2014-16 Mission-based Compact
Between:
The Commonwealth of Australia
and
University of Tasmania
CONTENTS
4
Context
A. Policy Setting
4
B. The Purpose and Effect of this Compact
4
C. Establishment of the Compact
4
D. The Principles of Commonwealth Funding Support
4
E. The Structure of this Compact
5
Part One: Focus & Mission
6
Part Two: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access and Outcomes
11
Part Three: Innovation and Engagement
16
Part Four: Teaching and Learning
26
Part Five: Research and Research Training
38
Part Six: General Provisions
44
Page 2
This compact is between
The Commonwealth of Australia (Commonwealth) represented by and acting through:
The Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research
Assisted by the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and
Tertiary Education (DIICCSRTE)
ABN 77 599 608 295
Of
Industry House
10 Binara Street
Canberra ACT 2601
And
UNIVERSITY OF TASMANIA
ABN 30 764 374 782
A body corporate under the University of Tasmania Act 1992
Of
Churchill Avenue
Sandy Bay Tasmania 7005
(University)
Page 3
CONTEXT
A. Policy Setting
The Australian Government believes all Australians are entitled to a productive, fair and
prosperous life and our higher education system is crucial to achieving this. Universities impart
the skills and knowledge Australians need to realise their personal and professional aspirations
and contribute to the broad economic and knowledge base of our society including the cultural,
health and civic wellbeing of the community.
Over the term of this mission-based compact (compact), Australian universities will confront a
range of opportunities and challenges in fulfilling their social and economic remit. These
opportunities and challenges include, but are not limited to, changing national and international
educational markets, dynamic global financial arrangements including the rise of the Asian
Century, new approaches to teaching and learning, rapidly changing information technologies and
evolving priorities for research and innovation.
Australia’s universities are well equipped to harness the opportunities and meet these challenges
that lie ahead. The 2014-16 compact supports this process by articulating the major policy
objectives and the diverse approaches and commitments universities will adopt to achieve these
strategic goals over the term of the agreement.
B. The Purpose and Effect of this Compact
This compact is an agreement between the Commonwealth and the University. Entering into a
compact is one of the quality and accountability requirements which a higher education provider
must meet under the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA) as a condition of receiving a
grant. Specifically, subsection 19-110(1) of HESA requires Table A and Table B providers must, in
respect of each year for which a grant is paid to the provider under HESA, enter into a mission
based compact with the Commonwealth for a period which includes that year.
The compact demonstrates the Commonwealth and the University have a shared and mutual
commitment to provide students with high quality educational experiences and outcomes and to
building research and innovation capabilities and international competitiveness.
The compact recognises the University is an autonomous institution with a distinctive mission,
operating within a state or territory, national and international higher education environment.
The purpose of this compact is to provide a strategic framework for the relationship between the
Commonwealth and the University. It sets out how the University’s mission aligns with the
Commonwealth’s goals for higher education, research, innovation, skills development,
engagement and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander access and outcomes.
The Commonwealth and the University agree this compact will be published on Commonwealth
websites and may be published on the University website.
C. Establishment of the Compact
The Commonwealth and the University agree the Term of this compact is from 1 January 2014
until 31 December 2016.
D. The Principles of Commonwealth Funding Support
The Commonwealth articulates its vision for the higher education sector, through Transforming
Australia’s Higher Education System (available at the DIICCSRTE website), and the role of
universities in driving our national innovation system, through Powering Ideas (available at the
DIICCSRTE website).
Page 4
In supporting Australia’s universities, the Commonwealth seeks to promote:

academic freedom and institutional autonomy;

a diverse and sustainable higher-education sector;

opportunity for all;

access to university based on merit;

world-class teaching and learning that advances the international standing of Australian
education;

world-class research and research training that advances knowledge, critical thinking and
Australia’s international standing; and

responsiveness to the economic, social and environmental needs of the community, region,
state, nation and the international community through collaborative engagement.
To ensure Australia’s higher education system remains robust and of high quality in a globally
connected and competitive world, the Australian Government has adopted and implemented a
number of system-wide quality measures including establishing the Higher Education Standards
Framework, and the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).
E. The Structure of this Compact
Part One provides for the Commonwealth’s focus for the compact and a description of the
University’s Mission Statement and Strategic Priorities.
Part Two provides for matters related to improving access and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people. It contains Commonwealth objectives, university strategies and
performance indicators and targets.
Part Three provides for matters related to innovation, industry and skills and engagement. It also
contains Commonwealth objectives, university strategies and performance indicators and targets.
Part Four provides for matters related to teaching and learning including student enrolments,
quality, equity and infrastructure. It contains Commonwealth objectives, university strategies and
equity targets.
Part Five provides for matters related to research and research training including research
performance and research capability. It contains Commonwealth objectives, university strategies,
performance indicators and targets.
Part Six provides for general provisions of the compact including compact review, privacy,
confidentiality and information sharing, changing the compact and notices.
Page 5
PART ONE: FOCUS & MISSION
The Commonwealth’s Focus for this Compact
The Commonwealth's ambitions for higher education include:

providing opportunities for people from all backgrounds to participate to their full potential and be
supported to do so. This includes supporting the aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people through improved access and support arrangements. The Commonwealth is committed to
ensuring the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people participating in undergraduate and
higher degrees by research (HDR), as well as staffing and academic representation, reaches
population parity;

providing students with a stimulating and rewarding higher education experience;

producing graduates with the knowledge, skills and understanding for full participation in society and
the economy;

better aligning higher education and research with the needs of the economy, and building capacity
to respond to future changes in skills needs;

increasing universities’ engagement with all parties and linkages between universities and Australian
businesses in particular;

playing a pivotal role in the national research and innovation system through the generation and
dissemination of new knowledge and through the education, training and development of world class
researchers across a wide range of intellectual disciplines;

improving knowledge transfer and commercialisation outcomes;

consistent with the Asian Century policy framework, ensuring education is at the forefront of
Australia’s engagement with Asia; and

being amongst the leading Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
countries in terms of participation and performance.
In support of these objectives, the Commonwealth encourages universities to consider the following
important measures in their planning and delivery:

developing partnerships with schools and other organisations to improve the participation of people
from disadvantaged backgrounds in higher education;

working with business, industry and Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers to provide the
Australian economy with the graduates it needs;

the suite of performance measurement tools being developed through the Advancing Quality in
Higher Education initiative, work on quality in research training, and a feasibility study on research
impact assessment (including the possible implementation of a mechanism, separate from Excellence
in Research for Australia, to evaluate the wider benefits of publicly funded research);

applying the principles and procedures required to support a continuous improvement model for
intellectual property; and

