate cap, we will continue our focus on professional-entry programs and areas of national priority and skill demand.

Medical planningThere are no plans at this time to vary the curriculum of the current 5-year MBBS program at UTAS, or to move it from an undergraduate to a postgraduate degree. Whilst domestic demand for the program is significantly greater than the 465 EFTSL currently allocated to UTAS, in the absence of any opportunity to increase the allocation, we will continue to manage annual completions/enrolments within that total.

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.


UTAS has recently revamped its governance and management arrangements in the quality and standards space with the establishment of a new, high-level Quality and Standards Committee to take responsibility for ensuring pro-active compliance with rapidly changing regulatory requirements and for positioning the University to continue to play a leadership role on the national scene.

In this context, UTAS has made a strategic commitment to the quality of learning and teaching in Open to Talent and through the development of the Strategic Plan for Learning and Teaching 2012-2014. This Plan has four strategic goals: 1) to facilitate excellence in learning; 2) to ensure excellence in teaching; 3) to develop a renewed curriculum; and 4) to develop and maintain quality partnerships.

The University plans to facilitate excellence in learning through the objectives and initiatives associated with Goal 1, which aim to ensure that students acquire a command of a coherent body of knowledge and are provided with an optimum learning environment; that graduates are skilled, capable and creative learners, able to make a valuable contribution to society; and that processes are in place for assuring and enhancing quality in student learning. A major initiative has been the development of performance expectations in learning and teaching for academic staff across all levels of appointment.

Academic Senate has established a Student Experience Committee to provide advice and recommendations on the development, implementation and review of strategies, policies and initiatives to address the needs of students and enhance the student experience at UTAS. The Student Experience Committee and its sub-committees have significant student representation and input, which has resulted in the development of the Student Experience Plan 2013-2015. Student engagement is one of the indicators in this new Plan which includes a Student Forum and the development of a Student Charter.

The newly established Student Evaluation, Review and Reporting Unit (SERRU) reports on student evaluation (both internal and external), coordinates the University Standards Framework and plays a key role in University benchmarking activity. SERRU tracks student engagement through the Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE) and the University Experience Survey (UES), reports these results institutionally and contributes to the development of improvement plans. SERRU also reports on student retention/attrition, Course Experience Questionnaire and student load through the Learning and Teaching Dashboard. Attrition and retention strategies have been included in the new draft Student Experience Plan 2013-2015, under the following initiatives: 3.3.3 Use academic support systems to review individual progress in order to reduce attrition; 4.2.1 Develop process to regularly report on student retention and progression at the Faculty/School level; and 4.2.2 Explore learning analytics in the learning management system, MyLO,as key indicators to monitor student retention and progression at the unit level. These initiatives are aimed at examining retention and attrition from the faculty, student support and learning analytics levels of the University.

The University plans to maintain its focus on the quality of learning and teaching through the objectives and initiatives associated with Goal 2, which aim to ensure that teachers are prepared and supported to develop quality teaching and learning practice: that quality teaching and learning practices are identified and rewarded; that links between teaching and learning and research drive improvements in both areas; and that processes are in place for the effective management of teaching performance.

Elements associated with these objectives include: a suite of professional development activities for staff at all stages in their careers; ongoing professional learning in academic standards; internationalisation of the curriculum; graduate attributes and technology enhanced learning; a framework for leadership development in learning and teaching; adoption of Communities of

Practice to facilitate cooperation across boundaries; an integrated grants scheme to support innovation; support for staff using evidence to improve teaching practice; an evaluation strategy for learning and teaching; integration of internal and external teaching awards and fellowship schemes; increased avenues for acknowledging learning and teaching awards; and the development of mentoring and leadership roles.

Accredited staff development occurs through the Graduate Certificate of University Learning and Teaching, with new academic appointments required to undertake Foundations of University Learning & Teaching as a condition of their probation. Staff also have access to non accredited professional development activity such as curriculum development workshops, training in the use of the MyLO Learning Management System, communities of practice and peer professional learning programs.

The annual learning and teaching conference Teaching Matters is a primary mechanism for sharing good practice across the institution. In 2012, the conference was attended by 175 UTAS staff, with all Australian campuses represented. Over 80 staff contributed through showcases and Pecha-Kuchas and a further 18 presenting posters. UTAS through the Tasmanian Institute of Learning and Teaching, hosted the very successful HERDSA (Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia) conference in July 2012 which bought over 300 delegates to Hobart and provided another valuable opportunity for sharing good practice.

