University of Tasmania Strategic Plan 2019-2024 July 2019
utas.edu.au Contents Science students learning in the field at the base of kunanyi/ Honouring our first people and Mount Wellington. 3 their ongoing contribution A map for navigating 4 the next five years 6 Our mission 8 The strengths we have The challenges we have 10 to deliver our mission 13 Our strategies 17 Conclusion 18 College of Arts, Law and Education 20 College of Sciences and Engineering 22 College of Health and Medicine 24 College of Business and Economics 26 University College 28 Research Division 30 Academic Division 32 Global and Marketing 34 Chief Operating Officer Division Measuring the progress 36 of our journey 43 Continuing the conversation
2 | University of Tasmania ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COUNTRY Honouring our first people and their ongoing contribution
We acknowledge the palawa and Gadigal, the traditional owners of the land on which we live and work, and we recognise their enduring culture. We also recognise that decisions about the future shape of Aboriginal education and research here are, first and foremost, ones to be made by Aboriginal leaders within the University, in discussion with other senior leaders. We seek the wisdom of Aboriginal leaders with their deep knowledge of country as we explore how to be a university that has place as the centre of its thinking.
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A map for navigating the next five years
Last year we conducted a series Over the last six months, the colleges Our mission to make a difference of cascading conversations that and divisions have worked together for lutruwita/Tasmania, and from started with a set of questions to develop a strategic plan to deliver Tasmania to the world, is a long-term about the nature of our mission our mission in a way that enables us one that requires a long-term plan. and how we wanted to characterise to capitalise on our strengths and The contribution of our people and the University of Tasmania. meet our challenges. This document their unique skills and perspectives in summarises that work. The overall achieving our mission is paramount. That thinking came together in picture here is supported in each It is also a mission that requires our Strategic Direction document college and division by more detailed us to work in deep and sustained in November. It emphasised operational, financial and people partnerships, both internally and with themes of being place-based and plans. Together, these documents the many other organisations and globally connected, right-sized and enable us to work on a five-year people across the State and around responsive, regionally networked horizon so that our choices will the world who are also committed to provide quality and access, be guided by a long-term view. to creating that better future. It is and being people-centred. We not something we can achieve alone, recognised that in being that kind but only together with others. A of university, our setting brings long-term plan will help us create and great strengths and challenges. strengthen these critical partnerships.
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We start with an overview of our Finally, the document will close with efforts across a large and complex mission, strengths and challenges an overview of how we will track organisation, their real importance and the overall strategy. Because our progress and measure success is to empower people to act on the strategy matters only if it is relevant in bringing our strategies to life. principles embodied within them. to the day-to-day lives of everyone who is part of it, the document then This will help ensure we stay focused That empowerment is an opportunity sets out what the strategy means, on our mission, allowing us to adjust for everyone in every role to work more specifically, for each college early when our approach does with those inside and beyond the and division. Our task is to take that not have the desired effect and to University to see Tasmania realise picture and break it down, to figure sustain the conversations across its full potential, to become one out what it means in our particular the University on the questions we of the very special places on the part of the University and the work are answering and whether we are planet, a place that people can we do with our colleagues. For, in the answering them in the right way. look to as a model for how to end, it will be the collegial work that create a truly sustainable, equitable While strategic documents such as we do to realise this vision that will and prosperous society while this play a necessary role in helping make all the difference. preserving the distinctive qualities us make consistent choices about that make it such a special place. priorities and coordinating our
Science students investigate unique geological formations at the Tessellated Pavement, Eaglehawk.
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Our mission A PLACE WHERE WE DO THINGS FOR TASMANIA AND FROM TASMANIA
Place shapes our mission and how From Tasmania to the world The nature of our island and we deliver it. It starts with Tasmania, If part of our place-based mission its population allows a study of because that is our home, but it does is to be the university for Tasmania, population health that is possible not end there. Being the University we are strategically placed in only in a few places. Our distinctive of Tasmania makes us a university the world to do vital things cultural history produces thinkers, for Tasmania but also one where from Tasmania for the world. writers, artists and musicians whose we do things from Tasmania. influence reaches around the globe. Our unique location, our island We are a university that was founded character and our complex history These and other areas of our to serve an entire State and its bring both the obligation and the expertise underpin not just the people, and we remain the only opportunity to make a distinctive knowledge we create but our university specifically for this global contribution. Our proximity to ability to provide unique learning society. Societies such as ours are the Southern Ocean and Antarctica and teaching experiences for our characterised by the value they has produced research strengths in students, which in turn enables them place on the ennobling potential of oceanography, climate and Antarctic to make significant contributions education, discovery and creativity. science. Our unique geology and to the island and to the world. Equally, sustainable social, economic history have given us distinctive The character of Tasmania as a place and cultural progress requires capabilities in the world of minerals does more than define our broad ever-higher levels of capability and and mining. This ark of mission; it invites us as a university constant investigation to solve the Gondwanaland, with its Wilderness to have a character that responds to complex problems and questions that World Heritage Area, gives biological the unique qualities of the island. we face. There are always these two science access to globally important parts to our mission, and we need ecosystems and species. Our view of A sustainable place to avoid false, forced choices that the southern sky has led to a world- The finite qualities of islands remind we need to do one over the other. class academic pedigree in astronomy us that ecologically and socially we Our task is to find ways to do both. and astrophysics. Our maritime need to be a sustainable place; we heritage makes us home to much of must work with ecosystems, not the nation’s maritime capabilities.
The University's Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies on the Hobart Waterfront.
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Launceston is a European- style city with beautiful architecture and a welcoming community.
against them, and the definition All have people for whom their – from health and education to of a community provided by our first priority is their distinctive income equality and environmental island’s watery boundaries reminds place. We need to nurture the protection – while also having us that we must work together. distinctiveness and success of each competitive economies that provide Tasmania has environmental values region of Tasmania to contribute the wealth to pay for that human and that are of global significance and, to and benefit from the great natural flourishing. as islanders, we have obligations of whole that is Tasmania. We are Fulfilling our mission would see stewardship. As we think about that also a university with a presence Tasmania join that league of special stewardship and the broader task of in places off the island. Being places where the quality of life and being sustainable, we are guided in attuned to place means attending magnificence of the environment our thinking by the United Nations to the local wherever we are. make it a model that others look Sustainable Development Goals and to for inspiration on how to live well the recognition that our job is to A people-centric place on this fragile planet with all its find our way to create a model The value of community, of human complexity. where prosperity, inclusivity, the connections and care for others, are If we are to create the next model environment and social and qualities cherished by people across for the planet, it will grow from technological progress advance the island. These are a reminder of our distinctive place. The intimate together, not in tension. In those the qualities that universities should proximity to nature shared by places where we work off-island, have, especially ones such as ours everyone on the island could whether it is in Sydney or Shanghai, that take their place in a network underpin long healthy lives; our we bring our island values, values of local communities. Universities smaller communities could enable our that our planet urgently needs. should be purposeful communities mission to see everyone educated committed to a mission and the A place of places and cared for; the inventiveness and growth and flourishing of the people self-reliance that come with having an Integral to what constitutes Tasmania that are part of them, both students island home could fuel the innovation is that it is made of distinctively and staff. needed to create globally competitive different places, each with its own enterprises; and our complex history A model for the world unique characteristics: whether it of division could provide impetus is facing the great Southern Ocean; These unique natural and human for the vision of a truly inclusive being inland at the confluence of qualities we have talked about society. Our island could help us great rivers; living on a beautiful make Tasmania a very special place. realise all of these objectives but it fertile ribbon between wilderness When we look around the world at will take everyone in every role in and wild strait; or on the West similar smaller societies in distinctive the University working in partnership Coast with winds that blow around places, such as New Zealand or the with people inside and out. While the the world, waves that move the countries of Scandinavia, it is notable task is not easy, and time is pressing, needles of seismographs and ancient how many have had the ability to other societies have shown us that forests watered by moisture drawn turn being small and distinctive into this is doable. Our strategy sets out from the unbroken ocean. Each the capability to lead the world in our current best view about how, has its own human story and its human wellbeing and sustainability together, we can do this. own economic and social history.