the National Research Investment Plan, including the need for a strategic outlook to address
Australian Government priorities and principles at a national level.
Page 6
1
THE UNIVERSITY’S MISSION AND STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
1.1
The purpose of the University’s Mission
The University's Mission sets out its values and aspirations, what it does and how it can best serve
the interests of its students, staff and key stakeholders. The Commonwealth and the University
recognise the University's Mission may evolve.
The University and the Commonwealth recognise the University is an autonomous institution
which is responsible for the determination of its Mission and for its aspirations and strategies for
their achievement.
1.2
The University’s Mission and Strategic Priorities
The University of Tasmania fully supports the Commonwealth’s ambitions and objectives for
higher education. The UTAS Strategic Plan ‘Open to Talent’ outlines our mission, vision, strategic
priorities and crucially, the initiatives designed to meet those priorities.1 This plan articulates a
future for the University, building upon the significant achievements of our past and setting a
course for the next decade. Our priorities are a logical extension of the shared values that we
uphold.2 The UTAS mission and vision align with all of the Commonwealth priority areas and
Open to Talent articulates the ways in which UTAS plans to contribute to the realisation of these
national goals.
Our Mission: The University of Tasmania continues a long tradition of excellence and
commitment to free inquiry in the creation, preservation, communication and application of
knowledge, and to scholarship that is global in scope, distinctive in its specialisations and that
reflects our Tasmanian character. The University will provide leadership within its community,
thereby contributing to the cultural, economic and social development of Tasmania.
Our Vision: The University of Tasmania will be ranked among the top echelon of research-led
universities in Australia. The University will be a world leader in its specialist, thematic areas and
will be recognised for its contribution to state, national and international development. UTAS will
be characterised by its high-quality academic community, its unique island setting and its
distinctive student experience. UTAS graduates will be prepared for life and careers in the
globalised society of the twenty-first century.
Over the next 10 years, UTAS will recapture the energy of our founding spirit, harness the
momentum of recent achievements, tackle areas of weakness and make the most of our defining
characteristics through a focus on three priorities – research, students and community. These
priorities are informed by our belief that universities are about people: what they can become,
what they can create and how they can inspire.
An institution-wide cycle of planning and performance evaluation will articulate the vision and
strategies flowing from Open to Talent through a suite of high level academic, support and
enabling plans. These plans, with a focus on the 2014-2016 triennium, are currently being
finalised.
As requested, the following section serves to map the UTAS priority areas and related strategies
onto the key goals held by the Commonwealth for Higher Education over the life of this Compact.
1 http://www.utas.edu.au/new-strategic-plan/
2 http://www.utas.edu.au/ourvalues/
Page 7
Commonwealth Strategy: Providing opportunities for people from all backgrounds to participate
to their full potential and be supported to do so.
Related UTAS Students Strategy
Expand and diversify our student cohort by:
 Offering targeted support for high achieving and underprivileged students.
 Increasing participation in higher education across all age and social groups, including those
who may not have traditionally considered higher education.
Provide a distinctive, memorable and rewarding UTAS student experience by:
 Providing students with access to excellent student support and guidance services, regardless
of their location and mode of study.
 Aspiring to provide an equitable and inclusive environment for our students.
Related UTAS Community Strategy
Engage with the economic, social, cultural and intellectual life of Tasmania and extend this
engagement into national and international networks.
Commonwealth Strategy: Providing students with a stimulating and rewarding higher education
experience.
Related UTAS Students Strategy
Develop a renewed curriculum which:
 Embraces technology as a key component of the learning experience and delivers curriculum
with the flexibility required by students.
Provide a distinctive, memorable and rewarding UTAS student experience by:
 Designing campuses to create an intellectual and social milieu that encourages interaction.
 Restoring vibrancy to our campuses by providing inviting spaces for group study, expanded
and improved student accommodation and high quality catering.
 Encouraging the development of interpersonal and leadership skills through clubs, societies,
volunteering, overseas experiences, work integrated learning and engagement with the
Tasmanian environment and community
Commonwealth Strategy: Producing graduates with the knowledge, skills and understanding for
full participation in society and the economy.
Related UTAS Students Strategy
Expand and diversify our student cohort by:
 Pursuing the targeted expansion of fee-paying postgraduate coursework programs.
 Positioning UTAS as a premium destination for an extended set of distinctive curriculum
strengths, aligned to our expertise and local advantage
Related UTAS Community Strategy
Enhance our education programs by engaging with Tasmania’s society and environment, thereby
increasing local participation rates, expanding the horizons of students beyond UTAS, fostering
skills that extend the curriculum and providing real world experiences.
Page 8
Commonwealth Strategy: Better aligning higher education and research with the needs of the
economy, and building capacity to respond to future changes in skills needs.
Related UTAS Research Strategy
Address the pressing problems of our time by drawing upon a breadth of disciplinary expertise and
enabling cross-disciplinary approaches.
Related UTAS Students Strategy
Develop a renewed curriculum which:
 augments the acquisition of vocational, professional and disciplinary knowledge with a
breadth of curriculum engagement and exposure to different thought traditions, and that
champions skills of premium value to graduates.
Related UTAS Community Strategy
Use our relationship with Tasmania to inform research questions, test research solutions at
systemic scale, and translate research models into solutions for modern society.
Commonwealth Strategy: Increasing universities’ engagement with all parties and linkages
between universities and Australian businesses in particular.
Related UTAS Research Strategy
 Support research breadth, while pursuing the benefits of targeted research investment by:
complementing our current world standard research nodes through investment in a small
number of new activities which emerge from local advantage and, together, represent the
breadth of our research endeavours. Recent examples include ACIPA, Sense-T, Active Living
and Health Initiatives.
Related UTAS Students Strategy
Form partnerships to expand our offerings in areas where we may be constrained, including
pathways with schools and the VET sector and articulation arrangements with universities.
Related UTAS Community Strategy
Engage with the economic, social, cultural and intellectual life of Tasmania and extend this
engagement into national and international networks by:

configuring ourselves to facilitate meaningful partnerships with government, industry and
communities in Tasmania and across the world, becoming an exemplar of how universities
can best interact with the communities they serve.
Commonwealth Strategy: Playing a pivotal role in the national research and innovation system
through the generation and dissemination of new knowledge and through the education, training
and development of world class researchers across a wide range of intellectual disciplines.
Related UTAS Research Strategy
Support research breadth, while pursuing the benefits of targeted research investment by:
 Recognising and supporting the contribution of outstanding individuals and research teams.
 Increasing the number of Centres of Excellence, Cooperative Research Centres, Laureate
Fellows, Program grants and other high profile, high impact endeavours.
Expand the research higher degree cohort by:
 Targeted scholarships
 Best practice HDR training and support programs.
Related UTAS Community Strategy
Attract scholars and thought leaders from around the world to UTAS, and support UTAS staff and
students to spend time at other institutions.
Page 9
Commonwealth Strategy: Improving knowledge transfer and commercialisation outcomes.
Related UTAS Research Strategy
Bring our research to the attention of the world, through partnerships and the increased
accessibility of publications.
Related UTAS Community Strategy
Engage with the economic, social, cultural and intellectual life of Tasmania and extend this
engagement into national and international networks by:
 Participating in and, where appropriate, leading authentic conversations of local significance
with a focus on collaborative action around shared interests, purposes and values.
 Positioning UTAS as a forum for ideas, debate and discussion, open, to all members of the
community and courageous in tackling challenging topics.
Commonwealth Strategy: Consistent with the Asian Century policy framework, ensuring
education is at the forefront of Australia’s engagement with Asia.
Related UTAS Students Strategy
Expand and diversify our student cohort by:
 increasing the number of international students at UTAS, in partnership with Tasmanian
schools and the State Government, prioritising onshore students and seeking new markets.
Develop a renewed curriculum which:

