Management’s consultation paper for the Deakin U to 2030 strategic plan is out

Working out what management is thinking is not entirely easy, with big ideas in the document swaddled in expressions of the obvious – “the university must meet the challenges posed by the external environment.”

But puzzle-out the persiflage and there is a strong-sense of where the leadership wants Deakin U to be in a decade, including;

managing size: “While our growth, including student numbers, will be influenced heavily by external factors, we must seize the opportunities for growth that align with our strategic intent and values – not growth for growth’s sake.”

location isn’t everything:  While remaining part of “location-based communities” the university will “overcome any disadvantage of geography.” “This will only become more important as students expect greater personalisation in our course offerings, and as data-enriched technologies and artificial intelligence become the background to all our lives.”

education for employment: “Partnerships with industry embed employability and career thinking into every student journey,” for “learners at all stages of their lives and careers”

certified success: “high-quality, short programs that have the potential to build into formal postgraduate qualifications”

applying research: “enhance career-long researcher development across discovery, innovation and industry streams” and “accelerate translation of discoveries into products and services by streamlining commercialisation pathways”