2012 marked the start of a new system of reward and recognition for good teaching practice at UTAS with the identification of a clear UTAS Teaching Awards Pathway. This pathway begins with the Teaching Merit Certificate for which applicants can receive a maximum of three. The next three categories align with the Office for Learning and Teaching award categories including the (1) Vice-Chancellor’s Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning; (2) Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning; and (3) the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Teaching Excellence. In 2012, a fourth category was also added: the UTAS Commendation for Sustained Commitment to Teaching Excellence.

The University has undertaken an extensive review of the Academic Promotion Policy and associated processes. This has included participation in an international benchmarking project on promotions with the universities of Leicester, Newcastle upon Tyne and Wollongong. This project has focused on how teaching performance has been evidenced in promotions criteria. A self-review and peer-review process has informed the internal review of promotion policy. This review has been aligned with the development of Opening UTAS to Talent: The UTAS Academic which clearly describes performance expectations for academic staff in both research and learning and teaching. In turn, the Strategic Plan for Learning and Teaching 2012-2014 and the Research and Research Training Management Plan have a shared strategic vision for ensuring learning and teaching and research are seen as complementary activities.

The University is supporting the development of generic attributes through a Graduate Attribute Review which includes a working group and the development of a new graduate attribute statement and policy. Graduate attributes and student learning outcomes are tracked through the development of new online unit and course reports. These reports are aligned to the Australian Qualifications Framework.

The University plans to engage with the student body to develop a renewed curriculum through the objectives and initiatives associated with Goal 3, including the development of a strategic approach to curriculum design, internationalisation of the curriculum, and ensuring that curricula support student learning across a diverse range of student and course profiles and use innovative applications of technology and blended learning approaches.

Three key University-wide projects are providing an impetus for curriculum renewal. The first is a move to a new Learning Management System and the accompanying opportunities for professional development and support in designing curriculum. The second initiative is around an increased emphasis on ongoing evaluation and review of units and courses, in support of the Learning and Teaching Evaluation Policy. This will be formally manifested in the annual course and

unit reports. The third is a focus on curriculum renewal through a Curriculum Development Group with University-wide representation.

The University embeds the outcomes of the Office of Learning and Teaching into its policies, processes and practices. It is represented on the OLT Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC) by the DVC (Students and Education) and as such a good flow of information from and to the OLT has been developed. Successful grant winners (either as lead or team members) are announced to the University through the web-based news, emails or in printed material. The projects and contact persons are listed on our Awards and Grants web page.

Specific grants have been influential in shaping UTAS policy and practice: The OLT grant on Adoptions and Open Educational Resources has helped UTAS develop its OER

policies and repository; the strategic commission on professionalising the academic workforce has helped UTAS with the UTAS Academic, Teaching Performance Expectations (TPE) and Promotions Policy;

The Benchmarking Sessional Staff project has precipitated benchmarking activities and review of support for Casual Teaching Staff;

The CATS project has provided material for Inclusive Teaching workshops and presentations; The Learning and Teaching Academic Standards project, through the discipline scholars has

been adopted at UTAS through the LTAS@UTAS project, resulting in an institution-wide focus on refining course level learning outcomes.

Our Awards and Grants Office was developed with the support of the Promoting Excellence Network, and continues to be an active contributor to the Vic-Tas PEI network. This network also reaches out to the broader UTAS community through the online community of practice. The Awards and Grants Office draw on the experience of OLT award and grant winners and assessors in their workshop program, and training of peer mentors.

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

Principal Performance Indicators

Baseline

2012




Target2016

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

2 3 3 3 3

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

4 5 5 5 5

Number of citations for outstanding contributions to student learning

3 6 6 6 6

Number of awards for teaching excellence

1 1 1 1 1

Number of awards for programs that enhance excellence

1 1 1 1 1

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.

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.


The UTAS Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015, after wide consultation, will be presented to Academic Senate in June 2013. The Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015 has been developed in conjunction with the Student Experience Plan 2013-2015 and links with the Equity Plan 2013. Taken together the three plans have a strong equity and diversity focus, and represent the University’s commitment to a comprehensive framework for building aspirations, ensuring access, providing opportunities, and creating a supportive environment in which all students with the ability to succeed at University are enabled to realise their potential.

