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Annual Report 2016 Contents Annual Report 2016 Contents Chancellor’s letter 3 Vice-Chancellor’s introduction 4 The Melbourne Vision 5 At a glance 7 Five-year statistics 8 Teaching, learning and the student experience 10 Research 16 Engagement 22 Sustainability 30 University Governance 38 Council membership 39 Senior leadership 43 Statutory reporting 48 Financials Financial statement overview 65 Five-year financial summary 70 Financial statements 73 Front cover: Arts West, new landmark building on Parkville campus, internal staircase The Hon Gayle Tierney MP Minister for Training and Skills Level 1, 2 Treasury Place East Melbourne VIC 3002 15 March 2017 Dear Minister In accordance with the requirements of regulations and financial reporting directions under the Financial Management Act 1994, I am pleased to submit for your information and presentation to Parliament the Annual Report of the University of Melbourne for the year ending 31 December 2016. The University of Melbourne Council endorsed the Annual Report at its meeting on Wednesday 15 March 2017. 2016 was a successful year for the University. Student demand remained strong at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Academic and professional staff continued to perform at a high level. The University’s research activity has maintained its impressive national and international profile. This is reflected in international university rankings, success in attracting Australian and international research funding, and many awards and honours recognising the contributions of our academic staff. The University's 2015 Collision brand campaign won two awards at the 2016 Australian Marketing Institute Awards for Marketing Excellence: the Marketing Program of the Year and the Education category. In order to continue to be a strong competitor nationally and globally, the University must anticipate and respond to the growing challenges to its funding, research, teaching and reputation. The University is investing in more academic staff and focusing strategic support for areas of research excellence where it can maximise its impact. It took significant strides in 2016 towards reaching its target of raising $1 billion in philanthropic donations and deepening its relationships with alumni worldwide. Development of infrastructure is also crucial to supporting and enhancing the University’s research and teaching capabilities. The Arts West building, opened in 2016 by the Faculty of Arts, showcases the innovative use of learning spaces to support new ways of teaching and learning. The University’s plans to develop a sustainability and resilience precinct at the former Royal Women’s Hospital site also made significant progress. The University of Melbourne Council is committed to leading the institution as it carries out Growing Esteem 2015–2020, the University’s strategy for becoming one of the finest universities in the world. On behalf of Council I would like to thank Elizabeth Alexander AM for her many years of dedication and leadership as Chancellor of the University, concluding at the end of 2016. Yours sincerely Allan Myers AC QC Chancellor Already a well-regarded public institution, the University of Melbourne achieved a significant boost to its international reputation in 2016 with a rise to 40 on the Academic Ranking of World Universities. This consolidated several years of reputational enhancement, which has also seen the University placed for two consecutive years at 33 on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. On both measures, Melbourne has clearly achieved the number one reputational ranking among universities in Australia. An important refinement of the University’s management approach in 2016 was a wide-ranging discussion among our campus communities around principles of sustainability. This has led to adoption of a clear set of organising principles for the University based on three closely related themes: organisational, financial and environmental sustainability. At management and governance levels, this approach creates renewed confidence that the institution will continue to work from a position of strength. A wide range of initiatives in research and the continuing pursuit of innovation and excellence by researchers in each faculty contributed to the University’s enhanced reputation in 2016. These included initiatives to boost research linkages between Melbourne and leading institutions in Germany, India, Brazil and the United States, and a broad range of significant funded projects supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Australian Research Council. Two joint Australia-China research centres were established with Melbourne as the host institution, and seven Hallmark Research Initiatives supported by the University operated successfully throughout the year. International connections were also strengthened in the University’s teaching and learning division, with the number and diversity of dual-degree programs with international partners expanding. After successfully trialling free online learning courses (MOOCs) for several years, the University completed its first full year of offering fully accredited professional degree programs, at graduate level through Graduate Online – Melbourne. The University remained a preferred undergraduate study destination for Victorian bachelor degree students, with the number of VTAC first preference requests for Melbourne places in Arts, Commerce, Science and Biomedicine growing between 2015 and 2016. International demand for enrolments in the Melbourne Curriculum also remained strong. At the conclusion of 2016 the University thanked and farewelled its Chancellor for the past six years, Elizabeth Alexander AM, who served the institution with distinction. We welcome another alumnus of the University in Allan Myers AC QC, as Chancellor from the beginning of 2017. Professor Glyn Davis AC Vice-Chancellor The Melbourne Vision The University of Melbourne is committed to being one of the finest universities in the world, contributing to society in ways that enrich and transform our lives. We measure our success by the 10 goals articulated in the University’s strategic plan Growing Esteem 2015–2020. Consistently ranked among the top 40 universities globally Providing opportunities for students from all cultures and all backgrounds to successfully participate in the educational, cultural and social life of the University Known for service to the nation, recognising the responsibilities that follow national higher education leadership Achieving student satisfaction and graduate outcomes comparable to the best universities in the world Renowned for delivering learning and teaching programs that transform talented students into thoughtful and accomplished graduates Fully engaged in the life, culture and aspirations of Melbourne and the regions we serve The Australian university of choice for the most talented students and scholars worldwide Recognised as a leader in embedding sustainability in all aspects of the University’s operations, teaching and learning, research and engagement Known for research and impact, underpinned by a comprehensive and world-leading discipline base Deeply connected with business, government and community, with our precincts a key means of engaging with partners to leverage research and teaching strengths At a glance Global Arts West rankings Grants Increased international grants #1 in Australia* Over the course of the year, #33 Times Higher Education grants from international World University ranking New landmark building sponsors increased by #40 Academic Ranking of at Parkville 50 per cent. World Universities *Academic Ranking of World Universities 2016 and Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2016–2017 19 293 completions 17 highly cited researchers Ranked number 1 Most of any 48 088 equivalent full time Australian university student load enrolments including 36.4% international students Commitment to sustainability Graduate Online – Melbourne For combined funding Seven new fully online awarded by National Health offered during and Medical Research Council programs the year Savings of and Australian Research $2.5 million from Council reuse of furniture Atlantic Fellows Program . Believe Quality teaching Campaign $50 000 000 $A628.1 million total philanthropic income $US50 million grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies – leveraging an additional $A160 million from government 87.9% of 2015 graduates 2016, the most successful and partner organisations – agreed that their course of year for Believe – largest philanthropic gift studies will be valuable for the Campaign for the in University of Melbourne their future. University of Melbourne history. *Australian Graduate Survey 2015 Pictured left: Iconic Faculty of Business and Economics building, affectionately known as ‘The Spot’ Five-year statistics Teaching and Learning Research performance Financial performance The University of Melbourne attracts In 2016, the University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne’s strategic students with high academic potential from maintained its position as a leading plan Growing Esteem 2015–2020 emphasises all backgrounds. Overall enrolments grew Australian research university. The five- financial sustainability and resilience as a by over 2600 equivalent full time student year trend for research income shows strategic priority, with success driven by the load (EFTSL) in 2016 compared with the an overall increase, with the University University’s ability to diversify sources of previous year. In
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