ANNUAL REPORT 2008 THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY | ANNUALREPORT2008 NN A T EPOR R AL U 2008 The University of Sydney THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY NSW 2006 FURTHER April 2009 INFORMATION ANNUAL The Honourable Verity Firth MP REPORT Minister for Education and Training Level 33, Governor Macquarie Tower 2008 1 Farrer Place Sydney NSW 2000 Dear Minister, The Senate of the University of Sydney has the honour The address of the University is About the Annual Report of presenting to you, in accordance with the Annual The University of Sydney This report was produced by the University of Sydney’s Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 and its subsequent NSW 2006 Australia Digital and Print Media office. amendments, the report of the proceedings and financial Phone: +61 2 9351 2222 For further copies, please contact: statements of the University of Sydney for the year ended Website: www.usyd.edu.au 31 December 2008. Information Management Officer Hours of opening Digital and Print Media Main switchboard Room L6.09, Quadrangle A14 Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm The University of Sydney NSW 2006 Phone: +61 2 9351 4625 Fisher Library (during semester) Fax: +61 2 9351 3289 Monday to Thursday: 8am to 10pm Email: [email protected] Friday: 8am to 8pm The Annual Report is also available online at Saturday: 9am to 5pm www.usyd.edu.au/about/publications/annual_report. Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO Sunday: 1pm to 5pm Chancellor Library hours outside semester vary throughout Writing and editing: Ben Wilson the year. See www.library.usyd.edu.auCONTENTS for details Additional writing: Jacob O’Shaughnessy, and opening hours of other University libraries. Sarah Masters, Media Office staff, UniNews staff Design: Regina Safro Additional photography: Ted Sealey Student Centre Printing: SOS Print & Media Group Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm Printing costs: $11,770 (excluding GST) See www.usyd.edu.au/current_students/student_ administration/contacts for contact details for student The University publishes numerous print and online administration services. publications throughout the year. Much of this work is produced by the University’s Digital and Print Media unit Dr Michael Spence University of Sydney Union facilities (during semester) 2 Fast facts (DPM), which also has oversight responsibility for the Vice-Chancellor and Principal 7.30am to 7.30pm 4 Our charter, aims and objectives University’s website and maintains and updates much Hours for specific services vary. Non-semester opening of its corporate information. hours are reduced and vary6 throughoutChancellor’s the year. message See www.usuonline.com for more detail. Publications produced by the University in 2008 included: 7 Vice-Chancellor’s message • high-level corporate documents such as the 8 Sustainable Sydney Annual Report and University Calendar Many offices of the University are open beyond the above times. To check opening14 times,The please student telephone experience • important student recruitment material, such as the the unit or department you18 wish to Excellingvisit. in China University’s Undergraduate Prospectus, the International Undergraduate Prospectus and International Postgraduate 22 Responding to the global financial crisisProspectus, and faculty prospectuses 26 Teaching the teachers • news and information documents, such as the staff 30 Tackling obesity newspaper UniNews (12 editions in 2008) 34 Investing in the future • a large variety of faculty publications 38 Staff honours and awards • a wide range of books from the Sydney University Press. 40 Honorary degrees and promotions to professor The pages of this report are printed on ISSN 0313-4474 ENVI Silk Carbon Neutral paper. ENVI is 42 Principal officers manufactured in Australia by Australian © The University of Sydney 2009 Paper and is certified Greenhouse Friendly™ 43 Organisation chart by the Australian Government’s Department Statutory report and financial reportsCRICOS and provider statements 00026A of Climate Change under the Greenhouse 45 Friendly™ initiative. The cover is printed 09/1815 on Revive Silk which contains 50 per cent recycled fibre. Fast facts $69.4 million 2008 of National Health 71,892 and Medical Research visitors to the Sydney Council funding secured University Museums, up by Sydney researchers 18 per cent from 2007 5 million requests generated by students to access online learning activities 4300 215 91.90 the number of students clubs and societies the mean UAI of students who received University supported by the starting at the University scholarships student union in 2008 9554 7 325,000 total number of Olympic and Paralympic number of e-books in international students medal winners the University Library $1.3 billion 2796 46,054 the University’s academic staff positions undergraduate and annual turnover postgraduate enrolments $61.6 million 95% $53.4 million in Australian Research the percentage of e-waste the amount raised in Council funding for materials collected donations in 2008, 230 new and continuing through the University’s the University’s most student exchange awards from 2008, recovery program that successful fundraising agreements with more more than any other is recycled year ever than 30 countries Australian university CHARTER The University of Sydney was incorporated by the Parliament of New South Wales on 1 October 1850, making it the first university to be established in Australia. Under the University THE of Sydney Act 1989 (as amended), the University’s principal UNIVERSITY functions include: • the provision of facilities for education and research of of SYDNEY university standard • the encouragement of the dissemination, advancement, development and application of knowledge informed by free enquiry • the provision of courses of study or instruction across a range of fields, and the carrying out of research, to meet the needs of the community • the participation in public discourse • the conferring of degrees, including those of bachelor, master and doctor, and the awarding of diplomas, certificates and other awards • the provision of teaching and learning that engage with advanced knowledge and enquiry. PURPOSE AND VALUES The core purpose of the University of Sydney is its fundamental moral commitment to intellectual discovery and development, responsible social commentary and the promotion of cultural and economic wellbeing. The most able academics and students come here from around the world to research and study across the broadest range of disciplines in Australia, from the most theoretical to the most applied. We are committed to finding the best in people of potential from all social backgrounds, and play a major role in our local, national and international communities. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The University has identified five major objectives to guide all its activities between now and 2010 to ensure it achieves its vision while remaining true to its purpose: 1. Build our reputation as a leading international research university by increasing research intensity and performance. 2. Improve flexibility, choice, learning outcomes and the student experience by developing the distinctive Sydney ‘choices’ academic program. 3. Increase the proportion of high-performing staff. 4. Communicate with, engage and contribute to the cultural, social, economic and political fabric of our national and international community. 5. Develop a world-class campus environment by investing in physical and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure and by implementing best-practice shared services and the University Economic Model, thereby ensuring long-term sustainability, reinvestment capacity and competitive advantage. 4 5 CHANCELLOR’S VICE-CHANCELLOR’S MESSAGE MESSAGE his has been a year of significant transition and continuing growth for hat a privilege it was to arrive at the University of Sydney in the University of Sydney. We farewelled as Vice-Chancellor Professor 2008 and to find an institution flourishing in so many ways! Gavin Brown AO after 12 years of distinguished service, during This report chronicles a year in which research income, the T which time the University extended its range of specialisation in W average UAI on admission and levels of philanthropy were all teaching and research, and its collaborative engagements across Asia, Europe up, and the University outdid its previous excellent performance on many and North America. And we welcomed home from the University of Oxford indicators. In it you will read of our success across a range of activities Dr Michael Spence, an outstanding alumnus and creative leader whose from sustainability to teaching, from medicine to finance economics. restructuring of administrative networks and decision-making processes is However, the report also chronicles a year in which the world as a generating a new dynamism. whole faced several challenges, not least that of the global financial crisis. While meeting the challenges of the 21st century through innovative pathways It shows the effect of the crisis on our investment income – and that effect in learning and research, and noting the branding project’s focus on the has been significant. Fortunately, prudent management over a long period University’s contemporary image in the wider community, we will never has meant that the University should be able to weather the current crisis forget the contributors of earlier years. without any lasting damage to our core business and, indeed, we are A recent ceremony held by The Glebe Society and the City of Sydney