ANNUAL REPORT 2010 VOLUME ONE the Honourable Adrian Piccoli Mp Minister for Education New South Wales Parliament House Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2001
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ANNUAL REPORT 2010 VOLUME ONE The Honourable Adrian Piccoli mp Minister for Education New South Wales Parliament House Macquarie Street Sydney NSW 2001 6 May 2011 Dear Minister On behalf of the Council of the University of Newcastle, we have the honour of submitting to you for presentation to Parliament the Annual Report on the work and activities of the University of Newcastle for the year ended 31 December 2010. The Annual Report and the accompanying audited Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983. We note that the Annual Report has been submitted after the time set out in section 10 of the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and that no application for an extension of time was made under section 13. This situation has occurred as a result of the need to resolve a technical accounting matter with one of the University’s controlled entities that arose during the course of audit and after the time during which an extension may be granted. Conjoint Professor Trevor Waring AM Professor Nicholas Saunders Chancellor Vice-Chancellor and President Cover artwork The Beeston Tapestry hangs in the University of Newcastle’s Great Hall. The iconic tapestry was designed by Mary Beeston, and woven by her husband Larry Beeston with local weaver Rachel Frecker. It was commissioned by the Friends of the University who gifted it to the University in 1988. The 18-metre long tapestry comprises 12 panels that chronicle the history of the Hunter Valley. Each panel depicts a different chapter from the prehistoric volcanic age through to the founding of the University. Running through the entire tapestry is the river of life. The panel on the front cover tells the story of the arrival of Indigenous communities to the region, and the panel on the back cover depicts the establishment of the city of Newcastle. 02 INTRODUCTION 08 TEACHING AND LEARNING 14 RESEARCH 22 STUDENTS AND STAFF 32 ENGAGEMENT 38 SERVICES AND RESOURCES 47 LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE 52 APPENDICES Compliance Index can be found on page 64 Audited financial statements for the University of Newcastle and its Controlled Entities are presented in Volume Two of the Annual Report 2010. MEssAGE from the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor The University has focused on building In 2010, we maintained our ranking in Australia’s top 10 universities for research strength in research, teaching and funding. We attracted National Health and Medical Research Council funding for learning, access, engagement with our a record number of projects and received our highest funding allocation from the communities and governance. In 2010, Australian Research Council. Our total external research funding for 2010 exceeded the University achieved great results $75 million. across these areas. Our foundation A significant development in research was the opening of the Newcastle Institute for is strong and we are now moving to Energy and Resources (NIER) – a world-class energy and resources facility on a scale consolidate our performance and, unmatched by any university in the country. NIER will bring together more than 300 at the same time, introduce initiatives University researchers to work with external partners in the areas of sustainable energy that will continue the University’s production and minimising energy use. sustainable growth. In 2010, our student enrolments reached 35,500. This growth was matched by a program of innovative activities to improve the student experience including a highly successful new approach to orientation and the expansion of our student mentoring program, which now hosts more than 350 mentors. Providing the infrastructure to meet the needs of our students has been a priority for the University. In 2010, the University commenced a $20 million program of works at the Ourimbah campus and called for expressions of interest to start work on a Newcastle City campus. Plans were also released for an $85 million investment in new and existing student accommodation. The University is defined by the commitment and talent of our staff. The staff experience is central to our success. In 2010, 80 per cent of staff reported strong job satisfaction in an internal survey. Many staff received national and international awards, and the University appointed 14 new professors. The University continues to work with our local communities. The lauded Science and Engineering Challenge, which promotes science and engineering to high school students, notched up its 100,000th student. Continuing our leading work in Indigenous collaboration, the University released its Reconciliation Action Plan. Community engagement is two-way. We extend a heartfelt thanks to our communities who gave so generously to the University in 2010 with contributions reaching more than $4 million, as well as many hours of their time. In November, the University released its new strategic plan Building Distinction 2011-2015. The strategic plan is a blueprint for our work across seven priorities: student experience, staff experience, research, Indigenous collaboration, international engagement, community engagement and sustainability. The University’s performance in 2010 has been outstanding. Working from a strong foundation, the University is moving into its next period of growth. The future is full of promise and the University is in a prime position to make the most of the opportunities that lie ahead. Conjoint Professor Trevor Waring AM Professor Nicholas Saunders Chancellor Vice-Chancellor and President 02 | THE UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE 2010 at A glance University of Newcastle established 1965 Rankings Full-time equivalent staff 970 academic Australian top 10 for research 1,447 non-academic funding and outcomes Student enrolments 27,610 domestic Up 20 places to 266 in the world Times Higher Education Supplement 5,166 international onshore rankings 2010 2,718 international offshore Up 12 places to 352 in the world Graduates 3,849 undergraduate Shanghai Jiao Tong University rankings 2010 1,793 postgraduate coursework 59 in Asia Pacific 122 research higher degree Shanghai Jiao Tong University rankings 2010 Total revenue $546 million 256 in the world QS World University rankings 2010 For a comprehensive view of the University, see Appendix A: Five Year Key Statistics ANNUAL REPORT 2010 | 03 2010 A year of achievement January April The University welcomes more than Professor Tim Roberts is appointed the new director of the University’s Tom Farrell $34 million in Australian Government Institute for the Environment. A former Dean of the University’s Singapore campus, funding for research and research training. Professor Roberts’ research interests lie in immunology and chronic disease. PhD student Natalie Beveridge and A historic agreement is signed between the University and The Philippines’ Commission National Health and Medical Research on Higher Education to build capacity and share knowledge between Australia and The Council Postdoctoral Fellow Dr Nikola Philippines in the areas of engineering, science and technology. Bowden are invited to work with the world’s leading schizophrenia and cancer May June experts at the prestigious National The University’s Science and Engineering The University is part of the winning Institutes of Health in the United States. Challenge celebrates its 100,000th consortium for the ground-breaking Smart The first works in the $20 million student. Over its 10 year history, the Grid, Smart City project – a $100 million development plan for the Central Coast Challenge has grown from a local event demonstration project with the potential campus kicks off with construction to one involving more than 20,000 high to improve the efficiency of Australia’s commencing on the Exercise Science school students across Australia each year. energy sector and transform the way households and businesses use energy. Building. The project will be completed Conservation biologist and frog mid 2011. enthusiast Associate Professor Michael The NSW Clean Coal Council grants more Mahony is named a finalist in the United than $5 million to University research February Nations Association of Australia’s World projects exploring low emission coal Oral health lecturer and forensic dentist Environment Day Awards for Outstanding technologies. Dr Jane Taylor is honoured with an Service to the Environment. Professor Nick Talley begins work as the Australian Federal Police Operations The University and the East China Pro Vice-Chancellor, Faculty of Health. Medal for her work in identifying victims University of Science and Technology One of the most cited clinical scientists of the 2002 Bali bombing and the 2004 join forces in chemical and environmental in the field of gastroenterology, Professor Boxing Day tsunami in Thailand. engineering allowing students to undertake Talley joins the University after eight years With the University poised for strong their early studies at ECUST and then in the USA at the esteemed Mayo Clinic. growth in the coming decade, expressions transfer to Newcastle to complete their The University Chamber Choir win of interest are called for from private sector degrees. Similar agreements are already three ‘firsts’ at the McDonald’s Sydney partners in the Stage 1 development of the in place in business, commerce and Eisteddfod. proposed Newcastle City campus. information technology programs. March July The University is named a 2010 Employer Australian Government backing of $30 million paves the