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Watch for a tie that will bind
The Adelaide education rumour mill went to overdrive late Wednesday when learned readers spotted Uni SA VC David Lloyd wearing a tie
And lo – the inquiry into a merger with Uni Adelaide was shortly announced in a meeting with the premier. Learned readers suggest this will happen next in six months, but only if there is agreement on a unifying ticket.
There’s more in the Mail
There’s more in the Mail
In Features this morning
Merlin Crossley (UNSW) makes the case for teaching and/or research.
“the idea that every academic should be expected to both create and transmit knowledge was never sound … good teams consist of batters, bowlers, and all-rounders – and always have.”
plus On-campus, in-person classes augmented with on-line delivery is not working, Martin Betts (HEDx) and David Kellermann (UNSW) argue in a new selection by Commissioning Editor Sally Kift, HERE.
and in Expert Opinion
Sue Cunningham from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education talks about her new book on the present and future for fundraising, HERE
Adelaide uni merger: six months to make the pitch policy
Uni SA and Uni Adelaide are adamant that the proposed merger is not a done-deal, they have six months to make it so
Jason Clare is optimistic
The federal education minister announces the Commonwealth will cooperate with the two institutions and the state government “to create a new university for SA.”
Mr Clare is careful to refer to the “proposed Adelaide University” but adds “this plan will draw on the existing strengths” of the two to be merged.
The SA branch of the National Tertiary Education does not rule it out. State secretary Andrew Miller says the union, “will expect very active participation throughout. Public universities must serve the public interest and all stakeholders must have a say.”
But if two can become one why not include an extra: Adelaide (as in the city) was abuzz yesterday with speculation as to whether Flinders U could have fitted in. Vice Chancellor Colin Stirling says Flinders “has not been party to any merger discussions” and “will continue to forge its own destiny.”
Their time starts now A six-month deadline would normally be nearly enough time to draft the terms of reference for a working party on a logo for a merged uni. But the two VCs, Peter Høj and David Lloyd, know their state and the state of its universities. Høj used to be VC of Uni SA and he is across running a research-strong university from success at Uni Queensland. And when Lloyd decides to do something dither he doesn’t. He led a transformation of Uni SA’s teaching structure in 2019-21, moving from traditional academic departments to “curriculum communities.”
What to say to sceptics
In the UK the Victoria University of Manchester and the Manchester Institute of Science and Technology merged in 2004. One of the architects explained how they did it to Inga Davis, in CMM HERE.
“It was driven by ambition and not financial necessity. The two universities would have been moderately successful if they had continued as separate institutions. What was exciting was the sense that we could build something better on the platform of the two institutions together.”
Sounds like a pitch for Adelaide.
Big move before she starts
Christina Twomey was due to become the Australian Research Council’s ED Humanities and Creative Arts in January (CMM October 31 ).
But now she is appointed the council’s inaugural Chief Research Officer, starting next month.
Her old new job will be readvertised.
At Griffith U management and union split on how to protect free speech rights
The university has added new content to the 2017 enterprise agreement clause on intellectual and academic freedom for the replacement it proposes
In the past agreement intellectual and academic freedoms were codifed and qualified, with the words “these rights are linked to the responsibilities of staff to support the role of universities as places of independent learning and thought … “
However additions to the draft agreement are “reasonable and proportionate” “prohibitions, restrictions or conditions”.
A university representative tells CMM that this is to, “to ensure alignment” with the recommendations in the Robert French model code of academic freedom and freedom of speech and the Commonwealth’s Higher Education Threshold Standards and that the proposed agreement is “underpinned” by Griffith U’s policy on both.
But National Tertiary Education Union state secretary Michael McNally says the university’s proposal is “completely unacceptable.”
“It provides no enforceable protections for staff. … Who determines what ‘proportionate regulation’ is? Arguably the university.”
The union likes clause 47 in the old agreement.
Griffith U led debate on the French code and free speech protections back in 2019, when Vice Chancellor Carolyn Evans invited consultation with academics, students and the university council (CMM June 25 and November 12 2019).
The university’s proposal for the new enterprise agreement appears in-line with the position of the Australian Higher Education Industrial Association, which represents most university managements, (CMM October 12).
Appointments, achievements
The Australian Council of Deans and Directors of Creative Arts 2023 new leadership is, * Craig Batty (Uni SA): president * Vanessa Tomlinson (Griffith U): VP * Kim Cunio (ANU): secretary * David Cross (Deakin U): treasurer
Nicole Bell (Uni Melbourne) will become president of the Australian Institute of Physics in February. Stuart Midgley (DUG Technology) becomes (VP).
John Church (UNSW) is awarded the Royal Society of NSW’s James Cook Medal (“outstanding contributions to science and human welfare in and for the Southern Hemisphere”).
John Ross (Times Higher Education) is Universities Australia’s Journalist of the Year