Melbourne Vice-Chancellors’ Forum Melbourne Australia’s knowledge capital The contributions of Melbourne’s universities to the City’s economic, cultural and community development May 2007 2 MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITIEs’ CONTRIBUTIONS StUDY Howard Partners Pty Ltd ABN 89 090 817 360 Suite G1 15 Beauchamp Street Deakin ACT 2600 www.howardpartners.com.au MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITIEs’ CONTRIBUTIONS StUDY 3 Contents From the Lord Mayor 4 Summary 5 1 Context 12 1.1 The City of Melbourne and metropolitan Melbourne 12 1.2 Towards engagement 12 1.3 Key constituencies and stakeholders 13 1.4 Data sources 15 1.5 Location of Victoria’s universities with a Melbourne presence 15 2 The economic roles and contributions of universities 16 2.1 Melbourne universities in a global context 16 2.2 The economic impact of Victorian universities 19 2.3 The economic contribution of overseas students 21 2.4 Investment in student housing and accommodation 22 3 Universities as developers of human capital 23 3.1 The student population 23 3.2 Education and training for the professions 24 3.3 Work integrated learning (WIL) 24 3.4 The student experience 27 4 Universities as “engines of innovation” 29 4.1 Knowledge products and services 29 4.2 Intellectual property protection and technology licensing 29 4.3 Melbourne’s universities areas of research strength 30 4.4 Cooperation and collaboration with industry and the community 43 4.5 Research precincts and technology parks 45 4.6 Universities as incubators for new business development 48 5 Universities in a community, cultural and social setting 50 5.1 Universities as communities 50 5.2 Universities and community service 51 5.3 Universities as centres for the arts, culture and discourse 53 5.4 Universities as providers of sporting and recreational facilities 60 6 Universities as custodians of knowledge assets 62 6.1 Scientific facilities and instruments 62 6.2 Libraries 64 6.3 Archives 64 6.4 Publishing and bookstores 64 7 Universities making a difference to the urban environment and infrastructure 65 7.1 Planning and development 65 7.2 Universities in the city 66 7.3 Preservation and restoration of heritage assets 67 7.4 Marketing and promotion of the City 69 8 Issues and implications 69 References 71 4 MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITIEs’ CONTRIBUTIONS StUDY From the Lord Mayor Local governments and universities have impor- our reputation for a quality tant roles to play in a city’s future growth and and affordable lifestyle. sustainability. In Melbourne, the long-term Given the council’s vision success of our educational institutions is linked to for Melbourne as an inno- the long-term success of our city. Melbourne has vative and engaging city, a large student population and many of our this study highlights that industries and cultural activities have strong con- universities and the City of nections to our universities. Melbourne have the In 2005, the first Melbourne Vice Chancellors’ potential to become valu- Forum was held to explore the possibility of closer able partners. The study also provides the basis collaboration between all Melbourne-based for increased and sustained government and universities and the City of Melbourne. community support for Melbourne’s universities The forum agreed to commission a study to iden- and the benefits of helping universities work with tify the roles played by Melbourne’s eight universi- business and all levels of government, to develop ties in Melbourne’s economic, social and cultural and promote Melbourne as a knowledge capital. life. This study, the Metropolitan Melbourne Uni- Thank you to all who contributed to the develop- versities’ Contributions Study was conducted by ment of this study. I would like to particularly Howard Partners and adopted by the Melbourne acknowledge the contributions made by members Vice Chancellors’ Forum in March 2007. of the Vice Chancellors’ Forum: The business and knowledge-sharing opportuni- • Professor Gabrielle McMullen, ties and the economic benefits that universities PVC Academic Affairs, Australian Catholic bring to a city are well known and initially the University, Melbourne; plan for this study was to focus on these economic • Professor Sally Walker, impacts. Vice Chancellor, Deakin University; However, the study soon revealed that universi- • Professor Paul Johnson, ties bring many other benefits for Melbourne. Vice Chancellor, La Trobe University; • Professor Richard Larkins, While the university sector is important for employ- Vice Chancellor, Monash University; ment, income and research-commercialisation in • Professor Margaret Gardner, the city, this study also found that the social, Vice Chancellor, RMIT University; cultural and community contributions of • Professor Ian Young, Vice