VOLUME ONE VOLUME 2014 REPORT REPORT ANNUAL ANNUAL UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA ANNUAL REPORT 2014 VOLUME ONE April 2015 LETTER TO THE MINISTER Dear Minister In accordance with Section 36 of the University of Canberra Act 1989, we present the Report by the Council of the University of Canberra for the period 1 January to 31 December 2014, together with financial statements in respect of that period. Yours sincerely Dr Tom Calma AO Chancellor Professor Stephen Parker AO Vice-Chancellor and President 1 UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA 2014 ANNUAL REPORT Acknowledgment of Country The University of Canberra acknowledges the Ngunnawal people – who are the traditional custodians of the land on which the University is situated – and pays respect to the Elders of the Ngunnawal Nation both past and present. 2 Table of contents TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTER TO THE MINISTER 1 FOREWORD FROM THE CHANCELLOR 4 INTRODUCTION FROM THE VICE-CHANCELLOR 6 COUNCIL REPORT 8 VICE-CHANCELLOR’S GROUP HIGHLIGHTS 12 IMPACT 14 EDUCATION 18 RESEARCH 28 INTERNATIONAL 38 CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY 44 UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA FOUNDATION 61 APPENDICES 66 A1. Workplace Health and Safety 66 A2. Freedom of Information 67 A3. Public Interest Disclosure 68 A4. Risk Management Statement 68 GLOSSARY 69 3 UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA 2014 ANNUAL REPORT FOREWORD FROM THE CHANCELLOR The enormous pride I felt on The role of education in creating Thanks to the Federal Government’s a warm February afternoon in opportunity and achieving equality Structural Adjustment Fund (SAF) is well known. As I said at my grant, we were able to upgrade the 2014 when I was installed as installation ceremony, education has UC College headquarters this Chancellor of the University been described as an effective way year, giving the College a new of Canberra has only grown to vaccinate against poverty. home in Building 5 co-located with the Ngunnawal Centre, the stronger during my first year in At the University of Canberra, we University’s support centre for the role. send real students out as Aspiration Indigenous students. Agents to low socio-economic The University’s sense of equality status schools to teach high school In 2014, the University also and equity, its contribution to the students that university is within continued to work closely with the local, national and international their grasp. We also host UC 4 Aurora Project on a number of community through its teaching and Yourself days so students from programs to build the aspirations research and its outstanding role disadvantaged backgrounds can of Indigenous students to be all in promoting the wellbeing of our experience first-hand what it’s like to that they can be and to help ensure society, are all values I share. study at a university. they have the chance to gain access to higher education. A highlight The UC College provides pathway As the first Indigenous man to for this program was the Federal programs for people who didn’t get be appointed as Chancellor of an Government’s announcement that it the results they wanted from school, will continue funding the programs Australian university, naturally I but who have the potential and drive am particularly concerned with through a $2.2 million grant over to thrive at university with a bit of help. three years. improving education opportunities It also supports international students for Aboriginal and Torres Strait making the transition to Australian Education does not just affect Islander people – but I am also an higher education and mature-age the individual; it reaches across advocate for the transformative students who have been away generations and throughout the power of education for all students. from academic life for some time. community. At the University of 4 Foreword from the Chancellor “The enormous pride I felt on a warm February afternoon in 2014 when I was installed as Chancellor of the University of Canberra has only grown stronger during my first year in the role” DR TOM CALMA AO Canberra we are aware of that reach modes of teaching using novel We are an inclusive university that and are committed to generating technologies. Added to these are supports and creates a safe and further education opportunities. record-breaking amounts of research welcoming environment for our The UC Foundation – through funding, allowing us to make a real international students, including the support of its generous donors contribution in the environmental, scholarships for refugee students. including alumni, staff and the sport and health fields. community – is able to provide Of course I do not work alone and scholarships to some of those We’ve been an active partner in I would like to thank the University students in need. I sincerely thank the economic and social wellbeing Council and the senior executive for everyone who supported our Annual of our local community with the their support and guidance. opening of facilities such as the Appeal in 