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West Park - the site of our new campus on the Cradle Coast - is close to one of Tasmania’s most stunning coastlines.
The strengths we have WE NEED TO BUILD ON OUR STRENGTHS FOR THE FUTURE.
We are fortunate in having great • We have outstanding students • We have a proven ability to deliver strengths as a university. They who achieve at the highest levels distinctive programs; are central to defining who we and make contributions, both here • We have alumni right across are today, and they are what we in Tasmania and around the world, Tasmania and around the world need to build on for the future: as distinguished as those from any who are deeply committed to Australian university; Tasmania and the kinds of values • We live on a remarkable and • We have cutting-edge research that are central to our mission; distinctive island with unique strengths in key areas that are natural and Indigenous heritages • We have the advantage of being critical for Tasmania and make and a recent history that the sole higher education provider great use of Tasmania’s location, encompasses the extremes on the island, which enables deep while contributing meaningfully to of human experiences, from and long-term partnerships. global priorities; genocide and the inhumanities of transportation to being a place of • We have campuses in three of scientific exploration and unique the State’s regions and in New artistic expression; South Wales, which are now being strengthened; • We have people who are
incredibly committed to their
work, their colleagues and Tasmania;
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Biology students hone their science skills out in the field at Maria Island.
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The challenges we have to deliver our mission OUR CHALLENGES TO DELIVER OUR MISSION ARE VERY REAL, AND THEY ARE PRESSING.
We have no time to lose. We have regional towns, fewer young people, a mere 10-year window to see the and a growing dependency ratio State on a different trajectory and a with a high burden of chronic five-year horizon to see the University disease. Unless Tasmania is on a very develop into a sustainable operation, different trajectory within that time, or we will not be able to fulfil our demographics will become destiny. mission. Our challenges The long-term If we are to meet this State’s challenges for Tasmania challenges and contribute globally, Tasmania’s challenges are our we have to be clear-eyed about challenges. While for some, these what we need to address across are relatively buoyant times, our our staff, student and economic task is to look to these long-term sustainability agendas. challenges, which are considerable. People engagement We have poor educational, social and health indicators that are second and development only to the Northern Territory. We We have started our journey in are 20% poorer per capita than the becoming people-centred, rest of Australia, with high levels of but we are not there yet: economic disadvantage. We have • Historically, we have not had challenges with our underlying the levels of people engagement measures of economic performance, consistent with being people- such as competitiveness, productivity centred; and new enterprise creation. These • We do not have enough measures are, of course, linked, Indigenous staff, and our diversity so we know we must tackle them is not where it should be; holistically. • Too many people have insecure We recognise that changing employment; this trajectory in a world where • Our core courses, e.g. our • Our processes are complex and globalisation favours large, globally- bachelor’s programs, have been frustrating for staff, students connected metropolitan areas, in long-term decline and have and partners alike, and they take rather than regional economies, reached a point where we risk time away from what people is difficult. We will always have to dipping below critical mass in really care about doing; work harder to find the distinctive key areas. They constitute only sources of advantage that are needed • We have not systematically half our revenue. These are the to generate wealth, services and invested in the development courses critical to maintaining infrastructure to support a decent of our people. our disciplines and, with them, quality of life. Our job is to help find the sustainability of the broad those sources, enable people to Sustainability of our student academic community, so we must participate in the opportunities that and academic profile reverse that decline. As we do they create and ensure we do it in an that, we need to address the fact environmentally sustainable way. To maintain the breadth and excellence of the academic that student satisfaction scores Perhaps our greatest challenge is disciplines, there is a right size and have been flat and below the time. The State has a rapidly aging a right shape that we need in our national average for too long, and population, which within 10 years student population, and we are not that attrition rates in particular will see Tasmania in negative natural there today: cohorts are too high; population growth with shrinking
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Undergraduate students got the chance to learn hands-on archaeological skills when our University and the Southern Midlands Council partnered for a two week-long dig in Tasmania’s Midlands.
• Part of our challenge is that the • We are heading for a future • Sustainability for us is also population of Tasmania is too where the State will go into geographic - for all our campuses small to sustain a university of natural population decline, to be sustainable in the long term the breadth and excellence that which means that even with and offering distinctive learning the State needs. Two forces make migration, fewer young opportunities, based on what that even more challenging: Tasmanian people will come to their regions need. We need to the University. increase our numbers, and the • The 20% and growing of young range of our offerings, on the Tasmanians who go off-island • In response to the need for scale, Cradle Coast and in Launceston. for their higher education. The we have grown international vast majority are leaving as a student numbers very strongly in rite of passage. Departures a few areas, but we need diversity are being compounded by the to better meet our educational increasing off-island targeting objectives in having international of Tasmanian students students and to avoid the risk by Victorian universities of high concentrations from especially. We get few particular countries and in students coming from the particular courses; mainland where, somewhat to our surprise, we find we are known to very few;
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Architecture and Design students bringing together social and environmental sustainability with cutting-edge AI technology.
Economic sustainability • Our policies are too numerous, The challenge of time We have not achieved long-term too complex and too dated, as As with the State itself, our greatest economic sustainability. At an are too many of our processes. pressure is time. We have a five- operating level we break even, but Together they create complexity, year window to transform our way there is no surplus to see our facilities duplication and other forms of working, or we will face a very renewed for the next generation, of waste that take time away different set of strategic questions. and it gets harder every year to find from what matters, come at an If we do not grow our core courses the capital investment for research unsustainable cost and make us across the University, we will not infrastructure that we need to harder to work with than we have the capacity to sustain the remain cutting edge, as costs rise in should be; full breadth of today’s offering. The real terms and global competition • Our long tail of course offerings demographic challenges of the State intensifies. is far longer than most will impact the North and North- Being economically sustainable universities, and the cost of West particularly hard. We need is no easy task. Our mission is an delivery far exceeds the student strong enrolment of local, interstate intrinsically high-cost one as we income our courses generate. and overseas students to ensure we support a model of regional delivery, To meet our mission there will have a critical mass of students to a broad quality offering and pathways be some courses we need to underpin the breadth of offerings, as to higher education for the whole cross-subsidise, but they must be numbers coming through from school population. very strategically chosen; and in the working-age population start to drop. If we cannot achieve Central to being sustainable is to have • Our use of physical facilities is our ~$30m surplus, then we will not the right size and shape of student highly inefficient. There are too be able to renew very aged facilities in profile and to have an economically many empty seats in classes the South. Given the long lead times sustainable way of operating. This is and not many labs that are fully on major buildings, such as science not about simplistic cost-cutting. It used. Utilisation across our facilities, time is of the essence. If we is about fundamentally changing the campuses is below 20% and often haven’t started on that work within way we operate: well below 10%; the next five years, we risk lacking • The level of philanthropic support the quality of research and teaching we receive to provide access infrastructure to enable us to be scholarships, endow academic competitive or to fulfil our mission. posts and support important projects is very low.