builds the cultural competence of our students, increasing the number of UTAS students
undertaking exchange programs, and preparing all students to work and live in our global
society.
Establish the Asia Institute Tasmania:
This will be a virtual institute, potentially run in partnership with the Tasmanian Government.
Commonwealth Strategy: Being amongst the leading Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD) countries in terms of participation and performance.
Related UTAS Research Strategy
Attract, retain and support outstanding researchers. Ensure the research performance of the
majority of UTAS staff is at international standard by:
 Renewing our research leadership and establishing the next generation of research leaders.
 Articulating research expectations for all staff, calibrated against international norms and
respectful of disciplinary practice.
 Adequately resourcing research endeavours, including access to infrastructure, research
students and time.
Related UTAS Students Strategy
Develop a renewed curriculum which:
 Embeds international standards in all aspects of its design and delivery.
 Affirms the research-teaching nexus.
 Has attractive and useful pathways leading into and from our undergraduate degrees,
encouraging more students to undertake at least four years of university study.
Related UTAS Community Strategy
Encourage current students and alumni to engage in the life of the University through
volunteering, employment and engagement in outreach activities, fostering lifelong allegiance to
UTAS and benefiting from the skills and experience of our alumni.
Page 10
PART TWO: ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ACCESS AND
OUTCOMES
2
ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ACCESS AND OUTCOMES
Part Two recognises the important role universities play in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people’s personal and professional aspirations through the provision of accessible and
supportive higher education programs. Increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander higher
education participation and success is important given the direct benefits for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander individuals and communities and broader economic and social benefits for
all Australians.
Universities are asked to detail their strategies and targets to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander access and outcomes over the compact period in this section. Principal Performance
Indicators are compulsory and institutions may voluntarily nominate Optional Performance
Indicators and targets considered reflective of individual institutional goals.
The Commonwealth recognises that universities have diverse missions and, consequently, targets
and performance will vary between institutions. Each university should develop performance
indicators and targets to reflect its individual performance and strategic direction.
2.1
Commonwealth Objectives
The Commonwealth is committed to enhancing the participation and outcomes for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people in higher education consistent with the Closing the Gap initiative
addressing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage.
In realising this objective, the Commonwealth has set an aspirational national parity target for
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff in higher education. The parity target
equates to the proportion of the population aged between 15 and 64 years which is currently
2.3%.
To help achieve this aspirational national target, the Commonwealth has introduced a new focus
on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander reporting in the compact as recommended by the Review
of Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People.
Universities should report high level Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student and staffing
plans and strategies in this part of the compact including performance targets for student
enrolments, completions and numbers of general and academic staff. Universities may also report
on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander initiatives under the Innovation and Engagement,
Teaching and Learning and Research and Research Training parts of the compact.
2.2
University Strategies
Commitments
The UTAS Statement of Values asserts ‘We value diversity and the strength, resilience and
creativity that it brings. We harness its gifts. In supporting the contribution and well-being of all,
we create a welcoming, caring and inclusive environment’, and affirms that Indigenous students
are welcome and can be successful at this university.
In the interests of reconciliation and closing the gap on inequity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people, UTAS is committed to the goal of reaching the national population parity of 2.3%
(2012 Census) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students.
UTAS will support and maintain the Riawunna Centre on the Sandy Bay, Newnham and Cradle
Coast Campuses, and implement the UTAS Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015, Student Experience
Plan 2013-2015, Equity Plan 2013, and the Aboriginal Employment Strategy in order to improve
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Access and Outcomes.
Page 11
The University has accepted the challenge of implementing the key recommendations of the
Review of the Higher Education Access and Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
People (the Behrendt Report). This includes a restructuring of the Riawunna Centre to bring it out
of a single faculty context, in order to give it greater presence across all University sites and make
it more responsive as a support centre for all Indigenous students across all faculties. Although
the discipline of Aboriginal Studies remains located in the Faculty of Arts, there is now greater
emphasis placed on the fact that each faculty should plan, and have targets and implementation
strategies to implement enrolment, staffing and curriculum review right across the institution.
These changes are designed to create a 'whole of university' approach to student and staff
recruitment and to bring Indigenous approaches and issues to bear on pedagogical decisionmaking and curriculum planning. The University's participation in the ARC-funded Special
Research Initiative for supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers will bring a
clearer understanding of the exciting initiatives emerging around Indigenous knowledge.
Each faculty and research institute will be asked to report progress against meeting Indigenous
undergraduate and postgraduate enrolment targets, academic and professional staff recruitment
targets and fostering understanding of Indigenous knowledges and approaches to teaching.
Through workshops, seminars and the use of mentoring, we will be bringing Indigenous cultural
awareness sessions to schools, faculties and institutes - we want to encourage local awareness,
adaptation and initiatives throughout the University.
Students
There has been a steady increase in the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students
at UTAS from 208 in 2004 to more than 300 in 2011. This is largely the result of community
outreach work undertaken by the Riawunna Centre as well as the development and delivery of
bridging and enabling programs by the Centre to prepare Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
students for undergraduate studies. These improvements are also reflected in the number of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates. Graduate numbers continue to grow across the
disciplines, especially Nursing as a result of Riawunna’s focused recruiting and support
mechanisms.
The Riawunna strategy document The Way Forward –strategies for 2012 - 2014 aims to improve
higher education outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through the following
objectives:
 improving access for students from a variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds;
 providing an open, equitable, responsive and meritocratic educational system;
 pursuing an active policy of equal employment opportunity;
 providing employment opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the
University.
Specific actions associated with these objectives include:
Cultural Awareness
 University staff development program to increase staff awareness of the diversity of the
student population and issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student
success in higher education.
 Support NAIDOC and Sorry Day activities on campuses and delivery of the Come Walk With
Us awareness sessions.
 Continue the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander content across UTAS
degree programs, and build on the Footprints Awareness and Footprints Foundation online
modules.
 Progress development of an on-line Aboriginal Studies Resource for use by teachers and
students to assist them in preparation and delivery of Aboriginal Perspectives across the
Curriculum for years K-12. (Material was developed and included in the B. Ed and Masters of
Education programs in 2011).
 Continue support for the Elder in Residence program on all campuses.
Page 12
Participation
 Develop data reporting and analysis systems to enable more accurate understanding of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’ performance.
 Convene events such as Information Days, Film nights, BBQs, Literacy Days and School visits
to promote UTAS to the Aboriginal community.
 Visit other Indigenous Higher Education centres to investigate collaborative programs and to
promote unique study opportunities available in Tasmania.
 Continue supporting ASSETS program to improve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
participation in Science related further education.
 Conduct Health Careers camps for Aboriginal students in years 10-12.
 Maintain two cadetship positions within Riawunna to assist with marketing and promotion.
 Pathways Program including mentoring and campus visits support to improve Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander student retention in years 11 and 12 and transition to further study at
UTAS. Students receiving a Riawunna Springboard to College bursary will be matched with a
mentor.
Research
 Provide workshops for Aboriginal community members to facilitate recording of oral
histories.
 Lodge at least two Aboriginal studies related grant applications annually.
 Provide mentoring for early career researchers.
 Appoint voluntary University Associates to assist staff to increase research productivity.
 Progress appointment of a Chair to facilitate research within the Faculty of Arts. (Professor
Henry Reynolds undertook this role 2007-2010 and provided supervisions and public
lectures. In 2011 Professor Hamish Maxwell-Stewart performed this function and in 2012 Dr
Penny Edmonds was appointed).
 Continue two RHD scholarships in honour of two Elders - The Molly Mallet Scholarship
commenced in 2008 and the Alma Stackhouse Scholarship in 2009.
Research Training
UTAS recognises that in order to increase its overall pool of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
(ATSI) HDR candidates and potential academic staff it has to direct more attention to the
retention and success of its undergraduate students and their progression into honours programs.
The attrition rate for ATSI candidates is about double those of non-ATSI candidates (40% rather
than 20%). Our strategy will pay very close attention to supervision and bring some of our most
