policy & reform
Traditional universities such as Oxford, Stanford and Harvard have had significant success with philanthropy and knowledge transfer and maintaining engagement with their students after they graduate. These are areas in which Australian universities could significantly improve their performance.
Oh, how Australian universities wish they could compete with an increase in staff headcount, a reduction in student debt and students working with industry to change the world.
“ Traditional universities such as Oxford, Stanford and Harvard have had significant success with philanthropy and with knowledge transfer and maintaining engagement with their students after they graduate,” Robyn Owens, deputy vicechancellor( research) at the University of Western Australia, says.
“ These are areas in which Australian universities could significantly improve their performance. However, changes in behaviour often require changes in the political and cultural environment. We need federal and state government incentives to promote philanthropy and knowledge transfer, along with an increasing focus on these activities from the university sector.
“ In terms of the international education market, Australian universities are generally regarded by university professionals and academics overseas as being among the most commercially savvy. To many involved in the recruitment of international students, Australian universities are the benchmark. But Australian universities are not as well-versed as some of our overseas
counterparts in attracting external funding from private donors and international foundations.”
Owen believes that a greater range and deeper partnerships with other industries, both national and international, are required, including the embedding of teaching and research training into relevant industries, joint appointments with industry, dedicated seed funding for venture capital and start-ups, and a system that acknowledges and rewards achievement in this area.
UWA has certainly upped its marketing campaign to attract international students. Top students from the state are attracted into the guaranteed entry places for medicine, law and the new Bachelor of Philosophy degree. International students are particularly drawn to science and engineering, linking into the strengths of the WA economy.
“ UWA has the broadest discipline spread across the nation for international student attraction and the broadest spread of source countries,” Owens says.“ Rankings produced by organisations such as ARWU [ Academic Ranking of World Universities, also known as the Shanghai ranking ], QS and THE have a significant impact on the choices international students
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University( PolyU) is the largest government-funded tertiary institution in Hong Kong in terms of student number. It offers programmes at various levels including Doctorate, Master’ s and Bachelor’ s degrees. It has a full-time academic staff strength of around 1,200. The total consolidated expenditure budget of the University is in excess of HK $ 5 billion( US1 = HK $ 7.8 approximately) per year. Committed to academic excellence in a professional context, PolyU aspires to become a world-class university with an emphasis on the application value of its programmes and research. Its vision is to become a leading university that excels in students’ holistic development and professional education, applied research and partnership for the betterment of Hong Kong, the nation and the world.
The University is now inviting applications and nominations for the following post: Head of Department of English( Ref: 13102204)
The successful candidate will be appointed as Chair Professor / Professor, commensurate with his / her qualifications and experience, and hold a concurrent headship appointment. The headship appointment is normally for an aggregate period of six years in two three-year terms of office. Post specification of the above position can be obtained from http:// www. polyu. edu. hk / hro / deans & heads. htm.
Remuneration and Conditions of Service Terms of appointment and remuneration package are negotiable and highly competitive.
Application Applicants are invited to send detailed curriculum vitae with the names and addresses of three referees and direct any enquiries to the Human Resources Office, 13 / F, Li Ka Shing Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong [ Fax:( 852) 2764 3374; E-mail: hrscengl @ polyu. edu. hk ], quoting the position applied for and the reference number. Recruitment will continue until the position is filled. Initial consideration of applications will commence in early January 2014. Candidature may be obtained by nomination. The University reserves the right not to fill the position or to make an appointment by invitation. General information about the University and the Department of English is available on the University’ s Homepage http:// www. polyu. edu. hk and http:// www. engl. polyu. edu. hk / respectively or from the Human Resources Office [ Tel:( 852) 2766 5313 ]. The University Personal Information Collection Statement for recruitment can be found at http:// www. polyu. edu. hk / hro / jobpics. htm.
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