Open to Talent: Strategic Plan 2012-onwards articulates the commitment of the University of Tasmania to ‘cater to an expanded and increasingly diverse student cohort’. As the only university in the state, the University of Tasmania has a critical role in addressing relatively low levels of post compulsory participation and attainment, and to address all stages of the student lifecycle: access (aspiration, pathways, recruitment and selection); retention (transition, engagement and support), and career transition. The University has a commitment to providing access to higher education and an equitable and inclusive experience for all students, including the increasing numbers of international students, and to be cognisant of the multiple identities of our students.

Open to Talent articulates key priority areas in terms of widening participation, increasing student engagement through a renewed curriculum, and promoting an inclusive environment. The commitment of UTAS to widening participation aligns with Australian Government legislation and strategic activity in relation to participation and partnerships. It also aligns with Tasmanian Government priorities to improve educational attainment, articulated in the Tasmanian Government–University of Tasmania Partnerships Agreement. Regardless of Government policy and funding incentives, to attract and retain domestic and international students in the Tasmanian context UTAS must be socially inclusive.

To be a socially inclusive University, UTAS must ensure that all areas of planning and activity for students and staff reflect a social inclusion focus. This will involve building on current programs and supports, designed to provide a socially inclusive experience across the student lifecycle. This

aim will be achieved by implementing an institution-wide social inclusion strategy underpinned by Open to Talent: Strategic Plan 2012-onwards and UTAS Standards Framework, of which the Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015 is one component. There are a number of other related plans and strategies: Faculty and Institute Strategic Plans, Learning and Teaching Strategic Plan 2013-2015, Indigenous Higher Education Strategies, Internationalisation Plan 2011-2013, Community Plan (to be developed), Strategic Research Plan 2011-2015; People Strategy (2013); Student Experience Plan 2013-2015, and Equity Plan 2013 covering staff and students.

Goals and Strategies

The Social Inclusion Plan proposes four broad goals and a number of related strategies:

Goal 1. Increase aspiration toward University and improve access and pathways into and out of University for all students

1.1 Partner with the State Government and other bodies to build aspiration toward school completion and tertiary education.

1.2 Develop a coordinated University-wide plan to build aspiration toward University study.1.3 Provide access to UTAS through programs and services that prepare students to succeed

and are offered locally and by flexible delivery.1.4 Continue to develop and promote multiple pathways into UTAS at an undergraduate and

postgraduate level.1.5 Increase the University-wide focus on later student lifecycle activity to provide pathways

for workplace transition.1.6 Ensure there are appropriate governance structures in place to lead and support activity

at all stages of the student lifecycle, with particular attention to the early (aspiration building) and later (career transition) stages.

Goal 2. Promote and support a socially inclusive culture across the University

2.1 Review policies, procedures, governance structures and University communications and promotional materials, with a social inclusion lens.

2.2 Provide a range of informal and formal professional learning opportunities for all staff to encourage and support socially inclusive culture and practice.

2.3 Value and reward socially inclusive practice of staff.2.4 Recruit staff whose values are consistent with the University Statement of Values.2.5 Seek sustainable opportunities to support diversity at UTAS.

Goal 3. Facilitate an environment that supports participation and engagement of all students in all aspects of University life

3.1 Implement socially inclusive course, curriculum and assessment design across UTAS. 3.2 Ensure all students have the opportunity to participate in relevant, accessible and

culturally appropriate support services and programs (including orientation and UniStart) to promote social inclusion.

3.3 Normalise student help seeking.3.4 Minimise financial challenges for students.3.5 Identify and minimise other challenges affecting students’ learning opportunities and

successful outcomes.3.6 Ensure information about and use of physical spaces contribute to a socially inclusive

environment.

Goal 4. Build UTAS capacity to engage within the University and with the broader community to support social inclusion research and practice

4.1 Conduct research into all aspects of social inclusion, aspiration, and related issues. 4.2 Build awareness and commitment to a socially inclusive University at all levels. 4.3 Raise awareness of social inclusion issues within the broader community.

These goals and related strategies draw on research by Devlin et al (2012) regarding teaching and support for students from low SES backgrounds.