experienced supervisors into a supervision mentoring and support program.
UTAS is making strong commitments to support Behrendt recommendations in an attempt to
increase Indigenous participation in the recruitment, supervision and completion of HDR
students. We are pursuing this objective through a review of our supervision practices to better
understand and therefore reduce the withdrawal rate of Indigenous HDR candidates. We will be
providing mentoring for supervisors and additional support for candidates, as well as two
dedicated HDR scholarships per year. Our objective through these and related measures is to
build a cohort of experienced supervisors and successful candidates.
Our strategy includes:
1. Analysis of potential candidates (local and mainland) and targeted support at honours level.
2. Recruitment strategies including the use of scholarships to bring competitive candidates to
our attention.
3. Trying to widen the disciplinary base of ATSI HDR candidates – especially into health,
education and science.
4. Provide stronger supervisor support and mentoring to address attrition rates.
5. Keep a close track on progress, and provide additional support where required, to reduce
attrition.
Page 13
6. Appoint an ATSI HDR support person to monitor, encourage, support and report on issues
affecting success rates.
7. Achieving targets shown under optional performance indicators.
Staff
The UTAS Aboriginal Employment Strategy (AES) was reviewed throughout 2012 with a view to
implementing a revitalised AES in 2013, informed by the National Indigenous Higher Education
Workforce Strategy, which will focus on increased Indigenous staffing and awareness of
Indigenous employment across the University.
In implementing the revitalised AES, UTAS will continue to target an annual increase of Aboriginal
appointments, across a range of employment categories and professions to reflect parity with the
broader community in which we operate.
The Riawunna Centre and its staff offer a wide range of skills and experience to those wanting to
understand Indigenous people, their cultures and histories. On each campus an Indigenous
resource room houses a collection of books, articles, audio-visual materials and cultural material,
for use by all University students and staff.
Cultural Awareness training: The UTAS “Cultural Safety Programme: Come walk with us”, is
currently a professional development offering to staff and students of UTAS, and on average UTAS
runs approximately fifteen 3 hour sessions per annum across all campus locations. Looking
forward we are intending to develop this offering, and include Come walk with us as an online
component of staff induction.
UTAS maintains close links with the Aboriginal communities in Tasmania, and with Indigenous
people in other parts of Australia, North America, Europe and Asia. Various schools and
departments have developed relationships with community groups and providers, specific to
location and specialty. As a multi-campus institution, UTAS aligns with a number of local
Indigenous communities, which are recognised at all formal and public University events.
Page 14
2.3
Performance Indicators and Targets
The purpose of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performance indicators and targets is to
assist the University and the Commonwealth in monitoring the University’s progress against the
Commonwealth’s objectives particularly its contribution to reaching national parity.
The University will aim to meet the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander targets set out in the
following tables.
Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.
Principal Performance
Indicators
Number of all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander student
enrolments3
Number of all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander student
completions4
Number of all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
professional/general staff5
Number of all Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
academic staff6
Optional Performance
Indicators
Number of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander
student HDR enrolments
Number of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander staff
employed at senior staffing
levels
3
Baseline Progressive
2012
Target 2013
301
358
Progressive
Target 2014
408
Progressive
Target 2015
478
Target
2016
568
33
41
50
54
60
24
26
35
41
41
4
6
8
10
10
Progressive
Target 2013
Progressive
Target 2014
Progressive
Target 2015
Target
2016
Baseline
2012
12
9
12
14
16
1
2
3
4
Refers to total undergraduate, postgraduate and HDR students by headcount
footnote 1 for definition
5 Refers to number by headcount
6 See footnote 3 for definition
4 See
Page 15
PART THREE: INNOVATION AND ENGAGEMENT
3
INNOVATION AND ENGAGEMENT
Part Three recognises the important role of universities in our national innovation system, in
boosting economic productivity contributions to improved social and environmental outcomes
and growth, and in engaging, advancing and inspiring their communities. It also recognises that
universities make an important contribution to building connections and partnerships that
broaden and deepen Australia's understanding of Asia.
Under three themes: Innovation; Industry and Skills; and Engagement; universities are asked to
detail their strategies and targets over the term of this compact. Principal Performance Indicators
are compulsory and institutions may voluntarily nominate Optional Performance Indicators and
targets considered reflective of individual institutional goals.
The Commonwealth recognises that universities have diverse missions and, consequently, targets
and performance will vary between institutions. Each university should develop performance
indicators and targets to reflect its individual performance and strategic direction.
3.1
Innovation
3.1.1
Commonwealth objectives
The Commonwealth seeks to build an innovation system that ensures Australia can meet the
challenges and grasp the opportunities of the twenty-first century. The Commonwealth
encourages innovation by supporting industry-led research, promoting knowledge-transfer
activities and the commercialisation of research.
3.1.2
University strategies
UTAS, by virtue of its position as the “State’s university” has a long history of engaging in
knowledge transfer activities with local communities to improve social, economic, environmental
and cultural outcomes - as well as with national and international partners. It is of note that in
the 2012 ATN/Go8 Research Impact Trial, UTAS was represented by more case studies than any
other participating institution and that these case studies spanned all four sectors assessed, ie
Defence, Economic Development, Society and Environment. Highly ranked UTAS Impact case
studies ranged from those which impacted local communities (Promoting Australia’s Colonial
Heritage which pioneered new ways of understanding, interpreting and promoting Tasmania’s
and Australia’s colonial heritage) to those which had global impact (Oceans and Global Climate
highlighting the impact of work by UTAS and ACE CRC scientists in the IPCC Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change).
These examples mirror many others where the University is engaging in three-way partnerships
involving government and local industry to provide ready conduits for the transfer of research to
end-users.
Over the forward planning period UTAS plans to increase engagement with the principal endusers of the University’s research, providing innovative solutions to research questions of state,
national and international significance. This engagement will include greater entrepreneurial and
flexible partnerships with industry, community and government at the design, resourcing and
creation of new knowledge. The object is to significantly increase the impact of this engagement
to include a stronger process of ‘knowledge transfer’, the commercialisation of research
innovation and more partnerships with industry in the research training of HDR candidates and
postdoctoral fellows.
In support of this vision UTAS is in the process of rethinking its current business development and
knowledge transfer support. A four year agreement with UniQuest is reaching its conclusion in
June 2013 and the University is currently in the process of appointing a Director: Business
Development whose role will include developing a University-wide business engagement
framework, in addition to identifying and managing commercialisation opportunities.
Page 16
On 17 August 2012, following a 2-year revision and consultation process, Council approved the
replacement of the existing Intellectual Property (IP) Policy with the IP Ordinance (Ordinance 18).
Innovation and engagement is increasingly seen as a core activity of university purpose and as
such is reflected in the UTAS Strategic Research Plan objectives as below:
Innovation Objectives
 Maximise the social and economic benefits of the University’s intellectual property and
employee’s skills and expertise.
 Establish and sustain local, national and international partnerships with end-users such as
industry, government and the community.
 Encourage interdisciplinary approaches to research, innovation and commercialisation
activities at UTAS.
 Enhance the reputation and prestige of the University through demonstrated relevance and
impact of its research and the conversion of knowledge and intellectual property.
 Reward, retain and recruit staff and students who wish to engage in innovation and
commercialisation activities.
Strategies
 Research clusters: collaborate with the State government and identify multidisciplinary areas
of unique advantage to Tasmania, and develop research and innovation clusters in
partnership with government and industry.
 Produce a business development strategy for the University specifically targeting Tasmania’s
unique advantages (environment, tourism, forestry, agriculture and food production,
fisheries and aquaculture, Southern Ocean and Antarctic studies, population-based research,
amongst others).
 Increase the number of spin-off companies and commercial licences arising from activities of
staff and HDR students.
 Implement the new commercialisation and industry-engagement strategy.
Sense-T:
Sense-T is a partnership program between the University of Tasmania, the Tasmanian
Government, CSIRO and IBM. It establishes Tasmania as a centre for technology and research
excellence, where shared data drives new approaches to social, environmental and economic
sustainability.
Sense-T received Federal Government funding for economic diversification through the
Tasmanian Forestry Agreement, which is administered by DRALGAS. Sense-T has strong support
from Tasmanian stakeholders – particularly industry partners.
Sense-T core infrastructure is being deployed. Five projects are currently being implemented by
researchers in conjunction with industry and community partners. These are:
 Aquaculture Optimisation (Southern, North West and East Coast Tasmania)
 Viticulture risk management and productivity (Northern and Southern Tasmania)
 Dairy & Beef Pasture and Animal Health Optimisation (North West and North East Tasmania)
 Community based adaptive water management (North East Tasmania)
Other projects under development include logistics, health alerts based on environmental
monitoring, reduction of compliance costs and green tape using sensor technology, and science in
schools program.
Commentary on Performance Indicators:
The data in 3.1.3 below shows a steady decline in Category 4 (CRC) income. The projected
