Stuff-strutted at Southern Cross U

At Southern Cross U PVC students Nan Bahr has a video-memo for students facing their first assignment. It features staff and students dancing around campus to Demi Lavota’s Be Confident. Look out for the dignified (“older” is such an unhappy word) gentleman dancing up a smallish storm – looks a bit like VC Adam Shoemaker.

A bit of work and a huge fee to Ms Lavota and this could make a good recruitment pitch to first in family prospective students, CMM has seen many worse.

Movies to make the brain sweat will screen at Uni Sydney

All of us stuck in space and time have to wait for weeks to watch the ten finalists in the Quantum Film Festival at the University of Sydney-based ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems. You can watch the short films here but get a ticket for April 16 to mingle with people who understand them, plus free pizza. Yes, there is one about Schrodinger’s cat.

Muted among the ERA applause is much mention of disciplines where Australian achievement is not addressed in awe.

What’s happening in education: The subject might come up at the Australian Council of Deans of Education seminar today, on the community status of school teachers.

Just two universities, out of 39 were rated “well above world standard” (five) for the broad (two-digit code) research field of education, the University of Melbourne and UNSW.

There are not many more at the specific research discipline (four-digit code) level. Other than UNSW and Uni Melbourne, the only fives are for “specialist studies in education” at the University of Sydney and Australian Catholic University.

As for “above world standard” (four) – just eight of 39 make the all-of-field cut, Uni Sydney, ACU, Deakin U, Monash U, QUT, Uni Queensland, UWA, Macquarie U.

Better news on engagement and impact: Education faculties appear to do better in the new community engagement and impact research assessment, being released this morning. On engagement 12 rate high, 19 medium and only seven low. On impact 17 are high, 19 medium and two low. The third category, approach to impact, which measures engagement with research users is not as flash, five universities rate high for impact, 21 are medium and 12 are low.

And on ERA it could be worse: In fact, it is in the built environment and design category, where none of 19 assessed institution rated at well above world standard. Only the University of Melbourne and UNSW scored a five at the specific discipline level, for urban and regional planning.

And in the broad creative arts and writing field only UNSW is rated well above world standard, out of 35 universities submitting research results.

It’s a golden age  for content creators

Apple has announced it is going big in content creation, which makes timing terrific for the new book by QUT’s Stuart Cunningham and David Craig (Uni Southern California), Social Media Entertainment: The New Intersection of Hollywood and Silicon Valley. It looks like the authors are more interested in subversive vloggers than acted entertainment but there’s a bunch of both changing the way we watch now.

This has to be a golden age for script-writers and the universities teaching them.

You can read all about the new creative cultures via New York University Press, or Amazon, (from which CMM bought it cheaper and got it fast).

One deal done, one to go on enterprise bargaining at the University of Wollongong

A new enterprise agreement is struck between management and the unions representing professional staff at UoW. There is a flat $1000 on signing plus four annual pay rises, starting in November and ranging from 1.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent plus improved leave provisions. Vice Chancellor Paul Wellings says, “progress continues to be made at the academic bargaining table and we remain optimistic that the parties will come to a negotiated outcome in the near future.” “I presume that means he is happy to meet our demands,” a union representative responds to CMM.

Good policy intentions cost.  

Just in from CMM’s who-would-have-thought-it-correspondent!; researchers have found physicians who know patients are insured for out-of-pocket medical costs by a government scheme jack-up fees by 12 per cent. Serena Yu from UTS and colleagues from there and UNSW, used survey-linked administrative data to  discover, “physician’s knowledge of patient eligibility for healthcare benefits may allow them to affect demand for their services.”

Of the day

 UTS staff awards are announced

Team teaching: Helena Asher-Chiang, Alex Thomson, Naomi Koh Belic – UTS Careers and Science. Individual teaching: Catherine Gorrie – Science. Early career teaching: Simon Knight – Transdisciplinary Innovation/ Casual/sessional teacher: Amir Armanious – Business
Learning.futures teaching:  Ann Reich, Donna Rooney, Nick Hopwood, Gregory Martin, Amanda Lizier, Annie Agnew, Jacqui McManus, Catherine Raffaele, Amy Thomas – Arts & Social Sciences. Learning.futures teaching: Nicole Sutton, Raechel Wight – Business. Strengthening UTS model of learning: Dr Julia Prior – Engineering & Information Technology. Social Impact in learning: Jane Hunter – Arts and Social Sciences

***

The feds’ National Data Advisory Council held its inaugural meeting Wednesday. Research community members are, Nicholas Biddle (ANU), Chief Scientist Alan Finkel, and Chief Statistician David Kalisch. Good to see Dr Finkel now has something to work on in his otherwise unoccupied time in the hour before dawn.