2014 and helped us make I am pleased to know that at the end a big difference in someone’s life. Health Hub providing much needed local health services. The of my first year I can happily repeat I said at my installation that new University of Canberra Public the phrase I used when I began the universities must be more than Hospital, to be opened in late 2017, role – I’m proud to be Chancellor of teachers, interested observers and will also add significantly to the the University of Canberra. researchers. We must be active wellbeing of the ACT. partners: creating, researching, adding to the latest evidence, the I’m also proud of our commitment best techniques, cutting-edge to gender equality and our stance treatments and state-of-the- on the prevention of violence art equipment, all focused on against women. In 2014, we were contributing to our community both named an Employer of Choice for near and far. Gender Equality, one of only two Dr Tom Calma AO organisations in the ACT and 76 Chancellor And we’ve done that this year. across Australia. And we’ve just Curriculum developments have finished our first full year as a White generated new courses and new Ribbon Accredited Workplace. 5 UNIVERSITY OF CANBERRA 2014 ANNUAL REPORT INTRODUCTION FROM THE VICE-CHANCELLOR Despite being a turbulent In partnership with Ochre University of Canberra Union Ltd year for the Australian higher Health, the $15 million Health Hub acquired in 2014. opened its doors, offering various education sector, 2014 saw health-related services on campus To continue building on these significant achievements at the including Canberra’s first GP Super foundations of campus growth University of Canberra. Clinic and the University’s popular and improvement, we hope next student-delivered allied year to sign major contracts for It was a year in which we continued health clinics. more than $1 billion worth of to harvest the fruits of sustained campus development, following hard work with the completion This facility will form part of a larger the announcement in December of new state-of-the-art buildings Health Innovation Precinct that will by ACT Chief Minister Andrew and facilities, the creation of new include the University of Canberra Barr MLA of Cabinet’s agreement partnerships and the strengthening Public Hospital, the construction of to proposed amendments to the of our position on the world’s stage. which begins in 2015 for completion University of Canberra Act 1989 and in 2017. other legislation in 2015. In January, we opened our new 400-bed campus student In the sporting arena, our $16 million In 2014 we retained a world ranking accommodation Cooper Lodge – Sporting Commons officially for the second consecutive year in named after Distinguished Alumna opened in July, with the University the QS World University Rankings, Patricia Cooper – with the new contributing $5 million. It houses cementing our position in the top facility enabling the University to the Brumbies Super Rugby team, five per cent of universities and offer an accommodation guarantee the University of Canberra Research research institutions internationally. to all first-year and international Institute for Sport and Exercise students. The University also and a number of community-based Our contribution to the ACT opened a second wing of Weeden sporting bodies. It is also home economy was demonstrated Lodge, accommodating an of the University of Canberra in a report by Deloitte Access additional 260 student beds in the Capitals women’s basketball team, Economics, jointly commissioned heart of Belconnen. the national licence for which the by the University of Canberra and 6 Introduction from the Vice-Chancellor “Despite being a turbulent year for the Australian higher education sector, 2014 saw significant achievements at the University of Canberra” PROFESSOR STEPHEN PARKER AO The Australian National University Lowrie winning a $2.6 million progress we have made in 2014 that found Canberra’s two major research grant to promote as a competitive, values-based, universities contributed more than mathematics education in Indonesia. outward-looking university will $1.7 billion worth of economic see us continue to thrive in these activity annually. Throughout the year we had a real challenging times. impact in national debate with our We also renewed our focus on research, our commentary and our students from disadvantaged stand on some fundamental values backgrounds in line with our Strategic about access to higher education. Plan commitments, and we won We have had extensive media significant funds to promote access by coverage on hot topics, as you will different groups, particularly young read in our Impact section. Indigenous people. Professor Stephen Parker AO Our National Centre for Social Vice-Chancellor and President A personal highlight of 2014 was the and Economic Modelling in installation of Dr Tom Calma AO as particular took centre stage for its our new Chancellor in February, the analysis of the effects of the Federal first Indigenous man to fill this role in Budget, including proposed higher an Australian university.