downturn in CRC funding reflects the end of both the Forestry CRC and the Antarctic Climate and
Ecosystems CRC in 2014. While UTAS is active in the development of new CRC bids (eg Resilient
Regions), future CRC funding is not certain. Successor projects such as the National Centre for
Future Forest Industries will be Category 2/3.
Page 17
3.1.3
Performance indicators and targets
The purpose of the innovation performance indicators and targets is to assist the University and
the Commonwealth in monitoring the University's progress against the Commonwealth's
objectives and the University's strategies for innovation.
The University will report principal performance information and aim to meet the innovation
performance indicators and targets set out in the following tables.
Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.
Principal Performance Information7
2012
Number of patent and plant breeder’s rights
families filed, issued and held
Filed: 2
Issued: 7
Held: 15
Number of all active licences, options or
assignments (LOAs)8 executed and income
derived
No. 2
Value($) 200,000
Number and value of research contracts and
consultancies executed9
No. 127
Value($) $22,443,457
Investment in spin-out companies during
the reporting year and nominal value of
equity in spin-outs based on last external
funding/liquidity event or entry cost
Investment ($) (0)
Value($) (0)
Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.
Principal
Performance
Indicator
Category 4 Income
Baseline
2012
Progressive
Target 2013
$7,643,817 $7,828,492
Progressive
Target 2014
$8,156,052
Progressive
Target 2015
$4,994,503
Target
2016
$3,547,687
7
This set of performance information does not require targets. Universities will be asked to advise their baseline performance and will report on
their future performance in the context of the Institutional Performance Portfolio Information Collection commencing in 2013. Patent and plant
breeder right family refers to a group of patent or plant breeder rights applications or grants emanating from a single filing. Note: this question
only concerns patent and plant breeder rights families, and is not in reference to families of other forms of registered IP (i.e. trade marks).
8
A LICENCE agreement formalises the transfer of technology between two parties, where the owner of the technology (licensor) grants rights to
the other parties (licensee). An OPTION agreement grants the potential licensee a time period during which it may evaluate the technology and
negotiate the terms of a licence agreement. An option agreement is not constituted by an Option clause in a research agreement that grants
rights to future inventions, until an actual invention has occurred that is subject to that Option. An ASSIGNMENT agreement conveys all right,
title and interest in and to the licensed subject matter to the named assignee.
9 Please
use the definition of contracts and consultancies utilised in the National Survey of Research Commercialisation (NSRC). A copy of the
survey is available at this URL: http://www.innovation.gov.au/Section/Innovation/Pages/TheNationalSurveyofResearchCommercialisation.aspx
Page 18
3.2
Industry and Skills
3.2.1
Commonwealth objectives
The Commonwealth encourages universities and employers to work together so that courses
meet the needs of employers, where relevant. This may include integrating work and learning,
meeting professional accreditation requirements and involving employers in course development
and delivery.
3.2.2
University strategies
As the only university in the state, UTAS has a comprehensive course profile and seeks to
capitalise on its unique Tasmanian identity by providing distinctive courses aligned with the
University’s focus areas and the State’s identified educational needs. Each University course has a
Course Advisory Committee which, in addition to relevant UTAS academic staff, includes
members from government, professions and industry who provide important input into course
development and review activity. These committees meet when developing new, or undertaking
reviews of, courses as well as annually scheduled meetings. The committees provide academic
staff delivering courses with a range of stakeholder views and assist in ensuring that courses are
relevant to emerging needs of industry and professional bodies. Professional courses utilise key
industry members as contributors to their courses through visiting lectures or appearances on
discussion panels, for example Law and Medicine.
The University has, as one of its strategic priorities, the development of course level learning
outcomes for all courses. Course Advisory Committees play a role in this important review and
development work.
The University also has an integrated grants scheme that supports innovation and a focus on the
use of innovative applications of technology and blended learning approaches in curriculum
design.
UTAS has made a firm commitment to work-integrated learning (WIL) as this excerpt from the
Strategic Plan for Learning and Teaching 2011-2014 makes clear a. Engage with local, national and international communities to build and maintain the
relationships that optimise successful WIL.
b. Deliver purposeful, high quality University WIL programs though local partnerships
maintained at the Faculty/School level.
c. Coordinate WIL placements to ensure that agreements, processes and communication with
partners provide optimum conditions for mutually beneficial outcomes. UTAS wide policy,
procedure and short and long agreement forms are available on the UTAS website for use by
Schools.
d. Work with national networks to expand WIL opportunities for students, business and
industry.
e. Ensure that WIL programs are socially inclusive and provide opportunities for all students.
The development of breadth units, in particular in areas of service learning and volunteering
are in the early planning stages. These will be available to students across the institution and
open up unprecedented opportunities for students to engage in WIL experiences.
Work-integrated learning is also measured against the University Standards Framework (USF)
under standard 6.16: Students are provided with opportunities for active participation in learning
(e.g. work integrated placements, practicums and work experience opportunities). The
performance indicator used here is the number of students who participated in work-integrated
placements and practicums.
UTAS has a strong record in working with government, business and industry in this area with
significant offerings particularly in Health Science, Business and Education that have been
developed in direct consultation with industry partners. The development of our Health Science
and Business programs at our Sydney campuses are a key example.
Page 19
UTAS industry partnerships feature student work placements, particularly in health, education
and business. Partners in Health is a good example. This is a strategic partnership between the
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in Tasmania and the UTAS Faculty of Health
Science. This partnership arrangement is unique in Australia and was formed in 1998 because
the DHHS and UTAS understood the importance of developing and maintaining a strong
partnership which would contribute to the strategic objectives of both organisations in terms of
health workforce, health research and health education. Partners in Health has a number of
policies that underpin student workplace learning, such as the Clinical Placement System.
It has been agreed to extend the State Partnership Agreement (see section 3.3.2) to cover health
education, so that the partnership with the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services
can be further strengthened.
Another example is the Corporate Internship Program run by the Faculty of Business. It provides
students enrolled in degrees or combined degrees in the Faculty of Business with an opportunity
to combine theory with practice and gain industry-specific and generic graduate skills prior to
graduation. Student learning is enhanced by undertaking a work-placement with a business
organisation related to their degree and area of interest. UTAS has partnered with a wide variety
of business and government entities to deliver this initiative including:
 Hobart City Council
 Department of Justice
 Skills Tasmania
 Department of Economic Development, Tourism and the Arts
 Royal Hobart Hospital
 Office of the Anti-Discrimination Commissioners
 Ten Days on the Island Festival
 Warp Magazine
 Variety the Children’s Charity.
New Programs
UTAS is developing targeted new programs in the Creative Industries to support our successful EIF
bid for an Academy of Creative Industries and Performing Arts (ACIPA), which involves industry
collaborators such as Theatre Royal, Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, and Museum of Old & New
Art. The iconic ACIPA provides a unique creative industries development platform to position
Tasmania at the international cutting edge of creative industries training and practice.
These programs will include professional performing arts degrees, as well as related creative
industries, technology, new media, events management and digital futures programs and should
generate over 1200 EFTSL of additional enrolments after the first three years of operation. The
programs will all involve students gaining experience in an immersive creative environment
through intensive practice-based training and practical internship with major industry partners.
All partners were closely involved in identifying skills deficits within Tasmania and in developing
the proposed ACIPA course profile.
UTAS has recently developed an Associate Degree in Dementia Care in collaboration with peak
bodies associated with residential and aged care. This combines foundation units in academic
literacies, as well as on-line content and workplace units negotiated with partners. This course is
responding to a critical area of national workforce demand and student enrolments have already
been significant. We are developing this program into a bachelor award, again with industry
input and support, and expect this program to attract 400 EFTSL in 2014.
UTAS plans to develop its Newnham campus as a demonstration site with a focus on, and
modelling, physical activity and healthy lifestyle. This will bring together key strengths in health
training, technological development, community engagement and translational research that will
make Launceston and northern Tasmania a focus in establishing more effective future capacities
and systems to deal with emerging national health management issues. UTAS estimates that this
Page 20
initiative will generate 500 new full-time equivalent students per annum within three years of
implementation.
UTAS programs relating to improving health and wellbeing and the promotion of nutrition, lifelong exercise and physical activity will become a part of the student experience at Newnham and
will be embedded in UTAS graduate attributes. All students will be encouraged to take units from
these programs as part of their undergraduate study, either as electives or as part of a concurrent
award. This will ensure that the next generations of Tasmanians are better equipped to address
these issues personally and within their communities of influence.
UTAS’s extensive health-industry, research and other partnerships will provide a network of
closely linked organisations to build regional capacity and student opportunities. Partners will
provide a critical mass of resources and collaborative opportunities that will be leveraged to