UTAS views social inclusion as progressive, contributing to the quality of student learning outcomes. The UTAS Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015 recognises the importance of a whole of University commitment to socially inclusive processes and practices in order to maximise student access, satisfaction and success, and covers learning, teaching, research and the broader student experience at the University of Tasmania, and the provision of an optimum learning environment. There is a focus on activity at the beginning of the student lifecycle, that is, building aspirations and provision of accessible pathways, as this is critical to the broader agenda of UTAS to ‘open the university to Tasmanians from a wider spectrum of backgrounds, including those who may not have traditionally considered higher education’. The University focus on internationalisation of the curriculum provides leverage for inclusive curriculum renewal at a broader level. There is a strong focus on professional development, as a key platform for supporting a socially inclusive culture and environment at UTAS. While it promotes socially inclusive practices for all, the Social Inclusion Plan, and the related Student Experience and Equity Plans, recognise that particular groups of students may also require targeted support mechanisms such as international students, equity group students and those studying by distance. The Social Inclusion Plan, as part of the overarching social inclusion strategy, will place UTAS in a position ‘over the next decade, [to] cater to an expanded and increasingly diverse student cohort’.

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)


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 - - -


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.


UTAS will continue to develop and redevelop teaching and learning infrastructure to achieve the specific infrastructure goals articulated in the Open to Talent strategic plan, in alignment with the University of Tasmania Master Plan and consistent with the requirements of the UTAS Strategic Asset Management Framework (SAMF).

Whilst UTAS has been quite successful in attracting major infrastructure funding in recent years, competitive funding of infrastructure tends to be unreliable for planning purposes and is allocated for new developments and strategic initiatives rather than to address core operational and systemic requirements.

The UTAS Master Plan recognises that UTAS has a high proportion of infrastructure that is no longer fit-for-purpose, inflexible, poorly utilised, and costly to service. Teaching and learning practices have evolved dramatically over the past decade, with greater emphasis on group and self-paced study; research environments have also developed with cross-disciplinary and collegiate teams replacing traditional faculty ‘silo’ structures. UTAS buildings do not reflect these changes – in fact limited construction work since 1980 has resulted in a high proportion of buildings on the Sandy Bay and Newnham campuses having reached the end of their design life. This has resulted in substantial deferred maintenance liabilities that need to be addressed.

The clear direction of the UTAS Council is that we must rationalise and more effectively integrate research and teaching activities, significantly improve utilisation of our infrastructure portfolio and significantly reduce ongoing teaching and overhead costs.

UTAS campuses at Sandy Bay and at Newnham require significant rationalisation and redevelopment. UTAS is assessing the options of moving more of its activities to the CBD areas – allowing us to build new high tech, environmentally sustainable, cost effective, accessible and highly utilised infrastructure. Much of this planning involves better opportunities to focus our research activities and place them in appropriate environments.

The benefits of planning and designing new integrated 5/6 green star high tech infrastructure include substantial improvement in monitoring and management of space utilisation and energy efficiency, and increased cost-effectiveness in teaching and research activities. New facilities would also improve the capacity for government, business, industry and the community to maximise the utilisation of these facilities.

UTAS is developing plans to establish its Newnham campus as a demonstration site with a focus on, and modelling, physical activity and healthy lifestyle. This will bring together key strengths in health training, technological development, community engagement and translational research that will make Launceston and northern Tasmania a focus in establishing more effective future capacities and systems to deal with emerging national health management issues.

The Newnham campus is an ideal site for this initiative because of the significant health infrastructure already in place in the Faculty of Health Science, including the Nursing Simulation Centre and the Human Life Sciences Exercise Physiology Clinic and Human Performance Lab. The Launceston Unigym incorporates a state-of-the-art weights and cardio facility, fitness and dance rooms, tennis and squash courts, multi-purpose sports halls and various sports fields, along with a relaxation and Dojo centre. Newnham is a base for Sense-T and the HITLab, which will play a significant role in developing and refining sensing and monitoring systems that will be a hallmark of the campus learning environment.

There is significant capacity to redevelop Newnham campus facilities into highly integrated contemporary active learning, teaching and research spaces. This initiative will require the refurbishment of 15,000m2 of space. It will increase the quality and functionality of existing spaces across the campus, and link existing high quality health infrastructure, to enable the significant extension of health-related programs to a much larger student population.