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Our strategies OUR STRATEGIES WILL HELP US DELIVER ON OUR MISSION.
Our strategies emerge as we seek How, as a university, do we • Develop distinctive professional to answer a set of questions, given make a positive impact on capabilities to meet Tasmania’s the strengths we have and the real the future of the State? particular needs and priorities in challenges we face, about how we all parts of the island; The future of Tasmania will be shaped deliver our mission and our aspiration by many forces. Harnessing those • Create regional competitive to see Tasmania as a place that is a forces to create a bright future will advantage for key sectors and model for the world of a sustainable, require great collaborations across new businesses through the prosperous and inclusive society public, private and community industry problems we solve; where people live well. Through all sectors. We need to be clear about • Develop from the knowledge our strategies, the flourishing of our the contribution we can make and created by the University a strong students, staff and our communities the role we can play as a university in pipeline of new, rapidly growing, is central. We will succeed only by those partnerships. There is a wide globally competitive but locally creating compelling experiences for range of ways that everyone can based enterprises; our students, being a great place to make a significant difference through work and a partner who makes a real • Develop the science, engineering our strategies to: difference. Our ability to do those and ways of working and living things sustainably is the true test of • Create place-based partnerships that provide an environmentally our strategies. Equally, the success with all sectors to tackle complex sustainable path to inclusive of every one of these strategies social and economic challenges in prosperity; depends on us working collegially an integrated way; • Contribute innovative and internally and in partnership • Provide the education students implementable policy ideas; externally. need to participate in and • Enrich our understanding of the help create those parts of the unique human and natural history economy that provide good of lutruwita/Tasmania; incomes and secure employment, • Give a distinctive creative and provide it to as large a expression to our identity proportion of the population and ideas. as possible;
Unique species, globally important ecosystems: Researcher Rodrigo Hamede with a Tasmanian devil near Cradle Mountain.
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How, as a university in a • Utilise and expand our institutes • Develop five-year-plus research regional setting, can we model to do research where plans to support the investments continue to have global impact? we can access resources and in people and infrastructure that relationships by being part of enable us to pursue big questions. The University has done very well larger research or government in producing a significant body of and industry ecosystems, as we globally important research over How are we going to be do, for example, with agriculture, an extended period. It has taken more people-centric? Antarctic science, fisheries, some bold choices around focus and forestry, maritime engineering We have developed a People Strategy exceptional leadership over the years and training, medical research, built around an integrated set of to make that possible. Our strategies and in minerals discovery and initiatives that are focused on aim to strengthen and build on what processing; enabling us to: has made us successful. We will: • Evolve our research funding • Create a values-driven culture • Focus on areas of research where model to maximise the excellence where safety and wellbeing are we have a defensibly distinctive and the impact of our areas of front of mind, where we trust advantage, which largely comes chosen distinctiveness; and respect each other, take from where our history of • Ensure we have a sustainable mutual accountability for actions excellence and place converge; balance between research and have better rates of diversity conducted for the sort of and inclusion; discovery that pushes back the frontiers of knowledge and research that has the objective of solving specific problems;
Mr Phil Andrews, TIA (left) and TIA PhD candidate Elya Richardson (right).
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• Work in a people-centred way How do we work with • Deliver more flexibly: so that we build long-term others to create educational accommodate the fact that, commitments to each other, opportunities to enable all already, more than half our including through reducing casual Tasmanians to live the life students are not school leavers and fixed-term appointments, of their choice? and need to integrate study with and collaborating to shape our work and other life commitments; There is much we can do to expand work environment; • Increase partnerships: work access to educational opportunity. • Support people in their career with TasTAFE and social sector Our core strategies are to: growth, by adopting practices organisations to improve that enable holistic development • Increase regional access: operate pathways; across all career stages. We a regionally networked model • Design data-driven strategies for will provide people with the because people are looking for student success: use our data leadership and management education close to where they to ensure students are enrolling capabilities they need to succeed live; build on that presence by and being taught in courses and and create contemporary and developing regional learning hubs; modes of delivery (the mix of in- clear career pathways. • Eliminate barriers: through our person/online) that enable them philanthropic efforts build an to be successful; endowment fund to ensure that • Deepen collaboration with cost is not a barrier to higher schools: work together on education for any Tasmanian; targeted place-based initiatives to • Broaden our offering: continue increase Year 12 completion and to develop a suite of higher- attainment. education offerings tailored to people’s needs, e.g. short-courses and associate degrees;
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How do we develop a • Attract interstate students • Strengthen significantly the sustainable student and into our core courses to contribution of philanthropy to academic profile while becoming compensate for the young the funding of academic posts; economically sustainable? Tasmanians who go off-island, • Work in Lean ways to simplify our Our strategies to secure our ensure those courses are of processes, policies and operations future sustainability academically a sustainable size and enable and increase the quality and and economically are to: a healthy balance between efficiency of what we do; domestic and international • Transform our information • Develop a suite of distinctive, students right across the technology platforms to enable placed-based offerings that create University; a compelling student experience to: the more compelling delivery • Diversify our international of our student experience and • Ensure we meet the needs student population by course dramatically simpler ways of of Tasmanian students for and origin, grow it modestly working for staff; excellent courses provided and ensure we have the • Develop the next generation close to home; facilities and programs to of facilities across our support that growth; • Enable young Tasmanians regions, through the Northern who are looking for a rite-of- • Reshape our portfolio of Transformation Program and the passage experience interstate courses so that they provide an Southern Future move to the or overseas to do that as part economically sustainable way of Hobart CBD, that are distinctive, of a University of Tasmania maintaining our disciplines and environmentally sustainable and offering, rather than needing delivering what the State requires; highly efficient in their operation. to leave the island; • Strengthen the quality of our These facilities are not to replace
offerings and student experiences what we have but to enable a
by investing in lifting our teaching sustainable operating model for
quality, carefully monitoring the University.
measures of student success
such as completion rates,
rapidly addressing areas of
underperformance, and growing our digital literacy;
Tyler Richardson, teacher and musician, studied the Bachelor of Education (Applied Learning).