develop learning pathways and student work placements and projects and to establish visibility
across the region. This will have a fundamental impact on a range of health-related indicators in
the Tasmanian population and generate improvement in workplace productivity and lifestyle. It
will address the issue of poor health literacy within Tasmania through a systemic approach to
educating the community, developing individual responsibility, and creating greater workforce
capacity in areas of current demand.
An example of our work with regional SMEs to strengthen supply chain management and
leadership is the Graduate Diploma in Business, a program UTAS has been delivering to SMEs in
the north-west region of Tasmania for 3 years with great success. This program has been refined
to a point where it can be delivered to other regional areas across Australia. The program targets
cohorts of mainly trade-trained managers and leaders with extensive business experience but
with limited opportunity to engage in formal study.
This program is delivered over a number of intensive sessions and the commencing unit –
Learning through Practice – specifically incorporates work-based reflections and work-projectbased units. Monitoring and evaluation of the UTAS program highlights how work as a site of
learning builds motivation and confidence. Many of the first cohorts of students are now
enrolling in MBA studies and this training is highly valued by staff and management.
The Australian Institute of Health Services Management (AIHSM) is a partnership between the
University of Tasmania and Sydney Local Health District. The AIHSM services students and health
facilities from across Australia, but is physically based in the Sydney Local Health District, with
teaching and research facilities at Rozelle. These highly successful fee-paying programs
incorporate significant work-based and research projects and are delivered on-line supported by
intensive workshops, with delivery involving UTAS staff, embedded academics, and senior staff
within NSW Health. The programs were developed in close collaboration with senior staff from
NSW Health and training is highly contextualised. It is proposed to extend these Masters
programs to public and private health organisations nationally in the near future.
These Masters programs also articulate into a professional doctorate program which extends the
leadership capacity of the staff involved but also provides those staff with appropriate academic
qualifications to deliver content back into their workplaces. These leadership programs extend
beyond administrative and executive management as we also have a Master of Clinical Leadership
program which is offered extensively in NSW. All of these programs are delivered both in
metropolitan centres and in regional centres such as Dubbo and Broken Hill.
UTAS has developed a range of new professional doctorate programs in collaboration with
industry partners and has plans to expand these programs. The traditional route of research and
monograph does not always fit well with the aspirations of all students and employers.
Particularly in scientific, engineering, health, education and business disciplines, many potential
candidates would prefer to be more engaged with the professional practice of research.
Some research areas cannot adequately be explored in a traditional university setting; an
increasing number of students do not wish to remain continuously in full-time education beyond
Page 21
honours level; while mature students often have commitments which make their re-engagement
with a research higher degree impossible on a full-time basis. These factors suggest that a
complementary track to a research higher degree may be appropriate to a significant cohort of
potential students.
It is vital to the external perception of the University that all doctorates, whatever kind, be of the
highest quality. Professional Doctorate students are expected to work on a number of projects of
professional/ industrial relevance. The challenge is therefore two-fold:
to ensure that the individual projects are of sufficient depth, innovation and rigour to
demonstrate satisfactorily a student’s technical, scientific and scholarly ability; and
to ensure that the resulting research outputs – thesis, publications, reports, patents and so forth
– are generated and maintained at a standard comparable to that of traditional routes.
The principal candidate cohort is professional employees with R&D functions who wish to pursue
a Doctoral Degree structured around their professional activities. These professional connections
will lead to additional research and teaching contact and provide a nucleus around which to build
academic-professional collaborations.
The Professional Doctorate encourages close cooperation across the university/ industry/
professional interface and provides a framework for the integration of professional expertise and
scholarly inquiry. For UTAS, initial discipline and professional interfaces will be established or
extended in clinical medicine, public health, engineering, education and business.
The opportunities in the health sector are likely to be significant given the proposed
recommendations of the Strategic Review of Health and Medical Research in Australia, which
proposes support for a significant number of research-focused health professionals over the next
10 years and embedding research into health professional training and accreditation.
3.3
Engagement
3.3.1
Commonwealth objectives
As part of its social and economic remit and as an important precursor to innovation, the
Commonwealth encourages universities to engage with all levels of government, other
universities, businesses, schools, the vocational education and training sector, employers, the
professions, research institutions and the wider community including international partners
particularly those in the Asian region.
3.3.2
University strategies
Our position as the sole university in Tasmania brings exceptional potential for engagement with
the economic, social, cultural and intellectual life of the island and for connecting with national
and international networks. Open to Talent therefore casts Community as an equal priority
alongside Research and Students. We recognise that core business at UTAS is necessarily
partnered and collaborative. Our current aims in this arena are outlined below.
Become more mature in our institutional approach to engagement and collaboration
Engagement is a central and defining characteristic of the UTAS mission and as such communityengaged research and teaching are seen as core business. Over the duration of this Compact,
UTAS will re-conceptualise and re-energise our institutional approach to community engagement,
and use this conceptualisation to prepare a Community Engagement Plan. We will also ensure
that, in this context, engagement is fully embedded as part of our approach to our core activities
of research and learning and teaching. A key enabler of the latter is to ensure that our policy
drivers (e.g. performance expectations and promotions criteria) reflect this appropriately.
Continue to work with the State Government in partnership
As well as its partnerships with local government bodies, UTAS has a longstanding partnership
with the Tasmanian Government. The latest iteration of the Partnership Agreement (2012-2015),
Page 22
focuses on educational attainment, research collaboration and international education and
health.
The University has worked closely with the State Government to identify a series of shared
research and innovation priorities. These include support for areas of traditional strength agriculture, aquaculture, mining and viticulture for example, as well as innovative areas Antarctic, IT and remote sensing and the creative industries for example. These shared priorities
open support for the creation of innovative clusters and precincts that cohere strengths in IT and
sensing through the Sense-T project, creating an Antarctic precinct in Hobart and a state of the art
electronic creative arts precinct.
A further example of this collaborative arrangement has been realised with State Government
support for the Asia Institute Tasmania that brings academic language, cultural, technological and
scientific capacity within the University, stronger engagement with targeted Asian governments
and universities to work closely together. For the University this supports its recruitment of
additional undergraduate and postgraduate students, staff exchanges, research collaborations
and additional joint research and industry engagement strategies. The Institute also provides a
suitable platform on which to build upon existing outbound (and inbound) programs for student
mobility throughout Asia; its focus undoubtedly benefiting established programs and providing
opportunity to foster new exchange partnerships. In particular, UTAS is keen to maximise
opportunities from the Australian Government’s strategically significant AsiaBound initiative.
Whilst our current outbound student experience programs are mainly focussed around existing
Asian language and culture programs at UTAS, we are keen to extend the range of Asian incountry experiences for students from other discipline areas. In 2012 some 150 students
participated in outbound experience/exchange programs; through AsiaBound and related
initiatives we are looking to double the number of students participating by 2016.
The Institute will reap the benefits of Tasmania’s unique ability to engage with Asia and is a key
component of the state strategy to foster an Asia-literate Tasmanian community and an Asiacapable Tasmanian workforce. UTAS has already made a significant initial commitment to the Asia
Institute Tasmania, advertising internationally for a senior academic leader to serve as Director,
and a proposal is being developed for a Tasmania China Business Forum. The Institute will play a
crucial brokerage role in bringing specialist Asia expertise to key stakeholders in business,
education, industry and the general community. The Asia Institute Tasmania will align with the
National Research Priority ‘Understanding Australia and the World’ in the context of the 2012
Australia in the Asian Century White Paper.
Collaborate to strengthen world-class research
UTAS aims to increase engagement with the principal end-users of the University’s research,
providing innovative solutions to research questions of state, national and international
significance. This engagement will include greater entrepreneurial and flexible partnerships with
industry, community and government while designing, resourcing and creating new knowledge.
Our object is to significantly increase the impact of this engagement to build a stronger process of
‘knowledge transfer’, the commercialisation of research innovation and more partnerships with
industry in the research training of HDR candidates and postdoctoral fellows.
Strategies will include:
 Providing structured support for UTAS staff involved in the development CRC applications.
 Collaboration with the State government to identify multidisciplinary areas of unique
advantage to Tasmania and develop research and innovation clusters in partnership with
government and industry.
 Creating a business development strategy for the University specifically targeting enhanced
linkages with the State government and capitalising on Tasmania’s unique advantages
(environment, tourism, forestry, agriculture and food production, fisheries and aquaculture,
Southern Ocean and Antarctic studies amongst others).
Page 23



