Vice Chancellor's Review

2012 has been an exciting year, with a range of strategic initiatives implemented which will assist in advancing the quality and reputation of the University while ensuring its long term sustainability.

Building reputation – Murdoch’s mission to reconnect teaching and research

In 2012 the Senate approved the new Strategic Plan 2012 – 2017, which outlines a 21st century vision for the University. The plan, which was the subject of significant consultation both within and outside the University, presents three core priorities:

• Leading edge, blue sky and translational research;
• High quality teaching and learning; and
• Strong societal engagement.

In addition, the parallel aspiration of these strategies is the vision to progress them in a way which provides for international connectivity. Internationalisation is a whole-of-University enterprise and does not simply refer to international student recruitment. Internationalisation is about the widening of cross-cultural experience and understanding. Through research, teaching and engagement, the University can successfully participate in an increasingly globalised world – building reputation through knowledge dissemination and partnerships.

Murdoch continues to be a major player in the development of the Murdoch Activity Centre (MAC), particularly the plans for the University’s Eastern Precinct. The overall project, which includes the Fiona Stanley and St John of God hospitals, will see a wide range of activities, including health and biomedical services, cultural amenity and events and hospitality and commercial facilities. The University will bring its expertise and community ethos to the MAC across its three core activities of research, teaching and engagement. In terms of our strategic aims, the activity centre will be an ideal opportunity to demonstrate how a contemporary university can combine its core activities in a dynamic integrated way.

In 2012 we established the new Sir Walter Murdoch School of Public Policy and International Affairs, which began operation in 2013. This graduate school is the first of its kind in Western Australia and offers a unique opportunity to develop skills, experience and career opportunities in public policy and international affairs through the delivery of professional postgraduate degrees. The new school will build on our strengths in applying worldclass research to real world problems, giving students the opportunity to undertake policy studies in areas of Murdoch’s research and applied policy strength, including Asian studies, political science, international relations, professional communication, environmental and resource management, energy, food security and biosecurity, animal welfare, water management and health policy.

In keeping with our internationalisation strategy, the organisation of the first Murdoch Commission is also well underway. Entitled Western Australia and the evolving regional order – the next 25 years, challenges and opportunities, it is an international commission of inquiry that will examine WA’s broad development potential through a set of specific themes. A distinguished group of Commissioners from the region recently met for the first time to consider regional issues.

An exciting prospect with the National Trust of WA for the lease of Whitby Falls Farm has been under discussion. The site would provide a working farm environment for teaching and research in veterinary science, animal science, environmental science and water-related courses. It is anticipated that the site would also provide a variety of education and research collaborations with a range of local, state and international bodies. The University will ensure sustainable management of this site while promoting its rich natural and built heritage for enhanced educational outcomes.

Financial position

Financially, the University is in a strong position. 2012 saw the University achieve a consolidated surplus of $33 million driven largely by improvements in student load, investment performance, management of cost structures and timing associated with grants received.

Although a pleasing result, the University has ongoing financial challenges which include the significant capital requirements associated with its existing and future facilities, as well as the Western Australian half student cohort in 2015. Generating a surplus is crucial to meeting these challenges and will assist the University in achieving financial sustainability.

For a detailed analysis on the result, refer to the Operational Structure section.

University reorganisation

After my appointment as Vice Chancellor in 2011, a priority was the revitalisation of the Senior Leadership Group. Professor Ann Capling and Professor David Morrison officially began their roles as Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic and Deputy Vice Chancellor Research respectively in February 2012. Both are significant scholars with outstanding international reputations in their respective disciplines. The University also appointed Jon Baldwin as Deputy Vice Chancellor Professional Services who also began in early February. Mr Baldwin has held significant management, teaching and administrative posts at some of Britain’s best universities.

In addition to a new senior leadership, a review of the organisational structure of the University was undertaken with a view to enhancing the management and governance of our operations. A formal consultation process has led to a reconfiguration of School structures and of the professional services which support them. A global search for six new School Deans is underway – along with a Dean for the new graduate school. These appointments will be confirmed in 2013 and offer a major opportunity to reinvigorate the senior academic leadership of the University. They, along with the two confirmed Deans for Veterinary and Life Sciences and Law, will be pivotal to the success of our new approach.

In the context of re-organisation, the ongoing work of the Murdoch Curriculum Commission is a key element in achieving our goal of providing a rich and diverse academic learning experience with a curriculum integrally linked to quality research and up-to-date pedagogy, equipping students with life-long learning skills and the capacity to successfully engage in a globally-connected world.

The Curriculum Commission has undertaken a thorough analysis of our courses, degrees and degree structures and examined the current and future needs of our students, as well as national and international trends and impacts in higher education, educational technologies and pedagogy. The outcomes of the Commission will strengthen the nexus between teaching and research and ensure the provision of academic programs which are of international quality and design and are financially sustainable.

All of these strategies are designed to enhance our core activities, ensuring we are ‘fit for purpose’ with a strong management and governance model that will facilitate our 21st century vision.

Significant achievements

Along with the range of initiatives that began in 2012, there has been much to celebrate, with a range of awards and achievements which demonstrate the depth and quality of our University.

At the national level, the Excellence in Research Australia (ERA) results were very positive for us. The number of fields rated “well above world standard” has increased from five to seven, and we have maintained our strength in units rated as “above world standard”. Overall, 85 per cent of our assessed areas are rated “at world standard” or above, which confirms Murdoch as a high quality research university.

Murdoch also received more positive news in university rankings – being placed 301-350 in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2012/13. This was the first time that Murdoch has been considered in these rankings, which use a set of 13 performance indicators to judge universities across all of their core missions – teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. There are only 19 Australian universities listed in the top 400 this year.

In addition, the ninth annual QS World University Rankings were published in September, with seven Australian institutions in the top 100. Australia had the third highest representation among the countries included – after the UK and the US. Murdoch is ranked number 448 – a jump of at least 50 places from 2011/12, which places us in the top five per cent of universities globally.

Despite methodological limitations, it is a fact that rankings influence international students and potential staff members in their decisions about universities and provide positive indicators of quality and reputation, so these rankings confirm Murdoch as a quality international institution.

During the year, Murdoch University received a $5 million grant from the Federal Government to implement outreach projects in local high schools to encourage and inspire local students to continue their education at university. This project: Building Aspirations and Learning Links for Young people to go to University, will allow the University to work with many of the high schools in Kwinana, Rockingham and Peel to create innovative programs. New university courses and pathway programs at our Rockingham and Peel campuses will be part of the response. Murdoch’s expertise in pathways to learning and building aspirations was a critical factor in receiving this grant.

In teaching and learning, the University also achieved success in the Australian Awards for University Teaching 2012 with four citations for outstanding contributions to student learning. The awards were for innovative teaching and pedagogy – engaging students to achieve academic success.

As a part of the new Federal regulatory environment, Murdoch has been very active this year preparing for renewal of registration as a self-accrediting higher education provider. The Tertiary Education Quality Assurance Agency (TEQSA), established in 2011, regulates and assures the quality of Australia’s higher education sector, assessing performance against a Higher Education Standards Framework. Assessment of our completed application will be concluded in 2013.

Strategic activities undertaken in 2012 provide an excellent platform for the implementation of our strategic plan in the coming years. As a University, we enter 2013 in a stronger position than we entered 2012, and I am confident in our abilities as an institution and a community to meet the challenges of the future.

Professor Richard Higgott
Vice Chancellor