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Conclusion
Our strategy is framed as a response to a set of questions because all strategy processes need to balance aspiration, judgement and humility. The strategies contained within are our current best set of answers to these questions. They provide direction, but we must always be open to better answers and be ready to revise our strategies. We must also be open to the fact that, over time, the questions can change as well. Our task is to sustain the conversations across the University about both the questions and the answers so that we are always bringing the best of the University to our mission to work with others to create a better Tasmania and a better world.
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College of Arts, Law and Education
What we need to do How we can make a difference
We will be deeply shaped by, and The strategies that will guide In an era of convergence of engaged with, our place, its our efforts: disciplines, The Hedberg project Aboriginal culture, social foundations We will deliver a differentiated will serve as a University-wide and evolving identity to support the place-based curriculum, which will incubator for multidisciplinary creation of a good and just society. be marked by signature Tasmanian creative practice, research, We will develop a distinctive agenda experiences outside the classroom partnerships and engagement. to educate a new generation of social and provide each campus with We will reinvigorate our teaching justice and creative professionals, distinctive thematic strengths. in media, performing and visual equipped to meet the particular We will rejuvenate our Bachelor of arts – forging strong ties and needs and priorities of every Arts to address questions specific interdisciplinary endeavour with Tasmanian region. to our State, our history and our colleagues from other colleges in Our research will contribute to identity (e.g. Who are we? Where are fields including health, science an improved understanding of we going?), provide key new pillars and business; ourselves, our society and culture, within our postgraduate offering We will build excellence in and our place in the national and (environmental and cultural tourism; strategic communications) and teach our research, through global contexts. Given ours is the investigations founded in our in new ways and in different places to only university devoted to serving location and explore the big this State, we have a responsibility to reach more students; questions that face our island provide this understanding for and the world. Our research will be our community. We will provide professional aligned with the State’s educational education in teaching, social work, and social needs and priorities, law and policing that is responsive Why to the distinctive current and situating Tasmania as a ‘social future needs of Tasmania. research laboratory’ of international Tasmania lags well behind Our curriculum will incorporate standing. the national average on levels learning experiences that will connect of educational attainment, students with regional communities poverty, welfare dependence, and will produce graduates equipped intergenerational disadvantage and with the skills and knowledge access to justice. In some parts, we to transform education, social are undergoing educational, cultural care and access to justice and social renewal, but not everyone across Tasmania; is benefiting. Our College has the opportunity to play a key role in this time of transition.
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Lilly Amos, Josephine Christensen, Holly Gregg, Bryce Schreuder, Cell V: Flowers of the World's Gardens, Panopticon III: The Garden of Earthly Delights, Dark Mofo 2019.
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College of Sciences and Engineering
What we need to do How we can make a difference Tasmania, as an island place, The strategies that will guide We will promote Tasmania as a needs a future that is prosperous our efforts: STEM State. We will help transform and sustainable. Our teaching our State by growing STEM literacy We will focus on Tasmania’s and research will ensure both are distinctive blue and green and the community’s understanding achieved, avoiding the binary choices economies and align our research of its vital importance. We will around environment and economy strengths to the industry pillars collaborate with industry, business that have marked our history. which will support the State’s and government to translate that We will deliver innovation to provide economic future. Through our knowledge into practical and competitive advantage for the intimate understanding of our productive outcomes, and we will industries of our regions and the climate, geology, soils, ecosystems engage with industry to ensure that State and help find the research and waters, we are best placed our graduates are well equipped for breakthroughs upon which future to help grow these sectors that the higher-value jobs of the future, prosperity can be built. Equally, our are fundamental to the wellbeing in key fields such as engineering, the knowledge of our Indigenous and and resilience of our regions. We sciences, and data and technology; cultural heritage, and of the precious will develop improved processes environments here, including the for agriculture, food processing, We will create a distinctive place- Tasmanian Wilderness World aquaculture, forestry, renewable based curriculum, drawing upon the strength that comes from our Heritage Area, the hundreds of energy, and the mining and processing of minerals, and we will research and teaching excellence islands which make up our State, and in diverse areas that cover land, focus on the creation of start-ups. the neighbouring Southern Ocean air, space and sea, to attract more and Antarctica, means that we are Our engineers will support the students to each of our campuses. ideally positioned to help meet State’s growing strength in advanced Our course offerings will engage the local and global environmental manufacturing and our capability with our natural environments and challenges of our time. to contribute to the national naval provide practical demonstrations shipbuilding and defence agendas. of how economic development Why We will be informed and inspired in and our ecology can coexist. To our endeavours by the stewardship provide compelling opportunities for Despite our great strengths, Tasmania of Aboriginal people of lutruwita/ students, we will use our connections trails national productivity and STEM Tasmania over thousands of years. with local industry and government, (Science, Technology, Engineering In all that we do to advance industry, along with global industry and and Mathematics) literacy. These sustainability will characterise our international partners; disciplines are especially important agenda; for us in a global economy that We will continue to strengthen has become increasingly hostile Through both location and areas of international research to regions. The better economic research strength, we will provide excellence to attract the best outcomes that we seek should not critical insights into the world’s students and researchers from come at the cost of the environment, climate challenges. We will create around the world to be part of our as they so often do today. We will an interdisciplinary response to living laboratory. This breadth and work with our communities to shape the mitigation, adaptation and scale will be critical to the success of a future where discovery, invention, management of the impact of climate the College in being both sustainable the application of technology change for Tasmania, the Southern and delivering on its mission to and socioeconomic gains are Ocean, Antarctica and the world; Tasmania. consistent with, and even enhance, environmental outcomes.
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Ben Arthur, former IMAS PhD student now Adjunct Researcher, on Macquarie Island.
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College of Health and Medicine
What we need to do How we can make a difference We will transform health outcomes The strategies that will guide We will support the through professional education our efforts: transformation of the health and research that are of global system by implementing We will teach distinctive courses preventive approaches alongside importance and local relevance. We designed to deliver graduates will bring about inter-generational those we serve, such as our with the skills to transform the Aboriginal community, local change in health workforce capability State’s health outcomes and create and State governments, and and system effectiveness. This will a sustainable healthcare system. others. We will engage with lead to healthier, longer and better Our students will graduate with historically disadvantaged Tasmanian lives. As the only Australian university strong preventive skills to address communities, supporting local devoted specifically to the health the health issues that Tasmania faces. leaders as they encourage the whole of a whole society, and as the They will have the ability to reduce community to see the importance of, predominant provider for Tasmania’s the burden of chronic disease and to and the pathways to, better health; health workforce we are uniquely better manage dementia, along with placed to drive profound change the skills to ensure that we create a We will work in a more networked in the health of Tasmanians and sustainable system, including health way across Tasmania and embed improvements in the health indicators system innovation, health economics, more of our people in regional and services. safety culture, health management communities. This will expand on and change. For those who have our regional presence through the Why already graduated, we will make Rural Clinical School and the Centre this knowledge available through for Rural Health, partnering with Tasmania is in the midst of a health continuing professional development, local communities to support health crisis. Our community is burdened short courses and a suite of micro- education, research and career with higher rates of illness and a credentials. We will support all paths for our students, including poorer health profile than almost graduates to develop the leadership professional experience. As our anywhere else in the country. We skills required to create a step change regional presence and collaborations have an ageing population with high in healthcare delivery in Tasmania; increase, health services and rates of complex, chronic conditions outcomes for those communities in an environment of limited We will use our expertise and will improve; resources. While this is our current research excellence in areas situation, given the nature of our such as obesity, dementia, and We will strengthen our presence island, the close-knit communities molecular genetics to develop off-island to help keep us at the within it and our access to world- the insights and interventions cutting edge of health delivery, to class medicine, we could be one that will provide better health deliver significant and sustainable of the healthiest populations in outcomes for Tasmania and health outcomes in these places, contribute to improving health the world. while giving us the scale to better globally. We will choose to focus on serve our local communities. fields of excellence that are at the We will do this in partnership with intersection of local need and global government and industry, attending relevance (brain science, genomics, to the local wherever we are, as we preventive health and chronic disease have in Sydney through our partners management). This will increase in the Sydney Local Health District the University’s competitiveness and St Vincent’s Private. Working for large research investments and with our colleagues at the College philanthropy, and, therefore, our of Business and Economics (CoBE), ability to continue to see Tasmania we will expand our offerings through as a home for world-leading medical CoBE’s Australian Institute of Health research; Service Management, which it operates with health sector partners.