Developing meaningful measures of engagement for the University’s faculties and research
concentrations and include “enterprise metrics” in the targets provided to academic units.
Increasing the number of spin-off companies and commercial licences arising from activities
of staff and HDR students.
Implementing the new commercialisation and industry-engagement strategy through the
Research Office to deliver business and commercialisation training modules to staff and
selected HDR candidates.
UTAS has successfully pursued 3-way partnerships with Government (Federal and/or State) and
industry; examples include  The establishment in 2012 of the Experimental Aquaculture Facility to support the expansion
of the existing aquaculture industry (already the largest producer of seafood in Australia).
Key partners include Federal and State Governments, US food giant Dardens, as well as
Tasmanian industry partners.
 Sense-T, launched in 2012, is one of the largest coordinated investments in knowledge
infrastructure in Tasmania, partnering with IBM, Aurora Energy, State and Federal
Governments, and CSIRO.
 The Perennial Horticulture Centre in the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture is the lead agency
for cherry research, development and extension under the National RD&E framework. Their
role is to ensure that future research aligns with industry-developed RD&E objectives.
UTAS has developed expertise in the management of complex research collaborations involving
national and international partners. This is typified by our successful lead agent role in the
Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS), one of twelve capabilities funded under Australia’s
National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy. Ocean observing is a global enterprise,
and UTAS operates within an international context in leading IMOS.
This is a significant initiative, with core Australian Government funding of $110M and coinvestment from partners (including international partners) contributing to a total investment of
~$260M over the period 2007-2014. UTAS contracts with nine other organisations across the
National Innovation System to operate the facilities making up the national network. IMOS
facilities are funded to deploy equipment and deliver data streams for use by the entire
Australian marine and climate science community and its international collaborators. This
national system is linked to the international Ocean Tracking Network
(http://oceantrackingnetwork.org/) led by Dalhousie University in Canada. IMOS also represents
Australia’s contribution to the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS, http://www.ioc-goos.org/).
Collaborate to strengthen distinctive learning experiences
One of the core principles of the Strategic Plan for Learning and Teaching 2011-2014 is that
University goals can only be delivered through partnerships with students, staff, employers,
accrediting and other statutory bodies, federal and state government, and other universities in
Australia and overseas. The Plan is based around four goals, one of which is to develop and
maintain quality partnerships.
The Centre for University Pathways and Partnerships was established in 2012, and has as its
mission ‘to create entry pathways to university study and to foster sustainable partnerships that
provide an enduring benefit to local communities and to the University of Tasmania.’ The Centre
coordinates the University’s involvement in the Tasmanian Articulation and Credit Transfer
(TASACT) Committee, through which UTAS seeks to provide high level institutional and sectoral
leadership to maximise credit transfer and articulation arrangements between the Tasmanian
Academy, the Tasmanian Polytechnic, the Tasmanian Skills Institute and the University in order to
encourage skills and knowledge acquisition for individuals, develop the intellectual capital base
within the State, and create learning pathways between institutions.
UTAS also continues to develop collaborative networks for the development of courses and for
teaching. For example, Health Sciences have been a particular area of growth and development.
Strong collaborations have been established with Tasmanian health providers and with a number
Page 24
of New South Wales health providers – St Vincent’s and Mater Health Sydney and Sydney South
West Area Health Service. UTAS also has a strong focus on interdisciplinary training in the health
area, providing a range of career pathways and transitions for health graduates.
At the same time, the University has a strong focus on global engagement and
internationalisation, with the appointment of the University’s first Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global
Engagement) in 2012. A global dimension was embedded into Open to Talent, aiming to
internationalise education and research as key priorities for UTAS and by doing so, contribute to
the economic development of the State. A global engagement strategy will be developed over
2013 to augment Open to Talent and other subsidiary plans.
3.3.3
Performance indicators and targets
The purpose of the engagement performance indicators and targets is to assist the University and
the Commonwealth in monitoring the University's progress against the Commonwealth's
objectives and the University's strategies for engagement.
The University will aim to meet the engagement performance indicators and targets set out in the
following table.
Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.
Principal
Performance
Indicators
Baseline
2012
Progressive
Target 2013
Progressive
Target 2014
Progressive
Target 2015
Target
2016
Number of active
collaborations10
with industry and
other partners in
Australia
138
150
164
181
199
Number of active
collaborations11
with industry and
other partners
overseas
36
38
39
41
43
Category 3 Income
$18,255,290 $18,432,856
$20,735,398
$21,938,427
$23,384,249
Optional Performance
Indicators
Baseline
2012
% of publications with
international co-author
37%
10 Collaboration
Progressive
Target 2013
37%
Progressive
Target 2014
39%
Progressive
Target 2015
41%
Target
2016
43%
involves active joint participation with other organisations, by contributing resources such as intellectual property, knowledge,
money, personnel or equipment, with the aim of obtaining a shared goal or objective. Straight fee-for-service arrangements, such as contracts
and consultancies, are deemed not to be collaborative and are therefore excluded. Collaboration with Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) is
also to be excluded. This definition is in line with the ABS and OECD definitions of collaboration.
11
See footnote 8 for a definition of collaboration.
Page 25
PART FOUR: TEACHING AND LEARNING
4
TEACHING AND LEARNING
4.1
Student enrolments
4.1.1
Commonwealth objectives
The Commonwealth is committed to expanding higher education to provide high quality
opportunities for people of all backgrounds to participate to their full potential. An expanded
higher education system will educate the graduates needed for Australia's future economy, which
will be based on knowledge, skills and innovation.
The main objectives of the Commonwealth are to ensure that:
 by 2025, 40 per cent of all 25 to 34 year olds will hold a qualification at bachelor level or
above;
 by 2020, 20 per cent of undergraduate enrolments should be students from low socioeconomic backgrounds;
 national parity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff is achieved over
time; and
 universities are producing graduates that meet the nation’s skills needs.
These objectives are supported through the Commonwealth Grant Scheme and, in particular, the
demand driven funding of students in bachelor level courses.
4.1.2
University strategies
Student Enrolment Planning
The University of Tasmania remains fully committed to the Australian Government’s participation
agenda and plans to continue growing both domestic and international student load. In terms of
longer-term planning, UTAS Council has set a target of 25,000 EFTSL by 2025, but this is subject to
review in the light of much more ambitious targets recently established for international
students.
UTAS has recognised that it has a lower proportion of international students than many other
universities. To address this, we are implementing marketing and program-related strategies,
with the aim of achieving 8,000 international students by 2018.
UTAS has had a successful long-term focus on improving the graduate profile within Tasmania,
increasing the proportion of Tasmanians aged 15-64 with a bachelor degree or higher from 11.5%
in 2000 to 20.7% in 2012, however this continues to be below the (2012) national average of
25.4%.
Many UTAS students, especially those from rural and regional areas, are the first members of
their families to attend university. UTAS is committed to assisting these students in their
transition into university and supporting their academic success. We also seek to extend our
range of community engagement and outreach programs through Tasmanian schools to
encourage aspirations for higher education in regional communities.
