Annual Report University Tasmania of University of Tasmania Annual Report 2008
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ANNUAL REPORT UNIVERSITY TASMANIA OF UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA ANNUAL REPORT 2008 This is the report of the Council of the University of Tasmania approved by resolution at its meeting on 3 April 2009. To His Excellency the Honourable Peter Underwood AO Governor of Tasmania May it please Your Excellency: The Council of the University of Tasmania, in conformity with the provisions of the University of Tasmania Act 1992, has the honour to report, for Your Excellency’s information, on the proceedings of the University for 2008 and to present the financial statements for that year. Damian Bugg AM QC Chancellor June 2009 CONTENTS Vision and Mission 2 The Chancellor’s Message 3 The Vice-Chancellor’s Message 4 2008 at a Glance 6 Governance 7 The University of Tasmania Performance 14 Teaching and Learning 20 Research and Research Training 24 is the State’s university. Our People 28 Community Engagement 29 Development 34 It is a generator of ideas Organisational Chart 37 Financials 38 and knowledge and makes Alphabetical Index 76 Contact Details 76 a significant contribution to the economic, social and cultural fabric of the Tasmanian community. It has a crucial role to play in the State’s long-term prosperity. University of tasmania University of tasmania 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 and national development. UTAS will be characterised by its high-quality academic community, its unique island setting and its distinctive student experience. mission The University of Tasmania is committed to continuing its long tradition of excellence 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. University of tasmania 3 the chancellor’s message This year has been a challenging I have spoken about the advantages we have in being a one for the University. The single-university state, but those advantages come with continuing uncertainty caused certain difficulties. The continuing challenge of providing by the economic downturn, course flexibility for our students while maintaining high which I mentioned last year, has teaching and learning standards has, in my view, been imposed increased pressures met through the hard work of the Vice-Chancellor, his on the decision makers within senior managers and all academic staff at the University. the University. I believe that the I congratulate them on the result. The University, while steady approach taken by senior growing, continues to provide a quality small-university management and the Council over the past year, which student experience which maintains our enviable is outlined in this report, has positioned the University to reputation. meet the foreseeable risks flowing from Our work in finalising the Campus Master Plan and that downturn. committing to the structural redevelopment of the built I have mentioned previously the advantages flowing to the environment of the University was finalised during the University and the State from the partnership agreement year. We will progress the works outlined in the plan as we have with the State Government. The good working our resources and external sources of funding permit. relationship we have with the Government continued The new building for the co-location of the Medical during the year. The University is established and School and the Menzies Research Institute has taken operates pursuant to an Act of the Tasmanian Parliament. shape during the year. The works are on schedule for Under that Act, there is a structured relationship with completion towards the end of 2009. The building is the the Minister for Education. During the year the Minister, biggest dollar commitment the University has made in the Hon. David Bartlett MHA, was elected Premier, any building program to date and it is pleasing to see reinforcing the strength of the partnership. I feel such a large and complex project still on schedule. confident that the advantages which the University and I wish to record my thanks to all members of Council the State share through our partnership agreement will and the committees of Council. The extensive work provide a sound base to obtain maximum benefit from the that they generously undertake, all on a voluntary educational reforms being introduced by the Government. basis, is first rate. During 2008 the University completed the first year of I also wish to once again record my appreciation, on integration of the Australian Maritime College (AMC). behalf of the University, of the excellent leadership of the I am pleased to report that the first year of operation Vice-Chancellor, Professor Daryl Le Grew, and his senior has been a successful one. It is not easy for two such management team in achieving the institutions to come together in such a cohesive way. outcomes detailed in this report. I congratulate the Vice-Chancellor and his staff, and As I said last year, we have set the Principal of the College and his staff, for the way high goals in a challenging and in which the integration has been managed. difficult environment. The results The University plan (EDGE2) has set strong growth have been hard won. targets. The outcomes detailed in this report reflect a positive result, taking into account the challenges of a competitive job market at the time of enrolments and increasing competition across the sector. The task of increasing the level of Year 12 tertiary take-up in Tasmania to national levels continues, and the goals we have set Damian Bugg AM QC for the University within the State are achievable. Chancellor 4 University of tasmania University of tasmania the vice-chancellor’s message The University of Tasmania The review examined the Australian higher education celebrated and strengthened its system against international best practice and assessed role in the Tasmanian community whether it is capable of contributing to the innovation during 2008, with record and productivity gains required for long-term economic numbers of students (local, development and growth; to ensure that there is a broad- national and international), based tertiary education system producing professionals an increase in the number of for both national and local labour market needs. Tasmanians with academic UTAS continued to work with the sector and as qualifications, more research an individual institution to provide ideas, comment, funding as well as teaching and advice and encouragement to ensure the Federal learning funding and an improved international ranking. Government’s Higher Education Revolution had a real UTAS achieved these gains against a challenging impact on the university sector. backdrop of change – anticipated changes through the One of the tools that ensures UTAS is prepared to Australian Government’s review of the higher education respond to change is its strategic plan. sector and preparation for changes due to the impact Last year we conducted a review and update of the of dramatic economic circumstances impacting on University’s plan, the EDGE agenda (Excellence, economies around the world. Distinctiveness, Growth and Engagement). EDGE2 Underpinning that dynamic operating environment articulates our aspirations, institutional goals and key was the knowledge that UTAS’ place and value in the priorities for 2008-2010, including the emphasis on a Tasmanian and Australian community as a whole was high-performance culture, and continuing to develop well established and that UTAS as an institution was well our distinctiveness. placed to adapt and embrace both change and challenge. Through EDGE2, with its program of investment in Earlier in 2008, the Deputy Prime Minister and Education ‘New Stars and Rising Stars’, our competitiveness in Minister, the Hon. Julia Gillard, announced a major world university rankings will be increased. review of the sector with broad terms of reference. University of tasmania 5 A productive society is well educated, enterprising It is fitting that on most key research measures, UTAS and inclusive. I believe that over the next five years, has continued to rate very highly when compared with UTAS will grow in specific ways as a result of targeting other universities. During 2008, UTAS held a very strong particular sectors and delivering specifically designed position in research income, with major grants being coursework and research training products. won by the Menzies Research Institute and the Faculty Once again, our work and effort during 2008 has of Science, Engineering and Technology. positioned UTAS to do this well. I am pleased to report that the integration of the UTAS College remained a priority during 2008. UTAS Australian Maritime College (AMC) with the University College will offer a range of avenues into the University, of Tasmania has been implemented. The full potential of keying well with the proposed Tasmania Tomorrow this relationship is being realised daily, with AMC having structure. Accelerated learning, flexible entry points, a strong position as the premier maritime and maritime- articulation arrangements and other programs will lead related teaching and research institute in the country. to a model