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Paramedicine students simulating an emergency situation on the Meehan Ranges.
University of Tasmania | 23 STRATEGIC PLAN: COLLEGES AND DIVISIONS
College of Business and Economics
What we need to do How we can make a difference
We will expand Tasmania’s The strategies that will guide We will grow local demand for capacity for economic and social our efforts: our courses and in doing so, boost transformation, producing an We will be more relevant to business acumen and employment economy driven by regional Tasmanian students and employers, opportunities across the State. We distinctiveness. Being place-based delivering differentiated, placed- will do this by creating a one-system will be seen as an advantage, based courses that teach the approach – across the College, not a disadvantage, in an era of necessary skills and attributes for Academic Division, University College, globalisation which is working against business to succeed in regional TasTAFE and the school system – to regions in most parts of the world. areas. It will support our aspiration provide coherent access to business We will diversify our student profile, to attract a more diverse mix of local, and economics education regardless so the impact of our teaching and interstate and international students of age, education or experience; learning excellence is felt both here and to create regional competitive and abroad. advantage for key sectors and new We will partner with other We will improve our research businesses through the industry colleges, the start-up community performance and refocus on areas problems we solve. We will do and government agencies to develop an ecosystem in which that are important to the future this through regionally focused new enterprise will flourish. This prosperity of Tasmania, such as short courses, learning outside the will lead to the creation of new, enterprise development, value/supply classroom and stronger input by innovative and knowledge-based chain management, sustainable industry to course content; business practices, agribusiness and enterprises growing Tasmania’s health management. We will continue to offer world- economy and economic resilience; class courses in Tasmania that are in high demand from international We will realign our research to Why students. In addition, we will pursue address the economic and social challenges faced in regional areas. new partnerships interstate so our Our State’s future prosperity will This will include specific doctoral courses can be offered in Melbourne be underpinned by enterprises and post-doctoral programs focused and Sydney for those who want to that can leverage niche market on regional business issues, helping study there. Longer term, we will positions with high-value products deliver a stronger research workforce work with other colleges and the and services and the provenance to tackle those factors constraining Global Division to strengthen our of our highly distinctive regional our State’s future. setting. To succeed, we will equip our offerings and form new partnerships business operators and workforce in Asia, Europe and North America. with the skills and mindsets to use This will take the shape of joint- those constraints to our advantage degree programs with accredited – that they can take advantage of business schools, offering two-way opportunities in a global economy exchange opportunities; that has traditionally favoured the low cost that scale can deliver. There are connected capacity issues, being an island place operating in a global environment, including access to highly skilled labour, supply-chain management and the ability to service international markets. We will nurture a start-up community, knowing this is where many of our future-facing jobs will emerge, and support traditional industries to adapt and find ways to add value in new and emerging economies.
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Kelsey Thomas, Bachelor of Business graduate, Launceston CBD.
University of Tasmania | 25 STRATEGIC PLAN: COLLEGES AND DIVISIONS
University College
What we need to do How we can make a difference We will create opportunity for The strategies that will guide We will co-create education both students and employers by our efforts: programs, by working with delivering a different approach to regional communities, to identify We will set up our students to win education – a distinctive portfolio need and demand. Once this through a distinctive portfolio of of courses with multiple entry and demand has been scoped, we will courses. Our curriculum will be of exit points, and pathways. Principles provide a set of offerings to ensure outstanding quality, flexible in the of employability, support, flexibility success can be delivered way people can build credentials, and excellence will underpin what on the ground; we do. The benefits of this flow in with multiple entry and exit points, and pathway opportunities; two ways: firstly, by opening up the We have considerable expertise growing and prosperous part of in the delivery of Lean culture We will reach more people the Tasmanian economy to people and principles, and this will be through a place-based approach by who may not previously have been clear in the way we operate. Where working with diverse communities, able to access this; and secondly, by we have specific expertise, we should industries and schools across providing business and industry with use it to better the institution as a regions. We will support educators the skills required to shore up our whole, and we will work with other and students to make the connection State’s future. colleges and divisions to achieve between the academic endeavour this end. We believe in offering an and its application; equitable higher education option characterised by applied and We will help the Tasmanian experiential learning and teaching, economy prosper by working with a strong commitment to regional private enterprise, corporates Tasmania, social inclusion and the and not-for-profits, to identify creation of work-ready graduates. and build skills for its ongoing development. This will lift the Why Tasmanian business community by Tasmania has a unique education and giving its employees – both present skills profile which could benefit from and prospective – the ability to a place-based educational response. operate in a world increasingly reliant While only 22% of Tasmanians aged on emerging and new skills; between 20 and 64 hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, a higher-than- average proportion of the population has vocational qualifications. We have great skills and capacity, but we know that the need is for upskilling, to enable more people to participate in a global economy, which generally works against regional areas. Through accessible, innovative and distinctive courses, we can fulfil our potential as a driver of social and economic prosperity. However, to do so, we must address our complicated business model and create a brand, to which our target audience can relate, as a provider of quality applied education.
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University College Applied Business students.