UTAS is currently in the process of finalising detailed property development strategies for all key campuses. Based on the results of a comprehensive facilities condition and functionality audit executed in 2011-12 and an analysis of future needs, the strategies focus on consolidation, space rationalisation, reduced maintenance costs and operational efficiency through the establishment of campus precincts and the identification of specific built assets for reinvestment/repurposing or demolition/disposal.

Consistent with these aims, UTAS is commissioning two large-scale consultancies intended to support and refine initial analysis and to deliver action plans relating to relocation, disposal, repurposing and potential commercialisation of UTAS property assets.

The Southern Campus Spatial Analysis Consultancy will consider the scope of, and functional relationships between, activities undertaken at UTAS’ Sandy Bay, Domain and Hobart CBD campuses and related spatial/infrastructure requirements. Project outcomes will include a range of space configuration options and floor plans, together with recommendations for staged implementation, suggested mitigation measures for significant project constraints and cost planning advice on implementation. The study will commence in June 2013 with the final report expected by November. Works to execute the recommended relocations will commence in 2014.

The UTAS Property Commercialisation Project is also expected to commence in June 2013, with Phase 1 to be completed by September. Initial studies will investigate options for redevelopment and commercialisation of underutilised built assets and land excess to UTAS’ requirements, with the aim of reducing UTAS’ built footprint, improving space utilisation and creating funds for reinvestment in strategic priorities.

UTAS is currently in the process of developing a comprehensive Backlog Maintenance Liability Reduction Plan. Using data obtained from recent audits of building condition and functionality, space utilisation and energy consumption, UTAS has developed an Asset Prioritisation Index and a desktop risk profile for major built elements. These can be cross-referenced with campus development plans to identify priority assets for detailed inspection and remediation. Approval for the Backlog Maintenance Liability Reduction Plan is expected to be obtained in June, after which a program of prioritized works will commence.

With an overall teaching space utilisation of 9.2m2/Equivalent Full-time Student Load (EFTSL) and lecture theatre utilisation of 17m2/EFTSL, UTAS falls well below the TEFMA utilisation benchmark of 56.25%. While these figures vary widely between campuses, UTAS intends to improve its average utilisation rates by: transferring all Locally Managed Learning Spaces (LMLS) to the central pool of teaching spaces; extending space audits to include office, ancillary and research space to ensure a ‘whole-of-

campus’ approach to space management; rationalising and consolidating teaching space to improve utilisation, increase operational

efficiency and deliver space for repurposing to meet other UTAS needs;

prioritising teaching space refurbishment and upgrade program to meet strategic priorities and emerging teaching and learning trends;

implementing continuous review of UTAS timetabling software to ensure that it will facilitate strategic space planning and utilisation;

establishing a Project User Group for each planned campus consolidation/space rationalisation project; and

introducing space charging to minimise wastage and encourage responsible space usage.

UTAS will also continue to improve the ongoing sustainability of its built environment through implementation of its Sustainable Built Environment Designs Policy, introduced in 2011.

The aims of the policy are to ensure that: all new and/or refurbished built environments are to be designed in accordance with

sustainability principles; and building projects with an estimated cost in excess of $5m budget (gross) are to be designed to

achieve a minimum 5 Star Green Star Certified Rating.

To date, two major UTAS projects – the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies building at Sullivan’s Cove, Hobart and Medical Sciences 2 building in the Hobart CBD – have achieved 5 Star Green Star design ratings.

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.


The University has completed its (draft) research plan for 2013-16. The plan includes an overall strategic objective for the University and two related general strategies.

The principal objective is optimal research performance, placing us amongst the top ten Australian research intensive universities overall, and ranking us amongst the top twenty global research intensive universities in our four areas of research strength (the UTAS research themes).

The two operational strategies are focussed at progressing research breadth and depth.

Research breadth means ensuring that the University’s academic community is committed to an academic vocation that requires active research inquiry, collaboration, publication and impact. It requires the University’s teaching to be informed by current research, and research training to be provided by research-active staff. These commitments are essential for a research-intensive university that uniquely serves an entire state, and has longstanding engagements with the Tasmanian government and community in its mission to be an active change and innovation agent.

