International students are a major contributor to the rich cultural diversity of Australia’s higher education population and Australia has achieved an enviable record as a desirable student destination. Tertiary education now represents Australia’s third largest export sector and growth in ...
More »Keeping it local: Regional universities are critical to the health of regional communities
The mission of the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), like universities the world over, is to lead in economic and social development through higher education and research excellence. But unlike metropolitan universities, USQ’s community-centred values are grounded in our regional ...
More »Learning both ways: why Australia needs to embrace the knowledge and history of its Indigenous people
This past August, I found myself again at Gulkula in northeast Arnhem Land for the 20th anniversary Garma Festival run by the Yothu Yindi Foundation on the lands of the Gumatj clans of the Yolngu. Charles Darwin University’s engagement with this ...
More »Indigenous excellence: whole-of-university approach key
Aboriginal involvement in key decision-making areas is paramount for a whole-of-university approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence, with the overall aim being shared responsibility and accountability across the whole university. Under-representation of Aboriginal peoples on high-level committees and ...
More »Policy clout: UWA’s second female VC wants to develop policy of reach and significance
Dawn Freshwater has an eye towards the future. The University of Western Australia’s 18th vice-chancellor believes her institution can be an agent for change in WA, and beyond, by contributing to good policy and discussion. Hailing form the UK, Freshwater ...
More »Leading the culture change, from the east of England
The change in the relationship between universities and students has been revolutionary – but its benefits are many. I was honoured to be asked to speak recently at the Universities Australia annual conference about a topic that sits at the ...
More »The choices we make matter
Why governments and universities should reconsider their dependence on international students as a major means of funding. I recently mentioned to a group of newly arrived students that Australia once offered free education to international university students. They looked at me ...
More »Australia’s day after: have universities lost sight of their core mission?
How are we preparing graduates for these times and the next? How are we preparing our polity, our economy, our society for these times and the next? Some time ago now, in a discussion about why China is investing heavily in ...
More »The University effect: Developing new industries
How universities keep the wheels of the new economy turning. In the year I took up the role of vice-chancellor at the University of South Australia, GM Holden, one of Australia’s most iconic brands, announced it would be closing down its ...
More »Advancing AI in higher education
How higher education might respond to AI and the case for lifelong learning Higher education has, for decades, been instrumental in developing and adopting new technology and new ways of working. From the beginning, universities cultivated the so-called digital revolution ...
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