Of the week

Craig Emerson is appointed director of RMIT’s Australian APEC Study Centre. Dr Emerson (economics PhD, ANU)  knows of what he will direct, being trade minister in the Gillard Government – which will undoubtedly go down well with his new colleagues. He was also higher education minister in 2013, when Labor cut the rate of growth in university funding over the forward estimates.

Francis Campbell will become University of Notre Dame Australia VC in January, joining from Saint Mary’s University in London.

Linda Kristjanson has agreed to extend her second term at Swinburne U. The vice chancellor’s contract expires April 2020 but the university advises she has agreed to continue until later that year.

 Jacq Romero and Meru Sheel will split $1m  over three years from the Westpac Scholars Trust. Dr Romero (Uni Queensland) will use the money for her work on quantum computing security, to create an encoding system using shapes of light.  Dr Sheel (ANU) works on evidence bases for responses to disease outbreaks.

Hannah Wooller moves to the comms team at Universities Australia. She is now a senior adviser on government relations at UA.

Shadow science minister Kim Carr announces that if Labor wins the election there will be a review of government research capacity. Former chief scientist Ian Chubb would chair members, Christobel Saunders (UWA), Emma Johnston(UNSW and president of Science and Technology Australia) Andrew Holmes (president, Australian Academy of Science), Karen Hussey (Uni of Queensland), Phil Clark (lawyer and industry policy expert) and Glyn Davis (former VC Uni of Melbourne).

The first-ever engagement and impact ratings for Maths Science are out this morning

Engagement: Curtin U, low. Federation U, low. La Trobe U, low. Macquarie U, medium. Monash U, low. QUT, high. RMIT, medium. Swinburne U, low. ANU, low. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, high. Uni Newcastle, low. Uni Queensland, medium. Uni Sydney, low. UWA, low. UNSW, medium. U Tas, medium. UTS, high. Uni Wollongong, medium. Victoria U, low. Western Sydney, low.

Impact: Curtin, high. Federation U, medium. La Trobe U, low. Macquarie U, medium. Monash U, medium. QUT, medium. RMIT, medium. ANU, medium. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, high. Uni Newcastle, medium. Uni Queensland, high. Uni Sydney, medium. UWA, low. UNSW, medium. Uni SA, high. UTas, medium, UTS, medium. Uni Wollongong, medium. Victoria U, medium. Western Sydney U, low.

Approach to impact: Curtin, medium. Federation U, high. La Trobe U, low. Macquarie U, low. Monash U, low. QUT, medium. RMIT, low. ANU, low. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, low. Uni Newcastle, low. Uni Queensland, medium. Uni Sydney, low. UWA, low. UNSW, medium. Uni SA, medium. UTas, medium, UTS, high. Uni Wollongong, low. Victoria U, medium. Western Sydney U, low.

The first-ever engagement and impact ratings for Environmental Science are out this morning

Engagement: Charles Darwin U, high. U Charles Sturt U, medium. Curtin U, medium. Deakin U, medium. Edith Cowan U, medium. Griffith U, medium. James Cook U, medium. La Trobe U, medium. Macquarie U, high. Monash U, high. Murdoch U, medium. QUT, medium. RMIT, medium. Southern Cross U, high. ANU, medium. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, high. UNE, high. Uni Newcastle, medium. Uni Queensland, high. Uni Sydney, medium. UWA, high. Uni Canberra, medium. UNSW, high. Uni SA, medium. U Tas, high. UTS, medium. Uni Sunshine Coast, low. Uni Wollongong, low. Western Sydney U, medium.

Impact: Charles Darwin, high. Charles Sturt U, medium. Curtin U, high. Deakin U, medium. Edith Cowan U, medium. Griffith U, medium. James Cook, medium. La Trobe U, high. Macquarie U, medium. Monash U, medium. Murdoch U, medium. QUT, medium. RMIT, medium. Southern Cross U, medium. ANU, high. Uni Adelaide, medium. Uni Melbourne, medium. UNE, medium. Uni Newcastle, low. Uni Queensland, medium. Uni Sydney, high. UWA, medium. Uni Canberra, medium. UNSW, medium. UniSA, high. U Tas, high. UTS, high. Uni Sunshine Coast, low. Uni Wollongong, high. Western Sydney U, high.

Approach to impact: Charles Darwin U, high. Charles Sturt U, medium. Curtin U, medium. Deakin U, high. Edith Cowan U, medium. Griffith U, low. James Cook U, medium. La Trobe U, medium. Macquarie U, medium. Monash U, high. Murdoch U, medium. QUT, medium. RMIT, medium. Southern Cross U, medium. ANU, medium. Uni Adelaide, medium. Uni Melbourne, medium. UNE, low. Uni Newcastle, medium. Uni Queensland, medium.  Uni Sydney, medium. UWA, medium. Uni Canberra, medium. UNSW, medium. UniSA, high. U Tas, high. UTS, medium. Uni Sunshine Coast, medium. Uni Wollongong, medium. Western Sydney U, medium.