During 2012 this focus on breadth produced a successful strategy to establish research performance expectations (RPE) for each member of the academic community based upon comparative disciplinary norms and level of appointment. At the individual level these expectations have changed recruitment, probation, promotion and staff performance discussion. Monitoring these changes with clear regular KPIs and reports has occurred. This strategy has been reinforced by extensive changes to research administration, support mechanisms, communications strategies, and refocussing of research support priorities.

Simultaneously a second operational strategy has been developed to identify, build upon and support areas of actual or potential research distinctiveness and excellence. We have determined that four thematic areas stand out – Creativity and Society; Health and Wellbeing; Environment and Sustainability; Marine, Maritime and Antarctic. Each theme aligns with national research

priorities, UTAS research strengths identified by ERA10 and 12, research with particular salience to (and thereby impacting upon) the University’s location, while developing the reputation and expertise to contribute to and transform selected areas of global research. Currently theme areas articulate highly cited researchers, coherent teams, successful leadership, appropriate infrastructure and organisational structures (institutes and centres), postgraduate concentration, and a track record of success in competitive grants; the balance and quality of these elements varies within our selected themes. Consequently our research plan concentrates on additional investment to achieve consistency and quality, and to measuring these enhancements over a four-year period.

The operational strategies to invest in the four research themes are comprehensive: new appointments are underway; HDR scholarships have been prioritised; new research buildings, precincts and collaborations are under construction; an infrastructure plan is concentrating on access to world class facilities; the research budget principles and processes are under revision; and the appropriate measures to direct resources and measure their effectiveness (quantity, quality, impact and return on investment) are under development through the Planning, Performance and Review Committee (PPRC).

For these research themes to shape the character of UTAS, four other factors must be realised: a high performing research culture university-wide (research breadth) supported by enabling disciplines and new technologies; the themes must enhance our teaching and learning strategies, and thus the curriculum and its delivery (the teaching-research nexus); a commitment to a multi-campus university with distributed research capacity and excellence; and international collaboration, recognition and leadership.

For example, we are developing momentum in the Health and Wellbeing theme area from collaborations amongst Food, Health and IT in particular, and these in turn are providing a platform for increased research activity on our northern campuses. These research initiatives are strongly linked to teaching programs designed to increase engagement in higher education in Northern Tasmania (see Sections 4.1.2 and 4.4.2). Related initiatives in health, food and IT include: The Centre for Research and Education in Active Living (working title). Partnership discussions

include Federal and State Governments, local organisations such as Tas Medicare Local, Tasmanian Institute of Sport, and the Premier's Activity Council. This and related initiatives aim to develop critical research mass and contribute to improvements in ERA FoR 1106: Human Movement and Sports Science.

A virtual research centre has been formed to coordinate research with an eHealth focus. The eHealth Research Centre supports the development of eHealth research, disseminates the results and develops priorities. It provides the umbrella for engagement with industry and community partners. Sense-T and the HITLab are key enablers of eHealth research strategy.

A collaborative agreement with CSIRO and DSTO is scheduled to be signed in April 2013, through which our recently established Centre for Food Innovation will investigate, for example, food life cycles, food and health, food and sport. The Centre for Food Innovation has a strong remit to engage with the emerging initiatives in Health described above. UTAS and DSTO are co-funding the Director's position.

To achieve our principal objectives we have crafted a research plan that details specific strategies, with an implementation plan that includes timelines, KPIs and responsibilities. The research plan is simply designed to emphasise three matters – people, capacity and empowerment.

Our operational planning supporting research is designed to deliver breadth and depth. There are three strategies that are built around the quality of researchers – how they are recruited, supported and their activities measured. There are three strategies designed to increase capacity and global research impact - strategies to deepen global collaboration, to train the next generation of researchers while enjoying their energy and innovation and to build an enterprising culture of end-user engagement. Finally there are two strategies to empower and incentivize

researchers, by forming responsive and adaptable policies and implementation bodies that help align resources with our research priorities.

The University is currently analysing the ERA 2012 results to determine how to address areas of research underperformance, consolidate its broad array of research strengths and address the predictable changes to ERA 2015 where impact measures are likely to complement quality measures. Based on ERA10 and ERA12, global rankings and internal research performance metrics, the University will continue its practice of aligning HDRs with high quality supervisors in areas of quality research. During 2013 the criteria for allocating scholarships will be reviewed and refined.


