VC ’ s corner campusreview . com . au
Changing for good
VCs and academic leaders share their pandemic learnings
By Martin Betts
Steve Jobs once said : “ You can ’ t connect the dots looking forward , you can only connect them looking backwards .” Looking back , 2020 / 21 was a time of dramatic shift in universities . International student income had propelled research growth , raising our performance in global rankings . We assumed enrolments would continue to fund university research .
Looking back shows herculean efforts by staff and leaders to cope and maintain hope . It was a period of unprecedented challenge to the delivery , structure and purpose of higher education . Eighteen months later , we can pause , look back , and consider what leaders are doing to get us back on track to a viable future .
We conducted 36 interviews with representative stakeholders from all sector constituencies – leaders , employers , students , commentators , and providers to universities . A thematic analysis of these conversations identified clusters of keywords regarding pressing issues driving the sector , now and into the future .
The emergent keywords were clustered into five groups . They identify leaders ’ priorities , a change agenda , and themes for the future .
1 . THE SECTOR AND ITS CONTEXT : John Dewar gave a sobering assessment of the impact of the pandemic and paid tribute to staff in all of our institutions . Professor John Dewar , Chair of Universities Australia and VC of La Trobe University . “ Everybody is facing a significant financial challenge for 3-4 years or longer .
We need to be clear about what value we offer , as Australian universities , teaching online , globally .”
Commentator and policy analyst Andrew Norton saw long-term impact on finances and how policy settings call for substantial reset in all institutions in response . Sandra Harding , as the longest serving VC at a single university , saw renewal . Professor Sandra Harding , VC of James Cook University . “ Wisdom is taking a step back and embracing , owning and getting real about where we are now . Foolishness is hoping we can go back . Renewal and transformation is possible .”
2 . UNIVERSITY STRATEGY : Pascale Quester , newly in her role , foreshadowed a strategy of a path less travelled with universal WIL opportunities and linking the arts and social sciences with technology . Professor Pascale Quester , VC of Swinburne University of Technology . “ We ’ re going to get out of the peloton and let all the others cycle madly to be bigger and richer . We will take the road that leads to a different destination , building human capital as a co-creation exercise with partners .”
Margaret Sheil outlined how QUT was reinterpreting a position in the context of a changed real world with staff culture and morale being rebuilt through the change experienced . Professor Margaret Sheil , VC of QUT . “ We ’ ve taken sufficient costs out and now we ’ re rebuilding structures , morale and culture . At the same time , we ’ re looking at our strategy going forward .”
The most significantly differentiated strategy came from Torrens University , as a private institution that has achieved balanced markets of rapidly growing domestic and international students across the nation in combinations of online and campus settings . Professor Alwyn Louw , VC of Torrens University Australia . “ We grew from 164 students in 2014 in Adelaide to now more than 19,000 . Through continuous innovation it is possible to have a dynamic higher education environment .”
3 . UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP , STAFF AND CULTURE :
Significant issues of leadership and culture were addressed by Marcia Devlin and Lynn Bosetti in describing the challenging issues of gender equity and academic bullying respectively . And as a leading former VC of both Deakin and UWA , Jane den Hollander painted a picture of the value and contribution of staff who she saw as having saved the day for our institutions . She likened them to the gold at the base of the pyramid . Others saw the need to lead people differently . Professor Patricia Davidson , VC of University of Wollongong . “ The university system in Australia has been decimated . Now is the time to be asking questions and understanding where people are at .”
4 . OUR FUTURE LEARNERS AND HOW THEY LEARN :
With regard to future learners , and how they learn , Jan Owen saw the need to focus on the changing nature of the future of work and of young Australians . Jan Owen , Former CEO , Foundation for Young Australians . “ The university that reaches out to business to help solve real problems and ensures that every single young person has a touchpoint , will be genuinely student-centred .”
24