policy & reform
make. Students, parents and education agents are, in most cases, very aware of at least the overall ranking of a university, and in many cases also the ranking in the discipline or subject in which they are interested.
“ The rankings are also important because many overseas government organisations use them in assessing applications for funding for scholarships or research projects or when assessing applications for approval of joint teaching and research programs. For example, in several countries only universities in the top 50 or top 100 of one of the three most popular rankings are eligible destinations for local students seeking scholarships for overseas study.”
Owen believes that further cuts to higher education funding will prompt a decline in education standards as universities will need to increase their student numbers to raise revenue, thereby bringing into question the issue of quality. She believes it will also result in a decline in our global standing as an engine of research and innovation.
“ Neighbouring countries are likely to rise rapidly in the international rankings over the next few years, due to the investment they’ re making in their education and
research sectors,” she says.“ This could create problems if Australia slips behind Singapore, China, Korea and others in the near future.”
The University of Queensland, which ranked 63 in the THE rankings for 2013- 14, attracts approximately $ 100 million a year from industry for contract research and consultancy projects.
It has also started a new industry engagement strategy, which defined top 30 research strengths and systematic approaches to mapping industry needs to meet their capabilities in research.
“ The University of Queensland aims to become the most industryconnected university in Australia,” a UQ spokesperson says.
“ Australian universities can learn from the institutions mentioned and from many others in North America and Europe, in broad and long-term alumni engagement strategies that start when a student first steps on campus.
“ Two pillars to achieving fundraising success are, first, making sure that alumni and the community have a genuine connection to the university through regular engagement and, second, promoting an understanding of the impact that our research is having on society
locally and internationally.”
UQ has a very good record of commercialisation. Two companies at the university, UniQuest and JKTech, provide research commercialisation services, performing in the top 10 per cent in the world, with absolute top ranking in Australia. JKTech provides products and services for the mining sector while UniQuest is the institution’ s main technology transfer company, commercialising intellectual property created at the university.
“ The university boasts a major cervical cancer vaccine on the market, benefiting more than 100 million women and girls,” a spokesperson says.“ UQ-developed technology for MRI machines is widely licensed and used, and UQ’ s Triple-P [ positive parenting program ] is helping families worldwide.
“ UniQuest has an exciting drug development pipeline from UQ with its spin-out companies Spinifex Pharmaceuticals and QRx Pharma conducting successful phase two and three clinical trials in pain therapy, respectively. UQ is building a strong pipeline of emerging technologies in the areas of food, agriculture, energy and water.” ■
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