Annual Report 2003 *AR2003-Page layout f2 14/5/04 2:44 PM Page 1 Report of the RMIT Council . 2 RMIT in 2003 Chancellor’s Statement . 3 Vice-Chancellor’s Statement . 4 RMIT 101 . 6 2 RMIT at a Glance . 9 Business . 10 Academic 12 Review Science, Engineering and Technology . Design and Social Context . 16 10 Teaching and Learning . 20 Research and Innovation . 26 Students, Global RMIT University . 30 Staff and Working with the Community . 34 Communities Our People . 36 22 Buildings and Environment . 40 Social Sustainability . 43 Sustainability Environmental Sustainability . 45 at RMIT Financial Sustainability . 46 42 Sustainability Through Governance . 47 University Council . 50 Corporate Senior Officers . 53 Governance Controlled Entities . 56 50 Goals and Targets for 2004 . 60 *AR2003-Page layout f2 14/5/04 2:44 PM Page 2 Report of the RMIT Council for the period January 1 – December 31 , 2003 2 To the Honourable Lynne Kosky MP, 3 Minister for Education and Training 0 0 2 t n 2003 In pursuance of the provisions of the Financial T i Management Act 1984, the Tertiary Education Act por 1993 and relevant decisions of the Public Accounts RMI al re and Estimates Committee of Parliament, the Council nu of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University) has the honour to transmit to you t an its Annual Report for the year ending December 31, rmi 2003. Council delegated approval for the Chancellor to approve the Annual Report on its behalf on March 1, 2004. The Chancellor approved the report on April 1, 2004. Professor Dennis Gibson AO Chancellor April 1, 2004 *AR2003-Page layout f2 14/5/04 2:44 PM Page 3 Chancellor’s Statement 2003 has been a challenging The University Council faced a A number of new members joined 3 and rewarding year for RMIT. significant task in overseeing the the Council in 2003, and these people RMI rmi implementation of the University’s bring fresh talent, enthusiasm and t an T i Strategic Plan and measures to ensure a commitment to the RMIT mission: the n 2003 sustainable RMIT, while also responding provision of high quality work-related nu to a number of external inquiries and education and research that reflects the al re audits, including the Auditor-General’s needs and aspirations of the por review of RMIT’s finances. community. t I am pleased to report that RMIT I have greatly enjoyed my first year 2 0 ended 2003 in a stronger position than as Chancellor of RMIT. I have enjoyed 0 3 it was in at the start of the year. We seeing first-hand the passion and have achieved our budget and creativity of RMIT staff and students operational targets, while at the same across the TAFE and higher education time helping our students to achieve sectors, and I am confident that we are excellent outcomes and continuing our well positioned to make a leading improved research performance. We contribution to the development of the have responded positively to all of the knowledge-based economy, in Victoria Auditor-General’s recommendations, and globally. strengthening the financial and governance structures of the university. In 2003, RMIT also completed a review of the university’s property portfolio, with a view to making the best use of its physical assets. Council has endorsed a strategy with two main Professor Dennis Gibson ao objectives: firstly, to consolidate the City Chancellor Campus around the top end of Swanston St to create a strong, well- supported student precinct. Secondly, we will use resources freed up by the property review to ensure better facilities for RMIT students across all of our campuses. *AR2003-Page layout f2 14/5/04 2:44 PM Page 4 Vice-Chancellor’s Statement 4 2003 has been a year of We have confronted substantial These strategies are all about 3 consolidation and positioning challenges, both internal and external, providing a platform for the real work of 0 0 RMIT for growth. while at the same time achieving RMIT: high quality education, 2 t n 2003 significant outcomes in teaching, scholarship and research. In 2003, staff T i research, scholarship, and engagement and students continued to shine in a por with industry and the community more number of arenas, including: RMI al re generally. • Three State Training Awards and one nu We started the year with some clear National Training Award to RMIT TAFE: objectives: The Koorie Community Leadership t an • positioning the university for re- Program, which won the National rmi implementation of the Academic Australian Training Initiative Award, is Management System (AMS); based on a partnership between • stabilising our financial management Victorian Aboriginal Community systems; and Services Association Ltd (VACSL) and • achieving budget targets. RMIT and is a strong example of These were high priorities and we TAFE/higher education collaboration have delivered on all fronts thanks to with communities. the combined efforts of Council, staff • Improved research performance: 2003 