Chancellor, universities are significant. Universities in Swinburne University of Technology; Melbourne are centres for the arts, for culture • Professor Glyn Davis, Vice Chancellor, and for community services and universities University of Melbourne; and themselves hold important places in Melbourne’s • Professor Elizabeth Harman, urban landscape. Vice Chancellor, Victoria University. Melbourne’s universities have a strong presence This study will now inform the Melbourne Vice in the international tertiary education market. Chancellors’ Forum in its future activities. With international offices that nurture relation- ships and attract diverse international popula- tions, metropolitan Melbourne hosts 25,000 international tertiary students, who are attracted Lord Mayor John So by both the excellent educational institutions and Chair, Melbourne Vice Chancellors’ Forum MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITIEs’ CONTRIBUTIONS StUDY 5 Summary Victoria’s eight universities with a Melbourne Overseas students make an important contribu- metropolitan presence are an integral part of the tion to the culture and lifestyle of Melbourne as urban economy and community and make a well as to Victorian regional centres. International substantial contribution to Victoria as a whole. student spending on tuition, accommodation, The City of Melbourne, in partnership with the and retail makes a further contribution to local Vice-Chancellors of the eight universities, recog- economies and accounts for a very significant nises that the potential exists to strengthen further proportion of Australia’s trade in services. the synergies between these universities and the While education of Australian and international wider economic, social and urban context in students is an important part of higher education which they operate. in Victoria, this function comprises only one The existence of these synergies is already recog- aspect of its activities. A very significant propor- nised in the City’s plans for the future: City Plan tion of the attention, resources and faculty of a 2010. This plan stresses the importance of the university is devoted to research, graduate and tertiary education sector to the future of professional education, continuing education and Melbourne as a knowledge city – as part of the service to society. These missions of teaching, growth and retention of priority business sectors. research and industry and community engage- The purpose of this Study has been to document ment are commonly referred to as a ‘triad’ of the nature and extent of these impacts in as broad university missions. a manner as possible with a view to informing future strategies and plans. Through research, universities produce new These Victorian universities with Melbourne cam- knowledge essential for economic progress, puses are Australian Catholic University, Deakin social wellbeing and sustainability in the University, La Trobe University, The University environment and natural resources. Through of Melbourne, Monash University, Swinburne graduate and professional programs universi- ­University, RMIT University and Victoria ­University. ties train the teachers, the scholars, the Several of these institutions offer both university leaders, the managers and decision makers and vocational education and training courses necessary to apply this knowledge. Through and programs. publications, information services and out- reach, universities engage with industry and For many people, including parents, politicians the community in a wide range of cooperative, and the press, a university is ‘where people go collaborative and partnership arrangements. to get an education’. Once seen as a privilege for the few who had the capacity to pay, This ‘classic triad’ of teaching, research and higher education is now accessible by all engagement has formed the basis of a long stand- sections of society who have the capacity, ing social contract between universities and ability and motivation to learn. Over the past society. With the emergence of the knowledge 50 years higher education has moved from economy and the recognition of higher education an ‘aspiration’ to ‘a right’ for all qualified as an industry, this social contract is being re- Victorians. negotiated and higher education is being expected to contribute more to economic and social Victorian higher education is also accessible by progress, cultural enrichment and community an increasing number of international students. development (Bjarnason and Coldstream 2003). 6 MELBOURNE METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITIEs’ CONTRIBUTIONS StUDY In the context of this broader social contract this represent a significant proportion of residents in study has generated a number of findings. new apartment buildings being constructed in and