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VC ’ s corner citizens who can be equally successful outside of the communities .
And then finally to research , which is a fundamental role of a university . We are focused on research that can make a difference to our communities , but also has global relevance too . As a regional university , we simply do not have the resources to do everything , so we are becoming much more focused on research areas that have clear connection to our regions , and solving problems that have relevance locally is a critical part of our strategic refresh .
Can you tell us more about what specifically your strategy will drive you to do and the role that it plays for enhancing both staff and student experiences at SCU ? There are two angles to this . The first is our staff and we ’ re very focused on achieving a diverse and high performing workforce . That means on the one hand we have to nurture and support existing staff to be as productive as they can be . But we also need to think about renewal as well , attracting new people into the workforce . And I think this has to have a focus on achieving greater diversity , culturally and from a gender and age perspective .
The second is our students because they are a critical part of the university community , and how we engage with and support our students is vitally important to the kind of graduates that we produce . We want to make sure that we prepare graduates with all the attributes that are going to be relevant in the 21st century .
Supporting students has always been very much part of the culture in our organisation so we want to make sure that continues .
While we have increased the digital component of our teaching and learning , how we now manage students operating in more of a blended model is going to be very important , and we want to make sure that doesn ’ t change the culture or reduce the student experience .
What kind of culture did you inherit when you arrived , and what if anything do you need to do to ensure it aligns with where you ’ re now taking the university ? When I arrived I quickly discovered the community here is an extremely dedicated , committed and caring workforce : very focused on the students and the student experience , and that ’ s fantastic to see . And it ’ s a workforce that is passionate about the region .
So that gives you a head start . But moving forward , of course , we have a major reset going on . So patterns of the past , which perhaps have become comfortable , have already been disrupted . Staff are already on a new journey , a journey of discovery in which they are finding that they can do things that they never imagined they could do . And it is amazing what staff have achieved throughout the last year .
I think the change is already happening . I ’ m not sensing a resistance to that . I think in a sense COVID has done us all a favour in making us re-evaluate what we do , and those longstanding traditions in how universities work and deliver their education . I think that ’ s all been turned upside down . And so it ’ s sort of helping the culture change that is needed to transform a university .
I think there will always be people that are not comfortable with change , but the majority are opening up to it and welcoming it and because they can see that it ’ s a learning journey for them , and actually helps their development too ; particularly academics who like to be challenged and need to always refresh their careers .
Never before has such a spotlight been shone on our IT , HR or finance department , who were all intimately involved in that crisis period as COVID started to unfold , and they had to get on board and work collaboratively more than perhaps they ’ d ever done before . It certainly helped , I think , to break down the boundaries between departments , and with the academy . So there is a massive culture change already taking place .
To what extent does this change make you feel that you can be radical or bold in where you might take USC next ? I think it certainly sets a path ahead . Because we have more confident people , we have huge capabilities . The title of our strategy is ‘ Rising with our regions ; connecting to the world ’. We ’ ve seen a huge population growth in southeast Queensland , which further enhances the existing talent on in the coast . This enhances the capability to take on some big new challenges .
A lot of the infrastructure is there and the partnerships are already being formed . I think the next powerful stage is to bring some of the leaders together across our
We are becoming more focused on research areas that have clear connection to our regions .
communities to work on what it is we can do together to make a difference to how our society works and prospers .
Do you think there is a tension between the regional and the global , and will we see a permanent rise in the regional university ? I think there ’ s stickiness in the regions that we ’ re starting to see more of as a result of COVID . What we ’ ve learned from this digital transformation can be blended with what is so precious about living and working in regional Australia .
What would be the point of having a university that was fully online sitting in the middle of a regional community , unless that campus was a resource to the community in many different ways .
There are regional universities that are more online than ours , but their campuses also act as resources within those communities . I think the great opportunity for the future is blending those two , making the most of what COVID has produced in terms of that move away from the cities for many people in an appreciation of perhaps a different lifestyle , a safer lifestyle , and one where they can work remotely , and live more cheaply . I think some of that will stick .
Are you saying that USC might follow some different business models coming out of this period of change ? I think our business model is already changing . All universities are having to become much more business-like , obviously with tougher decisions around how we prioritise and spend public money . Expenditure on infrastructure in the future will be influenced by how we reimagine our teaching and learning spaces . Our campus environments will provide opportunities for co-location of business , industry and community activities , with the potential for mutually beneficial business outcomes . Ultimately , our business model has to support the university ’ s core mission of ‘ Enriching our regions , connecting with our communities and creating opportunities for all ’. ■
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