The first-ever engagement and impact ratings for Engineering are out this morning

Engagement: Charles Sturt U, high. CQU, medium. Curtin U, medium. Deakin U, high. Edith Cowan, medium. Federation U, low. Flinders U, medium. Griffith U, medium. James Cook U, medium. La Trobe U, low. Macquarie U, medium. Monash U, high. Murdoch U, medium. QUT, high. RMIT, medium. Southern Cross U, low. Swinburne U, high. ANU, medium. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, high. Uni Newcastle, high. Uni Queensland, high. Uni Sydney, high. UWA, high. UNSW, high. Uni SA, high. Uni Southern Queensland, medium. U Tas, high. UTS, high. Uni Sunshine Coast, medium. Uni Wollongong, high. Victoria U, medium. Western Sydney U, medium.

Impact: Charles Sturt U, low. CQU, medium. Curtin U, high. Deakin U, medium. Edith Cowan, not assessed. Federation U, not assessed. Flinders U, medium. Griffith U, high. James Cook U, medium. La Trobe U, low. Macquarie U, medium. Monash U, high. Murdoch U, medium. QUT, high. RMIT, high. Southern Cross U, not rated. Swinburne U, high. ANU high. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, high. Uni Newcastle, high. Uni Queensland, high. Uni Sydney, high. UWA, high. UNSW, high. UniSA, high. Uni Southern Queensland, high. U Tas, high. UTS, high. Uni Sunshine Coast, not rated. Uni Wollongong, medium. VictoriaU, high. Western Sydney U, high.

Approach to impact: Charles Sturt U, medium. CQU, medium. Curtin U, medium.  Deakin U, high. Edith Cowan U, not assessed. Federation U, not assessed. Flinders U, high. Griffith U, high. James Cook U, medium. La Trobe U, low. Macquarie U, medium. Monash U, high. Murdoch U, medium. QUT, high. RMIT, medium. Southern Cross U, not assessed. Swinburne U, medium. ANU, low. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, high. Uni Newcastle, high. Uni Queensland, high. Uni Sydney, high. UWA, high. UNSW, medium. Uni SA, medium. Uni Southern Queensland, medium. U Tas, medium. UTS, high. Uni Sunshine Coast, not rated. Uni Wollongong, medium. Victoria U, medium. Western Sydney, medium.

The first-ever engagement and impact ratings for Biomedical and Clinical Sciences are out this morning

Engagement: Australian Catholic U, medium. Bond U, low. Charles Darwin U, high. Charles Sturt U, low. CQU, medium. Curtin, medium. Deakin U, medium. Edith Cowan, medium. Federation U, low. Flinders U, medium. Griffith U, high. James Cook U, high. La Trobe U, medium. Macquarie U, high. Monash U, high. Murdoch U, high. QUT, high. RMIT, low. Swinburne U, low. ANU, medium. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, high. Uni Newcastle, medium. Uni Notre Dame Australia, low. Uni Queensland, high. Uni Sydney, high. UWA, high. Uni Canberra, medium. UNSW, high. Uni SA, high. U Tas, medium, Uni Sunshine Coast, low. Uni Wollongong, low. Victoria U, low. Western Sydney U, medium.

 Impact: Australian Catholic U, not assessed. Bond U, medium. Charles Darwin U, high. Charles Sturt U, low. CQU, low. Curtin, high. Deakin U, medium. Edith Cowan, medium. Federation U, not assessed. Flinders U, high. Griffith U, not assessed. James Cook U, high. La Trobe U, high. Macquarie, high. Monash U, high. Murdoch U, high. QUT, high. RMIT, medium. Swinburne U, low. ANU, low. Uni Adelaide, high. Uni Melbourne, high. Uni Newcastle, medium. Uni Notre Dame Australia, low. Uni Queensland, high. Uni Sydney, high. UWA, medium. Uni Canberra, not assessed. UNSW, high. Uni SA, low. U Tas, high. Uni Sunshine Coast, low. Uni Wollongong, medium. Victoria U, low. Western U, low.

Approach to Impact: Australian Catholic U, not assessed. Bond U, low. Charles Darwin U, high. Charles Sturt U, low. CQU, medium. Curtin, high. Deakin U, medium. Edith Cowan, medium. Federation U, not assessed. Flinders U, medium. Griffith U, not assessed. James Cook U, high. La Trobe U, medium. Macquarie U, high. Monash U, high. Murdoch U, high. QUT, medium. RMIT, medium. Swinburne U, medium. ANU, low. Uni Adelaide, medium. Uni Melbourne, medium. Uni Newcastle, medium. Uni Notre Dame Australia, low. Uni Queensland, high. Uni Sydney, high. UWA, medium. Uni Canberra, not assessed. UNSW, high. Uni SA high. U Tas, high. Uni Sunshine Coast, low. Uni Wollongong, medium. Victoria U, medium. Western Sydney U, low.