The University of Western Australia Strategic Asset Review
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THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA STRATEGIC ASSET REVIEW Prepared by: Town Planning & Urban Design Level 2, Suite 5 36 Rowland Street Subiaco WA 6008 PO Box 796 Subiaco WA 6904 Tel: 9382 1233 Fax: 9382 1127 Project No. 778SAR Rep128C JB-07 July 2007 THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA STRATEGIC ASSET REVIEW INTRODUCTION The University of Western Australia has a clear vision to be recognised • Has the second highest proportion of higher degree research internationally for its excellence in teaching and research and as a enrolments nationally (In 2005, 11.4% of enrolments were in higher leading intellectual and creative resource to the communities it serves. degree research compared with a national average of 5%); As part of its vision, the University has set a growth target to exceed 20,000 • Attracts substantial research funding and is a member of the G8 students by 2010 and to move towards a 70 per cent to 30 per cent ratio of group of Australia’s leading eight universities (for example; The undergraduate to postgraduate students. University has a strong research record with 7.2% of the Australian Competitive Grant funds and 6.4% of the total research income To achieve its vision, it is essential that the University: funds allocated to Australian higher education institutions in • Establishes high quality benchmarks in all that it does; 2004. On a per capita basis, these were the nation’s third highest allocations); • Provides a broad and comprehensive range of teaching and research facilities in the arts, sciences, and professions; • Is in partnership or with numerous government, industry, business, professional associations and other institutions, for example, • Has a strong focus on research and actively targets specific areas the Centre for Medical and Surgical Skills (a global partnership for more intensive research, particularly in the realm of science; between UWA, Health Dept. of WA, Hill Surgical Trust, Royal College • Establishes and maintains a strong international profile; of Surgeons of England, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons • Retains and expands its role as a major player in the regional and the Centre for Anaesthetic Skills and Medical Simulation which economy; establishes ‘live’ links across the globe offering undergraduate • Is technologically advanced and innovative; and and postgraduate courses for surgeons, anaesthetists and other medical professionals), and major international corporations such • Responds to the needs of students, staff, and the broader as Samsung and Motorola; community. • Is part of a global university network involving joint research and Much of the above, the University already does. For example, the University teaching, and student exchange programs with over 30 other of Western Australia: universities in Asia, Europe and North America; • Has an operating budget in excess of half a billion dollars per • Has a strong history of graduates making their mark in a wide range annum, and assets totaling over 1.4 billion dollars; of disciplines throughout the state, Australia and the world (for example; University staff members have won numerous awards for • Provides teaching and/or employment for over 20,000 people teaching and research; the most noteworthy being Professor Barry and, together with the QEII medical campus, is the second largest Marshall and Emeritus Professor Robin Warren who were awarded commuter destination in the metropolitan region; the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discovery of • Provides the premier under-graduate education in the state, and the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic has a student intake with a high proportion of school leavers with ulcer disease); TEE marks in the upper percentiles (82.7% of the top 5% students in • Establishes strong infrastructure .links with the State Government WA and 79.6% of the top 10% students applying for admission in such as contribution to public transport funding, integration of 2006); the University library with the state library service, and significant teaching and research facilities in Western Australia’s major hospitals; 2 THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA STRATEGIC ASSET REVIEW INTRODUCTION • Provides a wide range of educational courses within the community be utilised in the future, and what strategic actions need to be taken to beyond the traditional under-graduate teaching (such as Summer influence the relationship between the University and its physical, political, School, UWA Extension/Community Education, and the University social and economic context. of the Third Age); and • Provides a range of cultural and sporting facilities in the region This report, the University of Western Australia Strategic Asset Review, including Art Galleries, Museums, contributions to cultural events sets out a high level, flexible land use and transport strategy, providing a such as the Perth International Arts Festival, over 30 sports clubs, framework for co-ordinated and integrated decision making within a long and a range of community sport training programs including the term context. The Strategic Asset Review sets out an Action Plan providing provision of facilities for elite athletes. a structure for identification of future actions and strategies to support its implementation. However, the University cannot rest on its laurels. It still needs to look forward in an increasingly competitive and global world. As part of the University’s The Strategic Asset Review integrates the University’s physical and strategy for the future, it has identified six priority strategic objectives of academic planning, to ensure that the research and University growth particular significance to achieving international excellence over the objectives can be accommodated, in an agreed and desirable way, in 2006–2008 triennium. These include: the physical spaces available. • Teaching and Learning: Improve the quality of the student learning The key objectives of The University of Western Australia Strategic Asset experience; Review are to: • Research and Research Training: Improve the quality and impact, and productivity of research training; Identify all of the land assets The University has an interest in and understand their current and potential use; • External Relations: Improve the University’s positioning, reputation and strategic relationships; Understand The University’s high level strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, as well as the strategic drivers for decision • Resourcing: Increase and diversify the University’s income, with making; particular emphasis on general purpose income ; Understand the relationship between academic objectives, • Staffing: Recruit, develop and retain the highest quality staff, growth, drivers, buildings and the land that The University uses in supporting development of their full potential, within a ‘one staff, the process; one University’ philosophy; and Identify how The University might better use the buildings and • Management: Improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the land that it already owns for development purposes, whether for management of the University. education or revenue generation; In order to facilitate and accommodate these objectives, it is vital that Appreciate how what The University does might change in the the University ensures that its physical infrastructure and asset base is used future; effectively and remains appropriate to the needs of the University as it Develop a Strategic Action Plan to guide future long term decision grows and adapts to an ever-changing world. For this reason, in 2006- making; and 7 the University undertook a strategic review of its assets to investigate and determine what the University asset base consisted of, how it could Guide all development plans for individual University holdings. 3 THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA STRATEGIC ASSET REVIEW INTRODUCTION The Strategic Asset Review process has been broken into three key phases Identification of the main opportunities and constraints associated as outlined below. The subsequent sections of this report document the with each of the expansion paths; process and outcomes of each of these phases, which culminate in Phase Second brainstorming session with key University players to discuss Three: Strategic Action Plan. the conceptual strategy diagrams and their associated issues. Phase One: Data Harvesting (refer Appendix 1) Phase Three: Strategic Action Plan Objective: To understand what assets The University has available and Objective: Summary of objectives which highlight future growth options potential opportunities. and actions for implementation. Outcomes: Outcomes: Identification of all University landholdings in WA, and annotation of the sites on a map; Refinement of the Conceptual Strategy Diagrams and preparation of a Strategic Action Plan. Understand strategic data prepared by The University (faculty by faculty) outlining growth projections and requirements; Next Steps: First brainstorming session with key high level University players These phases then lead to individual component planning projects for the (including Vice Chancellor and Executive Director, Finance and University such as: Resources) to discuss and better understand: Claremont development plan; i. University’s Strategic Drivers; Sunset development plan (if acquired); ii. Potential long term strategies/opportunities for The University; Sports Park precinct plans; iii. Potential changes that lie ahead for how university’s operate, and; Shenton