There’s more in the Mail

Kym Fraser (Swinburne U) on why university teachers need to be qualified to teach, is this week’s feature in CMM’s series on what education needs now.

Plus, David Myton’s regular wrap on what’s going on in the sector overseas

Health data MOOC of the morning

The doctor is in the detail with a new course on using health data in care

There is a hospital-load of patient digital data, the medical workforce just needs to know what it can do and how they can use it.  So NSW Health, the University of Sydney and the Digital Health Cooperative Research Centre have combined to create a MOOC that shows them (via  Coursera).

Instructor Tim Shaw (Uni Sydney) says the course covers digital health, data analytics and “unpacks the critical topic of health data quality.” Guest lecturers add “real-world” examples of the future “data driven healthcare environment“.

Where to file research

ANZ stats and research admin authorities are reviewing the existing classification codes and asking for responses to their ideas. No surprise that the wonk’s wonks at the Innovative Research Universities have some.

The review proposes code(s) of their own for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander StudiesMāori Studies, and Pacific Peoples Studies, asks how to classify inter-disciplinary research and what to do about research disciplines established since the last list in 2008  (CMM March 25).

The IRU agrees ATSI studies needs codes of their own, backing the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Higher Education Consortium proposal for a four-digit Indigenous Studies code in division 16 (studies in human society) plus seven specific six-digit codes covering health and education.

And the IRU proposes splitting in two the two-digit Medical and Health Sciences division, which has sub-groups, bigger than most of the broad divisions.

The IRU also suggests codes for new research areas such as, cybersecurity, forensic science, medical physics, palliative care and data analytics. The lobby adds the classification system could use multiple codes, “to capture interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research.”  And the IR adds that definitions of research activity need to grow to include translational research.

Scroll down for Indigenous postgrads’ position.

Transformation on the way at Uni SA

They’re not planning an academic reorganisation at Uni SA – it’s way more than that

Where  this came from: At the start of the year Vice Chancellor David Lloyd asked staff to consider reorganising teaching around … teaching – grouping people in units based on what students learn instead of academic disciplines (CMM February 7).

What it’s about: The idea has gone through a bunch of ever-expanding iterations, from executive retreats to open meetings of hundreds of staff. “Names are withheld to protect the freaked-out,” Professor Lloyd tells the university community.

The objectives are a structure that is a means to the end, course-focused organisations and fewer silos.

The basic business model (UniSA:X for now) is for an academic unit to have an executive dean, a dean of students, a dean of research and three programme deans, who each lead programme directors, then course coordinators.

It’s a way, “to cluster our programs in logical and innovative ways – to pivot our structure and organisation around our core products. And to organise ourselves in this fashion.”

What’s next: It looks like there’s a plan – observers suggest council is ok with the idea and a discussion paper is imminent covering roles and responsibilities and budget models, plus the big question – how will teachers and support staff be grouped together to serve teaching and learning that does not fit on existing academic org charts.

Accounting for journal quality

The business deans want a new journal ranking – but not everybody thinks peer review is the way to do it

Submissions are now closed to the business deans review of journal rankings, with learned readers suggesting the various assessment panels have a bunch to work through. Or not, because there are suggestions peer review could be replaced by hard data, using transparent citation-based sources. A pass at this approach identifies eight new accounting journals that should be added to the list.

Overall, this could mean a major ranking reclassification of 35 journals – up and down – based on citation analysis.

Peak postgrads back new Indigenous research codes

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Postgraduate Association and the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, both back new research codes in a joint submission to the review of the ANZ research classification system, (CMM March 25).

They argue, there are only 15 specific (six digit) discipline codes that cover ATSI research and no group (four digit) and division (two digit) identifiers.

“This results in much Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research being incorrectly coded, as well as being invisible at the group and division level,” they warn.

NATSIPA president, Jahmillah Johnson says more codes to correctly categorise ATSI research will help to ensure “research funding is appropriately allocated” and stop the existing problem as research expands.

How to deal with journal publishers

U Cal has published an open-access guide

In April, the University of California system walked away from negotiations with journal publisher Elsevier. The university was keener on making its authors’ articles available open-access than the publisher, CMM March 4.  A month later UCal did a deal with more amenable Cambridge University PressCMM April 12.

Universities ask how it was done and so UCal is telling them, publishing tool-kit on negotiating with publishers.

Appointments, achievements

Melanie Bagg is incoming CEO of the National Youth Science Forum. She moves next month from the Australian Academy of Science where she is comms director. Dr Bagg is replaced at AAS by Paul Richards, who steps up from digital strategist there.