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Research Division
What we need to do How we can make a difference Tasmania faces a range of distinct The strategies that will guide We will develop a 20- education, economic, health, our efforts: year institutional research social, cultural and environmental infrastructure plan which will challenges. To help realise our To be truly place-based in our support and sustain our research mission as a University, our research mission, we will support the excellence, and our distinctive must be place-based, regionally colleges to prioritise quality and competitive capabilities, as inspired and globally connected. research that meets the needs well as meeting regional needs; It will primarily be demand-driven of Tasmania and beyond. Our and supply-informed to better research priorities will include We will move from a compliance meet the needs of Tasmania in helping Tasmania understand its model of research integrity particular. We will work with the history, identity and future; providing and quality to one based on colleges and institutes to build intensive value-adding to local demonstrated research excellence a strong culture of research industries where knowledge creates and the values of our people. As excellence, integrity and impact. competitive advantage; and solving the distinctive social and sustainability we do, the burden of process will challenges of our State. We also become lighter and simpler for those Why are mindful of our role in the global working in our research community. academic community in delivering We will support our people with As the only university devoted to our positive impact from our unique training and development to society, our research mission is to place in the world. We, therefore, deal with heightened levels of make a difference for Tasmania, and need to establish the right investment accountability within this new model; from Tasmania to the world, as we model for the world-class research pursue the big questions. However, being conducted in our colleges We will focus on research that globalisation is working against us, and institutes. To help prioritise can help deliver a prosperous as it is in many regional and non- our investment, we have developed and sustainable future for metropolitan settings worldwide. a research framework to guide Tasmania. We will work with the We have a predominance of small to colleges in making decisions that colleges to ensure that we are medium enterprises, which lack scale, align with the themes in our Strategic focused on our research mission and therefore a restricted capacity Direction about the right balance and to identify new opportunities to invest in research. It means we are of place-based, globally connected, that are regionally based and/ not well served by national research applied and discovery research. or statewide. We will continue funding regimes, and the situation to scan the horizon for national is complicated further by the rising We will work with the colleges and international opportunities costs of staying at the cutting edge of to build capacity for translating which fit this part of our agenda. global research. In response, we must our research to impact intensify our engagement with the through strategic partnering, community, industry, and government commercialisation, enterprise and non-government agencies. In creation and entrepreneurship; developing a sustainable, prosperous model for Tasmania, we will then be able to share it with the world.
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Students using spatial sciences technology to map sand dunes to detect and measure coastal erosion as part of their studies on Bruny Island.
University of Tasmania | 29 STRATEGIC PLAN: COLLEGES AND DIVISIONS
Academic Division
What we need to do How we can make a difference We will support the colleges and The strategies that will guide We will deliver our mission to be a institutes to create the distinctive, our efforts: regionally networked and globally high-quality courses and student connected institution by improving We will develop a curriculum experiences, irrespective of location, levels of digital literacy and course framework to support offerings that are critical to our future. Our delivery. In partnership with the that are highly distinctive because mission is to also support the colleges, we will build the skills of our of what we teach, where we teach, development of a diverse academic staff to realise this future; community, and the professional and how we teach. This will ensure that our learning and teaching growth of highly capable staff. We will address barriers to modes are informed by place, stay participation in higher education contemporary and relevant, meet in regional communities with regional industry needs and improve Why targeted, evidence-led programs; our graduates’ prospects; Our academic operations and offerings are not where they need We will review and improve We will create a university to be. Many of our processes for Academic Division processes to experience that reflects our unique student admission, enrolment and ensure they are Lean, simple and place and history in the world. The progression are tangled and unduly effective, allowing us and sense of community experienced by complex, and we have a long tail of those we work with to focus on students will be strengthened by an course offerings. We need to support what matters. Work that does inclusive environment that promotes the colleges to create distinctive, not support excellence in teaching engagement with what is special place-based offerings to form a or learning will be removed from our about Tasmania, its people and sustainable core that underpins our operation. its quality of life; disciplines. We also need to address student satisfaction rates, which have We will listen carefully to been flat and below the national Aboriginal people, seeking new average, and areas where students levels of reconciliation with a are not succeeding at the rates view that we will be on-country consistent with our mission. together as a university truly for lutruwita/Tasmania;
We will build the skills and expertise in leadership, people management, performance management, and learning and teaching so that our academic community flourishes. By closing some of these gaps, we expect to see improved staff engagement, more equitable and flexible career pathways, and improved quality of research, unit delivery and assessment;
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Dr Allison Matthews, Lecturer in Psychology, demonstrating an EEG experiment.
University of Tasmania | 31 STRATEGIC PLAN: COLLEGES AND DIVISIONS
Global and Marketing
What we need to do How we can make a difference To create a sustainable future for the The strategies that will guide Our recruitment efforts will University, we need to attract more our efforts: be built upon strong, enduring relationships and a market students with much greater diversity. We will develop a brand which proposition founded on a We must attract larger numbers of resonates loudly of our place, 'University of Tasmania only' Tasmanian students to help lift the academic and research excellence, education and student experience. levels of education participation and mission to Tasmania. We need We will move to new types of in the State. To deliver a diverse to project it in ways that inspire recruitment in new markets to and sustainable course offering in people to be with us and makes diversify our international student Tasmania, we also need to bring them proud to be connected with base. Domestically, we will ensure interstate students to the University us. We will work with the colleges our recruitment is relationship- and our place, while also attracting a to promote the distinctiveness of focused to keep more Tasmanians more diverse group of international their offerings and we will bring our studying here, and to attract many students who choose us because of research strengths to the fore in our more to Tasmania from interstate; our distinctiveness. We will do this marketing effort; through a distinctive brand, which Delivering a sustainable flow of inspires the people with whom our Our marketing will demonstrate students into the heart of our institution connects or seeks to the value of an education inspired curriculum and across the breadth connect. It will be deeply authentic, by our island, one that integrates of our academic endeavour will speaking to our place, mission and high-quality course content and require a more nuanced approach purpose and, above all other things, place-based delivery methods to schools engagement. That be the reason staff, students, alumni with practical experiences includes engagement with Tasmanian and the community choose to be only Tasmania can provide. The schools along with increased schools part of our University community. marketing will target key markets engagement and recruitment to attract Tasmanian, interstate and interstate, improved awareness of Why international students who want a our offerings and helping students to globally relevant qualification that In lifting the global presence of navigate the path from their field of helps develop them into positive the University through a strong interest to the right course offerings contributors to society. We will growth agenda, we have not been as and on to academic success. develop a compelling, personalised attuned to our place-based strengths, and effective web presence and distinctive academic offerings and social media engagement to the deep importance of our mission attract a more diverse group of to Tasmania. Locally, we are seeing students and that engages the wider too many school leavers choosing to community; leave Tasmania to study interstate, and we continue to experience We will develop a global high attrition of those students we engagement strategy that aligns do attract. We do not get enough our international engagement interstate students coming to with our research and place- Tasmania to offset the loss of our based strengths. This will provide school leavers. a platform to support sustainable, Globally, our offering is seen as globally relevant place-based teaching affordable and a pathway to a new and research; life in Australia, causing an over- reliance on students from a small number of countries studying a small number of courses. We do not leverage our globally relevant place- based research strengths to attract a more diverse group of international students studying across the breadth of our curriculum.
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Hands-on learning at The Media School co-located with a local media outlet in Salamanca Place.
