professor james a. mcwha vice-chancellor and president keynote address to the ac21 international...

Life Impact | The University of Adelaide

Professor James A. McWhaVice-Chancellor and President

Keynote Address to the AC21 International Forum21 October 2010

World class universitiesor a world class system:which way for Australia?

Life Impact | The University of AdelaideSlide 2

AC 21 International Forum 2010

World class universities

Oxford … Cambridge … Yale … Harvard …

University of Adelaide Chemnitz University of TechnologyUniversity of Sydney University of FreiburgGadjah Mada University Huazhong University of Science &TechnologyJilin University Nagoya UniversityNanjing University National University of LaosNortheastern University Stellenbosch UniversityPeking University Chulalongkorn UniversityShanghai Jiao Tong University Kasetsart UniversityTongji University University of WarwickUniversity of Strasbourg North Carolina State University

~17,000 higher education institutions world-wide



SJTU

International Students Nobel/Fields Academic Peer Review Employer Review Faculty/Student Ratio Citations

THE

Teaching Research Citations Industry Income International Mix (Students/Staff)

Components of different ranking systems



Current emphases

Universal• quality, access; participation

Economic - developing• retaining students, building capacity

Economic - developed• demand-driven; student experience



University Characteristics

Traditional Next Generation

Management Academic Governance CorporateActivity Focus Research TeachingOrientation Staff StudentsApproach Structured FlexiblePresence Local, physical Global, digitalMajor Income Governments, Student Fees

Benefactors



Alternative Measures

• Higher Education participation rates• % of population with degree• % of students from disadvantaged backgrounds• % of budget spent on outreach and community service• % of contributions to economy• % of partnerships with business and industry• % of international partnerships• Environmentally sustainable practices, reductions in footprint• Diversity and integration of student population• Social responsibility and engagement – integration with local communities• Number of arts, cultural and/or community events held• Numbers of staff and students involved in international exchanges• % of partnerships with primary and secondary schools



Sources of Revenue

• Ranked in top 100 by Times but not in SJTU or QS:– University of Alexandria– Hong Kong University of Science and Technology– Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute– Hong Kong Baptist University– Royal Holloway University of London



Declining Expenditure

• Ranked in top 100 by Times but not in SJTU or QS:– University of Alexandria– Hong Kong University of Science and Technology– Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute– Hong Kong Baptist University– Royal Holloway University of London



‘We see [our universities] as the engine rooms of innovation and economic and social progress …As places to be respected and nurtured – in returnfor their continuing cooperation and hard work.’

The Hon Julia Gillard,then Minister for EducationMarch 2008



Government Reform Package

• Student centred and demand driven.• More graduates.• National regulatory and quality agencies.• Participation targets for under-represented students.• Improve pathways.• Concentrate research activity & resources in areas of excellence. • Increased collaboration between universities and industry,

including international partnerships.• Expectation of increased performance reporting.



Performance Measures – The Compacts

Mission-based compacts will detail public funding commitments and reciprocal university commitments

• greater collaboration and sectoral diversity• increased participation by under-represented groups• guide the distribution of performance-based funds• alignment of institutional activity with national priorities• increased student participation and inclusion



2010 Australian Federal Election – Cabinet Reshuffle

August 2010Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace RelationsMinister for Industry, Innovation, Science and Research





September 2010Minister for Jobs, Skills, and Workplace RelationsMinister for Industry, Innovation and Science





September 2010Minister for Jobs, Skills, and Workplace RelationsMinister for Industry, Innovation and Science

September 2010 – one week onMinister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Jobs and Workplace RelationsMinister for Industry, Innovation, Science and Research



“… high quality tertiary education [is] more importantthan ever before. The imperative for countries is to raise higher-level employment skills, to sustain a globally competitive research base and to improve knowledge dissemination to the benefit of society.

OECD, 2008



International Developments

Chinainternational reputation and influence; adapting to demographic

change; flexible entry; massive investment.

Francepublic investment; more autonomy; increasing numbers of poor and

disadvantaged students; performance-based funding

South AfricaNational Student Financial Aid Scheme; increased public investment;

loans and bursaries

EnglandMore investment; student choice; access and equity; student finance

and affordability.



The implications for Australian universities

To achieve the Australian Government’s objectives:

• An increase in commencing students of around 50,000 by 2013– 37% on 2009 student numbers.

• Increased student number of 350,000 by 2025– 90% increase on 2009 student numbers.

• An additional 18,000 staff.



Measuring quality

• More than just access and equity

• Linking student learning and educational outcomes

• Bologna process

but …

• we have to convince Government and the public that these are meaningful and valid measures



The challenge for Australian universities

• Do what the Government and the public wants (expects)

or …

• Strike out boldly;• Embrace new concepts;• Promote philanthropy;• Gain international recognition;• Create the ability for self-determination and sustainability,

whether through increased investment or complete de-regulation.

and more …



Questions

1. Is there a link between the excellence of an education system and individual excellence, and if so, what is it?



Questions


2. If the system spreads resources ever more widely, and world-class gives way to average, where do we go from there?



Questions


2. If the system spreads resources ever more widely, and world-class gives way to average, where do we go from there?

3. Is there a “third way” where Next Generation universities focussed on teaching?

professor james a. mcwha vice-chancellor and president keynote address to the ac21 international...

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