At the University of Melbourne,  Deborah Cheetham is awarded the Sir Bernard Heinz award for her contribution to music.  Ms Cheetham is an opera singer and a composer, she is a Yorta Yorta woman.

Former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill joins the University of South Australia as an industry professor to teach its MBA. So does Christopher Pyne who will teach in the same programme,  perhaps including inelasticity of demand for citrus products (at 1.05)

The Australian Market and Social Research Organisation has established an inquiry into opinion poll performance in the federal election. There is an advisory board, including Ian McAllister (ANU) and a panel which will do the inquiring, Murray Goot (Macquarie U) Jill Sheppard (ANU), Patrick Sturgiss (London School of Economics) are members. There are also members from the US, where they know a bit about polls getting it wrong, including Patrick Moynihan, from the utterly admirable Pew Research Centre.

Queen’s Birthday Honours

Higher education people in yesterday’s lists (with apologies for anybody missed)

Companion in the General Division (AC)

Ruth Bishop, child health, Murdoch Institute.

David Burke, neurophysiology, Uni Sydney.

Alan Cowman, parasitology, Walter and Eliza Hall.

John Finnis, law and education, Uni Notre Dame (US).

Leo Radam, chemistry, Uni Sydney.

Maree Smith, neuropathic pain, Uni Queensland.

Officer in the General Division (AO)

Elizabeth Alexander, former chancellor, Uni Melb.

Katherine Belov, genomics, Uni Sydney.  Andrew Biankin, medical research, Uni Glasgow.  Scott Bowman, former VC, CQU.  Derek Byerlee, agricultural economics, Georgetown U.

Rae Cooper, employment relations, Uni Sydney.

Michael Davis, space industry, Uni SA.  Lex Doyle, paediatrician, Uni Melbourne. Calum Drummond, chemistry, RMIT.  Alan Dupont, international strategy analysis, UNSW.

Alexander Forrest, dentistry, Uni Queensland.

Alison Harcourt, maths and computer science, Uni Melbourne.  Andrew Hopkins, industrial safety, ANU.

Debra Jackson, nursing, UTS.  Megan-Jane Johnstone, nursing education, Deakin U.  Fiona Judd, psychiatry, U Tasmania.

Karim Khan, sports medicine Uni British Columbia. Christine Kilpatrick, neurology, Uni Melbourne.

Susan Kippax, HIV research, UNSW.  Edward Kraegen, diabetes, Garvan Institute.

Robert Larbalestier, cardiothoracic surgery, Murdoch U.

David Mackey, ophthalmology, UWA.  Fjelda Martin, dentistry, Uni Sydney. Christina Mitchell, haematology, Monash U.

Richard Pestell, endocrinology, Baruch S Blumberg Institute, Doylestown PA.

Peter Rathjen, VC, Uni Adelaide. Linda Richards, medical research, Uni Queensland.

Tilman Ruff, medicine and nuclear disarmament, Uni Melbourne.

Frances Separovic, biophysical chemistry, Uni Melbourne.  Michelle Simmons, quantum and atomic electronics, UNSW.

Graeme Turner, cultural studies, Uni Queensland.

Mark von Itzstein, structural biology, Griffith U.

Member in the General Division (AM)

Margaret Abernathy, accounting and student equity, Uni Melbourne.

Christine Ball, anaesthesiology, Monash U. Bruce Black, otolaryngology, Uni Queensland. John Boucher, dentistry, Uni Melbourne. Anthony Buzzard, international education and medical science, Monash U. Peter Bye, cystic fibrosis, Uni Sydney.

Victor Callan, management education, Uni Queensland. William Carroll, neurological medicine, Perron Institute. Veronica Casey, nursing education, Uni Queensland. Victor Chapman, tertiary education and the Indigenous community. Adrian Cheok, international education, Imagineering Institute, Malaysia. Elizabeth Chiarella, nursing education, Uni Sydney. Jonathan Clark, surgery, Uni Sydney. Stella Clark, medical standards, Uni Melbourne. Matthew Collins, law, education, Uni Melbourne. Ian Cook, gastroenterology, UNSW. Alan Cooper, dermatology, Uni Sydney. Leslie Copeland, agricultural science, Uni Sydney.