University of Tasmania | 33 STRATEGIC PLAN: COLLEGES AND DIVISIONS
Chief Operating Officer Division
What we need to do How we can make a difference To secure our future, we need to The strategies that will guide We will enable the University to embrace new ways of working. our efforts: fulfil its vision of a distinctive, Because we are a knowledge-based We will deliver a People Strategy place-based teaching, research institution, we need people-centred which underpins the development and student experience. We will approaches and processes that allow of a university that is values-based, plan, fund and deliver an estimated our staff and students to flourish. people-centred and supports staff $1 billion worth of new infrastructure For the University to be financially throughout their career. This will at Cradle Coast, Launceston and and operationally sustainable for the produce an organisation which is Hobart, embodied at this point in the long term, we have to deliver much- more relational and has a greater campus transformation plans; needed contemporary infrastructure. appreciation for the strength which Importantly, our mission is time- diversity brings; We will be guided by the UN bound – considerable progress will Sustainable Development Goals be required on our strategies within We will build risk management to become a community leader in the next five years. capability to ensure our people are sustainable practice by leveraging adequately equipped to navigate our scale, place and intent to Why the scale and rate of change that contribute to a better society and we need to deliver our University environment. We have strength of purpose and mission. We will help them to belonging in our organisation. To identify and manage risks that sit achieve our institutional strategy outside the institutional appetite will require us to marshal and and to make effective allocations of support those strengths in different resources; and better ways. We need highly engaged, capable people. Financially, We will run a collaborative, the University has a strong balance transparent and long-term budget sheet with a significant investment process, to enable the University portfolio. However, being a research- to generate a $30 million core intensive university with regional operating result by 2025. This will campuses and a broad curriculum, be achieved by sustainable revenue including pathways to higher growth and embedding a Lean education for the whole population, culture across the University. Lean our people and our operating will deliver simpler, more effective model are under pressure. This is ways of working which are people- compounded by an overabundance centred and focus our organisation of policies and processes, creating on the value of our teaching and complexity, duplication and research. Similarly, our future digital frustration for our people. We focus will be on better integration, cannot be sustainable unless we automation and quality of both our are people-centred and operating a systems and service to our people. model that supports the renewal of This will complement the University’s our campus operations. elevated digital literacy capability;
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Inside The Hedberg. Design by Liminal Architecture with WOHA Architects and Arup; render by Doug + Wolf.
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Measuring the progress of our journey
The cascading conversations we have It will help us to achieve our goals As a university, we aspire to have had and the hard work of hundreds if we all understand what success a positive impact on the lives and of people across the breadth of our in delivering this plan looks like. Our experiences of Tasmanians across a University have contributed to this strategies and initiatives need to be number of key areas: strategy. Thanks to these efforts, clearly defined and measurable. • Increase educational attainment we now have a Strategic Plan that They require sufficient levels of rates across the education life provides a clear sense of our mission, ownership, both among the people cycle for all population cohorts; what we will need to do to achieve we work with, and individually, to • Deliver better health and it and ultimately how, with our help us prioritise our efforts and wellbeing outcomes sustainably colleagues, each of us can play understand our progress. for all Tasmanians; our part. We need to think deeply about what • Lift theeconomic performance We also know this mission is measures to apply and how we of the State; timebound. We need to make apply them. We need to recognise substantial progress in the next that most are measures that belong • Improve social inclusion and five years if we are to address the as much to teams as they do to equity; demographic destiny of natural individuals. The development of • Increase participation in population decline about a decade key performance indicators (KPIs) and contribution to cultural out from now. is a useful way to determine our activities; To deliver on this Strategic Plan, measures of success, but we need • Improve the environmental we need to support our people, so to apply them in ways which are sustainability of Tasmania. they can deliver the strategies and helpful and focus our efforts on achieving the strategy. We must initiatives integral to its success. From Tasmania, we also want to have consider alternative measures, which We need to value our people and impact both nationally and globally complement a framework of KPIs, the unique contribution each of across these areas. In the longer that will help us understand progress them can make to creating a better term, we are confident we can make in implementation. We need to future for Tasmania and beyond. Our continual improvements in these recognise that not everything can or People Strategy has been developed areas and will track progress on key should be measured and that at times to create a culture that is values- related measures over time. We have the qualitative and the intangible will driven and will allow us to work in a developed a set of indicators that will matter more than what is numerically people-centred way and in a way that help us understand whether we are describable. Nevertheless, defined supports our people in their career making progress in these areas. They well, good measures will give us growth. To achieve this, we must are indicators of progress because accurate information on whether adapt to new ways of working, where no single set of measures can our strategies are working, people are empowered to act in the comprehensively capture whether where we need to revise them, best interests of the University and these outcome areas are improving. and opportunities to change our to make decisions. To be a university Equally, there is a range of external resourcing to ensure success. that is values-based, relational, forces that impact these measures, diverse and development-focused will Our framework for tracking success so having indicators will help us to contribute significantly to the success involves a set of indicators that identify who we should partner with of our Strategic Plan. cascade from the strategic to the to make measurable improvements operational, to ensure the right to the lives of Tasmanians. information is provided to the right people at the right time.
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Educational attainment Health Economic performance • The proportion of students • The incidence of preventable • The number and value of retained from Year 10 to Year 12; health conditions across the exports from Tasmania; • The number of students leaving regions of the State; • The level of productivity and the Year 12 with an ATAR score; • The efficiency and effectiveness average wages of Tasmanians • Attainment of higher education of the health system; across the State; across the regions; • Health equity across Tasmanian • The number of skilled jobs in • The number of underrepresented communities; the community. people participating in higher • Health literacy levels across all education, such as Aboriginal and regions of Tasmania; Torres Strait Islanders, people • Access and quality of care from a low SES background and available to Tasmanians. people with a disability.
Social inclusion Cultural participation Environmental sustainability • Inequality in Tasmania measured • Participation and attendance in a • Land – the responsible use of our by the ABS Socio-Economic Index broad range of cultural events; agricultural resources and the for Areas score; • The number and profile of sustainable management of our • The number of people dependent nationally and internationally island’s unique ecosystems on income support and those recognised creative artists and waterways; engaged in employment; and published authors from • Air – reducing carbon emissions • The level of equity and inclusion Tasmania; and increasing the awareness of experienced by disadvantaged • The number of national and the effects of climate change; and marginalised communities international creative industries • Sea – preserving our oceans, and groups. in the State; promoting sustainable fisheries • Increased recognition of the and aquaculture and reducing economic and social impact ocean waste and pollution. of cultural, creative and artistic production through media engagement and financial investment; • Participation in sport and physical activity.
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We also are committed to making Economy Tasmania a national and global • Deliver global productivity leader in our areas of excellence, benefits using sustainable particularly in our contribution cool-climate agriculture; to the global environment and • Make a recognised contribution regional economic advantage: to Australia’s Defence program, including being central to the Environment development of the technical • Make a distinctive change to the dimensions of Australia’s global understanding of climate sovereign shipbuilding capability; change processes and how to • Be at the forefront of mitigate them; understanding regional economic • Be a recognised world leader in and industrial advantage; Antarctic science; • Make a globally significant • Be a recognised world leader in contribution to the global sustainably managing temperate maritime and ports capability; fish stocks; • Build platforms for global • Become a leader in developing industry innovation in marine platforms for offshore sustainable food production, renewable energy; security and safety through • Be a recognised leader in Industry 4.0 technologies. demonstrating how wilderness and world heritage areas can Other areas of impact co-exist with sustainable • Achieve demonstrated impact on economic outcomes; dementia literacy and quality of • Drive innovation for the global care, through key partnerships, application of Tasmania’s locally and globally; renewable energy expertise. • Create a replicable model for how we can overcome intergenerational disadvantage through improved educational attainment and social engagement.