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)

15 14 20

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

38 37 47

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

n/a Information and Computing Sciences (08)Engineering (09)Education (13)Commerce and Management (15)Public Health and Health Services (1117)Nursing (1110)Psychology (1701)



Indicators

Baseline2012




Target2016

Category 1 income $34,967,435 $33,748,525 $38,032,082 $40,999,047 $43,966,013

Category 2 Income $18,526,227 $24,948,161 $26,033,954 $28,283,130 $29,755,707

Number of joint research grants in Australia

663 670 700 748 790

Number of joint research grants overseas

18 19 22 26 30

Number of jointly supervised PhD students in Australia14

186 168 176 185 194

Number of jointly supervised PhD students overseas15

9 35 37 39 41



Baseline2012




Target2016

Research income per FTE (positions with a research component)

$90,014 $98,857 $105,383 $115,521 $128,011

National share of ACG 2.1% 2.4% 2.5% 2.7% 2.9%

5.2 Research training


The 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

Strengthened research training is a key strategy for UTAS’ pursuit of research excellence. Reforms instituted during the last Compact period have yielded strong results, resulting in growth

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).

in HDR load and timely completions. The University will continue to improve this area by attracting and retaining the best research students, further improving completion times and equipping students with skills beyond their immediate research focus.

The University has successfully introduced a compulsory study program to provide a range of generic skills in research planning, the ethical conduct of research, research publications and communications, as well as a range of specialised subjects to increase capabilities (in theory, methods and techniques). In 2013 we are reviewing the content of the generic skills and capability units, their delivery methods and increased tailoring of the capability units.

We are working through a new HDR reporting mechanism for adaptation to the faculty, school and institute understanding of their progress in meeting recruitment, total load, completions and completion time targets. At a broad level, considerable progress has been made to improve completion times, but we need to have a more informative and diagnostic approach to the provision of reliable and regular reporting. There is a strong appetite across the University to better understand performance, targets and strategies in the HDR area.

Enhancing quality Through competitive scholarships and support packages, UTAS will attract and retain the best

possible HDR candidates. The distribution of scholarships will be increasingly aligned with research themes and research

excellence. UTAS will attract increasing numbers of international HDR candidates, in keeping with its focus

on global engagement. The University highly values the benefits of developing an internationalised pool of researchers.

Supervisors’ capacity will be developed by training workshops, colloquia and their evaluation. The recently developed Higher Degree Research (HDR) Good Practice Framework will be used

to guide and inform research training.

Supporting completions Investment in upgrading of the candidate management system (iGrad) will better support

candidates and supervisors, improving HDR outcomes. Completions are a key performance indicator for faculties/institutes and scholarship

distribution. The University is upgrading administrative processes in candidate management, including

staffing levels, roles and responsibilities. The governance structure has been strengthened by the appointment of Associate Deans

(Graduate Research) and training Graduate Research Coordinators.

Skilling students 2011 saw the introduction of the Graduate Certificate in Research for all doctoral candidates

and two core research units for Masters candidates. Monitoring and evaluation will ensure it contributes to enhancing HDR generic skills and employability.

A new Skilling Unit has been established to manage the Graduate Certificate and innovative programs such as PASSPORT, a peer-based skilling program.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people• Funds for two scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are earmarked.

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.



Indicators

Baseline

2012




Target2016

HDR student load 733 771 811 841 887

HDR student completions by masters

30 32 32 34 35

HDR student completions by doctorates

150 172 177 182 193



Baseline2012




Target2016

Satisfaction with thesis examination time

(Our examination process is seen as fair (89% agree) and transparent (90% agree), however we need to improve examination time).

68% 64% 70% 75% 80%

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 RepresentativeProfessor Peter RathjenVice-ChancellorUniversity of TasmaniaPrivate Bag 51HOBART Tasmania 7001Email: [email protected]: 03 6226 2002, Fax: 03 6226 2001

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 the University of Tasmania, ABN 30 764 374 782.

mailto:[email protected]

Signed for and on behalf of the University of Tasmania

by

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

Professor Peter Rathjen

the Vice-Chancellor

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)

contents - govcms€¦ · web viewsandy bay tasmania 7005 (university) context. policy setting....

Documents