VC’s corner
campusreview.com.au
the learnings we are yet to absorb from our
First Nations people.
CQUniversity research has come a long
way in a short time, but I see this as the
start of the trajectory. Our mission is to
continually produce new knowledge that
drives the prosperity and sustainability
of our communities and our industries,
whether that’s health and ageing, tourism
and regional development, First Nations
equity and reconciliation, or climate change
and renewables.
There isn’t a shortage of serious
challenges. We have a social licence
towards which our research must
contribute, and these contributions will
continue to grow.
Across your academic and professional
career, you’ve had a strong background in
environmental science. You were a science
correspondent for ABC Radio for over a
decade and the dean of science at Charles
Sturt, where you covered areas as diverse
as wine science to biotechnology. How has
this foundation in science informed your
approach to leadership?
Coming from a science background, I
know it’s all about the data. To be a good
decision-maker and leader you need to be
presented with all the facts and evidence
so that you can identify, consider and apply
optimal solutions. Collection, analysis and
access to data will be a significant part of
my future plans for the university.
In your view, what are the key challenges
facing the higher education landscape
across Australia today?
The challenges facing CQUniversity are
the same challenges facing every other
university. Government funding continues
to present challenges for the sector, both
when it comes to student places and
research. Universities must therefore remain
agile and adapt to change.
Along with this, universities need to do
more to harness their position as change
agents within their communities. While
education and research will always be
core business, it is no longer good enough
for universities just to focus on this.
Universities need to establish themselves
as thriving community and industry
hubs through deep engagement and
collaboration. To survive in the long term,
universities need to adapt and deliver
programs and activities that are informed
by those they serve.
Finally, I worry about mental health in
our communities and believe this needs
serious attention. It’s great to see that
there is already much work happening
to start conversations and remove the
stigma around mental illness, but we must
do more. There are far too many people
struggling with mental illness, especially
young people, and universities must do
their part to ensure messages are getting
through and that excellent support services
are available to students and staff alike.
From your role as deputy VC (academic) at
the University of Canberra, and earlier as a
dean at Charles Sturt, you’ve had experience
in high-level decision-making across a
variety of settings. What do you believe are
the qualities of a good leader?
When the role of VC came up at
CQUniversity, the position description
said that the person needed to be a leader
that operated with integrity, empathy,
transparency and good humour. I think this
list sums up good leadership.
I knew I was interested in this role right
away, not just because I would have
the chance of being able to lead one
of Australia’s largest regionally based
universities, or that CQUniversity has
established itself as a sector leader in
community engagement, social innovation,
inclusion and accessibility, but because
it was clear that these attributes were
something that were important to the
people of CQUniversity.
These leadership attributes resonate
with me and I honestly try to model my
behaviour in such a way.
Yes, leaders do need to make tough calls
and hard decisions, but it should always be
done in a way that is considerate of those
Universities need to do
more to harness their position
as change agents within their
communities.
whom the decisions will impact. Ultimately,
good leaders need to show that they are
part of a team. I have always found that this
approach brings out the best in people and
the results they achieve. ■
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