A student getting hands-on, practical experience in the Southern Hemisphere’s most advanced maritime research and teaching facilities at Australian Maritime College, Newnham campus.
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University of Tasmania | 39 STRATEGIC PLAN
As a leading indicator of these 1. Student success 2. Our people broader impacts that we want to have for the State, we have For our students, we will: For our people, we will: selected a set of internal indicators • Attract more Tasmanian students • Improve the wellbeing of that we will measure on an ongoing to our university to lift education our people: basis to track our progress. These attainment in the State towards indicators are mapped to six areas: • Target a year-on-year the national average, and student success, our people, research reduction in workplace injuries increase the number of interstate impact, financial sustainability, and work-related mental students into our core offerings environmental sustainability and ill-health; to ensure the sustainability of our community. • Increase employee satisfaction our disciplines, with a focus on and culture, as measured They are a mix of quantitatively increasing participation from: measurable KPIs, such as student through the cultural • People from non-English numbers and research income, engagement survey. speaking backgrounds; and more complex formulas of • Increase the proportion of measurement, comprising of a range • Aboriginal and Torres Strait academic staff in the institution of factors, including student and staff Islanders; by decreasing our professional wellbeing, and our environmental • Those from a low socio- to academic staff ratio as we impacts. Progress towards our five- economic background; grow our academic staff to year goals for these indicators – a • People with a disability; support a growing student load selection of which are set out below and reduce, primarily through • Improve our rates of student – will help us stay engaged and across natural staff turnover, the number success by reducing our current the impact of our strategies and of professional staff needed to rate of attrition to the national adjust our actions where our plans manage simpler processes; average; are not working. • Have a more diverse workforce • Improve the student satisfaction We have a working document that by 2025, with greater gender and graduate outcomes by: sets out in detail our measures and equity and better representation targets. • Maintaining the results of the of minority groups; Graduate Outcomes Survey The reporting framework for these • Improve staff retention and above the national average; key targets and measures will reward by reducing staff turnover incorporate the need for flexibility as • Improving the student and improving recruitment the priorities of the University evolve. experience of our students, processes; measured by the Quality • Achieve greater engagement Indicators for Learning and with the Aboriginal community Teaching (QILT) Learner by targeting a 3% workforce Engagement Scale so they participation rate of Aboriginal are in line with the national people. average; • Improving the overall experience of our international students, by achieving the national average across the six indicators of the International Student Barometer.
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3. Research impact 4. Financial sustainability 5. Environmental sustainability
Our research impact will: To achieve financial sustainability, For our environment, we will • Maintain and improve the we will deliver a $30 million operating deliver the outcomes from our standards reached in the surplus by 2025. We will: environmental sustainability Excellence in Research for • Grow revenue in a strategic manner. strategy to make a positive impact Australia (ERA) 2018 and To achieve this, we will: on the island. We will: Engagement and Impact (EI) • Raise Tasmanian attainment rates in • Ensure our facilities meet sector 2018 results; higher education to the national best-practice standards; • Increase our research revenue average; • Maintain carbon neutral in areas linked to our place and • Increase our share of the interstate certification; those areas of excellence where higher education market; • Implement the Sustainability we have a global impact; • Diversify and grow our international Tracking, Assessment & Rating • Improve our research student cohort. System (STARS) framework for our productivity and the quality of • Become more efficient in our resourcing broader sustainability agenda. our outputs; and cost management. We will: • Improve our relationship and • Improve our sustainability and 6. Our community engagement with industry, by the performance of our academic staff, measured by the proportion increasing the number and value To effectively engage our of research grants we undertake of students per full-time equivalent academic staff member; community, we are committed to an from and with industry; expanded community engagement • Improve the pipeline of future • Simplify and streamline processes, so agenda. We will: that they take less time to complete; research performance, by • Increase the number of alumni • Improve the utilisation of our built increasing the number and and community members engaged infrastructure; quality of higher degree by in events, forums and activities of research candidates studying • Ensure all our courses and units are the University; with us; sustainable. • Improve our rating in the new EI • Increase the number of patents • Strengthen our long-term financial Rankings; we register and the number sustainability, which will see us: • Deliver on the milestones in of startups the University is • Grow alumni and philanthropic our State and federal funding involved with. support for our scholarship agreements for the development endowment; of the new Inveresk and West • Invest $50 million in a new Burnie Park campuses; campus, to be delivered by 2021, and $260 million in a new Launceston • Create a clear set of delivery campus, with the final stage milestones for the development completed in 2023; of our Hobart city campus and implement them on time • Double our student accommodation capacity, delivering 1,000 new beds and on budget. in Hobart by 2023, with plans to increase beds in Inveresk, Launceston city and Burnie; • Establish more endowed chairs; • Achieve superior returns on our investment portfolio in accordance with the investment policy; • Develop the first streams of income from the development of our property.
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At an operational level, in the In addition, each college and division Our measures and targets will be colleges and divisions, we will will be responsible for tracking the developed and implemented track a more granular set of these implementation of their initiatives across all our different regions and institutional measures. quarterly, using a consistent tracking colleges to give specific feedback tool and following guidelines for across the entire range of our the cascading up and down of strategies. Our approach to tracking information. our performance throughout implementation is set out below:
Metrics University University Business tracked Council Executive Team units Our impact • Educational Annual review Annual review of Tasmania Policy (Statewide impact) attainment of movement in movements in the Exchange guides • Health overall indicators detailed parameters ongoing analytics • Economic listed in the of movement in performance Strategic Plan multiple indicators • Social inclusion • Cultural participation • Environmental sustainability
Operational • Student success Reports prepared Regular reporting Continuous Performance (KPIs) • Our people for each and dashboards tracking and • Finances University Council showing tracking interactive reports • Research impact meeting showing towards targets for of primary and • Environment performance primary KPIs in secondary KPIs with • Community across all six each area monthly reporting indicators
Strategies • Strategic Plan Annual strategic Quarterly Monthly tracking of and initiatives • College and planning progress reports implementation of implementation division review and on implementation milestones for each strategies and implementation of college and initiative at school initiatives of strategies and division strategies and discipline level • Leading plans and lagging indicators
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Continuing the conversation
This document began as a University-wide set of conversations about our mission and the key ideas that should guide us. Through the work of people across the University, those conversations have turned into an ambition for the future that we want and the strategies we need to get there. What matters now is that we again talk to colleagues about how these strategies turn into the concrete plans to guide what we do together and individually. Strategic plans can too easily become documents that sit on the shelf and do not change much. What changes organisations and the world is when strategic plans turn into strategic conversations about what guides us day by day. For us, as the University of Tasmania, they are ultimately conversations about the contribution everyone in every role can make to a future we care about for Tasmania and the world. This document aims to be a resource for those conversations.
$260 million will be invested in a new Launceston campus.
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