and management. saw significant increases in higher Our final operating result for 2003 degree student completions and the represents a substantial turn-around number of research publications for RMIT. We have met our financial across the university. Following the targets, and done so without relying outstanding increase in success in on asset sales. Just as importantly, we 2002 in Australian Research Council have retired debt and our cash (ARC) Discovery Grants, RMIT’s position is strong. researchers have maintained this In 2003, Council approved a plan to strong performance in 2003. This re-implement the AMS, which is now renewed engagement has flowed underway. While we still have some through to RMIT participation in the way to go, we have achieved significant ARC Linkage Grants Scheme – a big improvements in data quality and the increase in quality assured timely issuing of information to applications in 2003, with a success students. The result is greater efficiency rate above the national average. RMIT and better service, as reflected in researchers have also, for the first improvements in student satisfaction time, secured funding for a National with the university’s administrative Health and Medical Research Council systems over the past 12 months. Centre of Excellence. *AR2003-Page layout f2 14/5/04 2:44 PM Page 5 • International success: RMIT was One of the key themes of RMIT’s As public funding declines and 5 commended in the Governor of Strategic Plan to 2006 is dissolving the communities and students are asked to RMI rmi Victoria’s Export Awards 2003; and boundaries between disciplines, and pay more, the social contract between t an T i won the Austrade-AustCham Export between the university and the universities and the community will n 2003 Award for Business Excellence in community. Internally, we are fostering underpin their survival. We must nu Singapore. In Vietnam, RMIT interdisciplinary research and teaching understand who our stakeholders are, al re International University Vietnam won and dissolving internal barriers to and identify what they want and need. por the business innovation category at collaboration. In 2003 we implemented Through delivering on those t the 2003 Australian Business Awards a new structure in which schools are expectations, we build our strength as a 2 0 and was the inaugural winner of the positioned as the fundamental building knowledge resource, and fuel 0 3 Golden Dragon Prize for foreign- blocks of the university. The elimination innovation – the generation of new invested businesses. of the faculties has meant the removal ideas and their take-up by people. • Commendations from the Australian of one layer of administration, and we In 2004, for example, we hope to Universities Quality Agency for the are now in the process of simplifying advance that strategy through our strength of RMIT’s work-integrated service provision across the university to partnerships in regional Victoria and learning, and for the passion and ensure a better focus on our core overseas, and through initiatives such commitment of our staff. academic activities. as our participation in the City of Like other higher education and TAFE Externally, dissolving the boundaries Melbourne’s `student city’ project, and institutions, however, we face means building our engagement with the launch of the Observatory PASCAL. continuing challenges in our external the community, including through The latter is a website involving environment. The Commonwealth industry and regional partnerships. This partnerships between universities Government’s reforms of higher is a key role for RMIT as we move around the world to allow users, mainly education, culminating in the passage forward, and central to the future of in local and regional government, to of the Higher Education Support Act in higher education institutions more access details of the latest global December, reflect a push towards generally. Universities have always had developments in social capital and competition and specialisation. The a critical role in responding to the learning regions in the new economy. impact of the SARS virus and community’s need for people with the Many more examples of the subsequent avian flu outbreak also necessary skills, expertise and attributes innovative spirit and expert knowledge served as a timely reminder of the to contribute to social and economic that fuels RMIT can be found in the uncertainties we face working across development. This is more important pages of this Annual Report. I am national borders. than ever as we move into a confident that we have the resources, knowledge-based economy where our the will, and the energy to thrive and economic wealth and social cohesion contribute to this complex and rests on the capabilities of our people. changing world. Never have the values embodied in RMIT’s historic identity as the `Working Men’s College’ been more relevant.