Hannah Dahlen, midwifery, Western Sydney U. Penelope Davies, higher education, community health, La Trobe U. Kevin Davis, higher education, Monash U. Phillip Della, nursing education, Curtin U. Shi Xue Dou, science education, Uni Wollongong. Ross Dowling, tourism education, Edith Cowan U. Peter Dry, viticulture. Australian Wine Research Institute.

Jonathan Ell, medical research, Uni Sydney. Marguerite Evans-Galea, women in STEM. Murdoch Institute. Neville Exon, marine geology, ANU.

Josephine Flood, archaeology and Indigenous culture, ANU. George Foster, accounting education, Stanford U. Richard Fotheringham, higher education, performing arts, Uni Queensland. Thomas Frame, higher education, UNSW. Michael Fullilove, international relations, Lowy Institute.

Lyn Gyllam, medical education, Uni Melbourne. Michael Grayson, infectious diseases, Monash U. Michael Grigg, vascular surgery, Monash U. David Guest, horticultural science, Uni Sydney. James Guthrie, accounting education, Macquarie U.

Ralph Hall, higher education, UNSW. Lorraine Hammond, higher education, Edith Cowan U. Winita Hardiker, medicine, Uni Melbourne. Andrew Heggie, surgery, Uni Melbourne. Paul Hemsworth, agricultural science, Uni Melbourne. Raymond Holden, music, Royal Academy of Music. Michael Hollands, medical education, surgery, Uni Sydney. Stuart Hooper, medical research, Monash U.

Geoffrey Isbister, medical research, Uni Newcastle.

Jeffrey Jacobs, Asian studies, Monash U. Rosemary Johnston, children’s literature, UTS. Brigid Jordan, paediatrics, Murdoch Institute.

Constance Katelaris, immunology, Western Sydney U. Ian Kennedy, higher education, agriculture, Uni Sydney. Steven Krilis, medical research, UNSW. Jayashri Kulkarni, psychiatry, Monash U.

Lenore Layman, history, Murdoch U. Gilah Leder, higher education, higher education, La Trobe U. Peter Lillie, anaesthesia, Flinders U.

Alasdair McDowall, electron microscopy, Cal Tech. Rosalind McMillan, music education, Uni Melbourne. Ruth McNair, medicine, Uni Melbourne. Prudence Manners, paediatrics, UWA. Louise Mayo, vocational education, Canberra. Gabriel Moens, law, Uni Queensland. Michael Murray, geriatric medicine, La Trobe U.

Brad Norman, marine biology, Clare Nourse, paediatric infections, Uni Queensland.

Barbara Pamphilon, higher education, Uni Canberra. Leo Pinczewski, knee surgery, Uni Notre Dame Australia, Sydney.

Anthony Radford, medical education, Flinders U. Helen Ramsay, plant science, Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney. Peter Read, Indigenous History, ANU.  Kerry Reid-Searl, nurse education, CQU. Gregory Reinhardt, judicial administration, Australian Institute of Judicial Administration.

Nicholas Saltos, Uni Newcastle. Anthony Schembri, medical research, UNSW and Australian Catholic U. Arun Sharma, computer science, QUT. Dharmendra Sharma, computer science, Uni Canberra. Malcolm Sim, occupational medicine, Monash U. Leon Simons, cardiovascular medicine, UNSW. Robert Skinner, water management, Monash U. David Smart, hyperbaric medicine, Uni Tas. Richard Stark, neurological medicine, Monash U. Carolyn Sue, mitochondrial disease, Uni Sydney.

Jennifer Teasdale, education and international relations, Flinders U. Lizabeth Tong, child mental health,

Theanne Walters, medical education and accreditation, Australian Medical Council. Peter Williams, higher education, architecture, Uni Melbourne. Brenda Wilson, community health, Flinders U.

YI-Min Xie, higher education, civil engineering, RMIT. Dao-Yi Yu, opthalmology, UWA.

Hala Zreiqat, biomedical engineering, Uni Sydney.

Medal in the General Division (OAM)

Peta Ashworth, sustainable energy, Uni Queensland. Christine Brown, education, Monash U. Jane Dahlstrom, medical education, ANU. Regula Deamer, medical education, Uni Sydney. Michael Denton, vascular surgeon, Uni Melbourne. Malcolm Dobbin, medicine, Monash U. David Everett, paediatrician, Flinders U. Kirsty Gardner Berry, audiology, National Acoustics Laboratory. Quang Phu Ho, obstetrics and gynaecology, UNSW. Gregory O’Sullivan, anaesthesiology. Vida Viliunas, anaesthetist, ANU.