There are significant social and economic reasons to provide greater access to higher education
for regional communities; and to encourage students to maintain their connection with their
communities even if they live away from home to study. This can be achieved through providing
better transitional pathways to higher education and by actively seeking to provide opportunities
for community connections throughout undergraduate degree programs. Community
connections can be encouraged by ensuring students who have practicum, clinical or work
placements as part of their study are given the opportunity to undertake these in their home
community; by incorporating more work- and project-based learning into a broader range of
awards so that students have the opportunity to undertake these tasks in regional and rural
Page 26
areas; and by developing more programs that focus on the generic skills required in regional
communities. This, in turn, supports the retention of graduating students within the community.
Sub bachelor planning
The development of sub bachelor programs at UTAS has been a long-term initiative with
significant supplementary academic support budgeted in our forward planning. These
enrolments have increased progressively in line with available resources and have been subject to
ongoing research and review and detailed quality assurance.
The market for UTAS sub bachelor programs is not prospective TAFE students, but rather the
large number of Tasmanians, many of whom are mature aged, who have not developed
aspirations to progress beyond year 10 level. These people need very targeted and supported
pathway programs and a detailed scaffold of preparatory and pathway programs have been
developed on the basis of the University’s experience over the last 10 years, built with clear
structures for student support to ensure better retention and completion rates.
UTAS is working to manage its student intake for sub bachelor programs within the current (2013)
cap of 1,683 EFTSL; we would however be keen to further grow our load if the opportunity arose
in future to increase the current allocation.
The framework is based around a set of key principles:
 The need to provide strong support for students who have been traditionally excluded from
higher education because of social, economic or family circumstance.
 Preparation programs and pathways are designed to help individuals succeed at University.
 Preparation programs and pathways assist faculties to maintain academic standards in
undergraduate degree programs.
 The pre-degree framework articulates developing standards in line with the national
standards including the Australian Qualifications Framework, the Australian Core Skills
Framework, CRICOS Standards for Foundation Programs.
 The pre-degree framework aligns with the development of graduate attributes and the first
year experience framework.
 Student experience and expectations should be consistent for both domestic and
international students.
 A generic academic skill and knowledge base is required for all students.
 Extensive scaffolding of student learning in early stages of preparation for under prepared
students is provided.
 Recognition of prior learning opportunities are available to maximise appropriate student
progress.
 Discipline specific foundation units are required for specific Diploma pathways.
 Multiple entry points, multiple pathways and multiple exit points are available.
 All students have access to high standard foundation programs and English Language Support
where needed.
In the light of the sub bachelor cap, UTAS is developing more extensive support and retention
strategies for a number of bachelor level programs.
Bachelor degree planning
A significant area of growth for the University over the period 2014-2016 will be in performing
arts programs, in line with the targets set out in our recently approved Education Investment
Fund Regional Priorities Round project to establish the Academy for Creative Industries and
Performing Arts. This initiative will see an increase of some 1200 EFTSL in our performing arts and
related creative industries programs between now and the Academy’s first year of operation
(2017).
Engineering and science programs are also projected to experience strong growth, particularly
through programs offered through our Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, the
Australian Maritime College, and the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies.
Page 27
Another identified area of growth is in our Nursing, Health and Allied Health initiatives. Apart
from continuing the positive enrolment trends of existing programs in Nursing and Paramedicine,
this will include new initiatives in areas such as Dementia Care and Health Studies.
A number of key enrolment growth areas are outlined in the Industry and Skills section 3.2.
Postgraduate planning
UTAS regards the need to increase Tasmania’s postgraduate profile to the national average as a
key element of its overall strategies to improve higher education participation. Establishing a
base of professionally trained staff in key sectors, such as teaching and health, but also more
broadly, is a key part of the cultural change necessary to support higher education participation in
the broad community and also in business, industry and government. One of the core problems is
the lack of role models with this specialist training within the Tasmanian community.
The cap on postgraduate Commonwealth-supported places has limited our ability to build on the
work of previous years in growing the Tasmanian postgraduate profile. With income levels in
Tasmania typically well below the Australian average, the level of interest by potential students in
full fee-paying places is limited. Should there be no future increase in the number of
Commonwealth-supported postgraduate places allocated to UTAS, our ability to continue to grow
the postgraduate profile in Tasmania will be dependent on promoting fee-paying options in the
national arena. A number of these options are outlined in the Industry and Skills section 3.2.
Within the limitations of the postgraduate cap, we will continue our focus on professional-entry
programs and areas of national priority and skill demand.
Medical planning
There are no plans at this time to vary the curriculum of the current 5-year MBBS program at
UTAS, or to move it from an undergraduate to a postgraduate degree. Whilst domestic demand
for the program is significantly greater than the 465 EFTSL currently allocated to UTAS, in the
absence of any opportunity to increase the allocation, we will continue to manage annual
completions/enrolments within that total.
4.2
Quality
4.2.1
Commonwealth objectives
A focus on teaching and learning quality underpins the Commonwealth’s vision for Australia to be
one of the most highly educated and skilled nations in the world.
The Commonwealth has made a commitment to provide more autonomy to universities through
the removal of funding caps on Commonwealth supported bachelor level places. In turn, the
Commonwealth requires the University to participate in the higher education quality
arrangements which are overseen by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. The
arrangements are designed to support academic autonomy while ensuring that the achievement
of standards can be demonstrated and that there is a strong focus on enhancing the quality of
teaching and learning while expansion of the higher education system meets national
participation ambitions.
The Commonwealth’s commitment to quality is demonstrated through initiatives such as the
Office for Learning and Teaching, which provides a suite of grants, awards and fellowships to
recognise quality and promote innovations in learning and teaching.
The University also has obligations under the quality and accountability requirements in Division
19 of HESA. This compact does not change those obligations.
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4.2.2
University strategies
UTAS has recently revamped its governance and management arrangements in the quality and
standards space with the establishment of a new, high-level Quality and Standards Committee to
take responsibility for ensuring pro-active compliance with rapidly changing regulatory
requirements and for positioning the University to continue to play a leadership role on the
national scene.
In this context, UTAS has made a strategic commitment to the quality of learning and teaching in
Open to Talent and through the development of the Strategic Plan for Learning and Teaching
2012-2014. This Plan has four strategic goals:
1) to facilitate excellence in learning;
2) to ensure excellence in teaching;
3) to develop a renewed curriculum; and
4) to develop and maintain quality partnerships.
The University plans to facilitate excellence in learning through the objectives and initiatives
associated with Goal 1, which aim to ensure that students acquire a command of a coherent body
of knowledge and are provided with an optimum learning environment; that graduates are
skilled, capable and creative learners, able to make a valuable contribution to society; and that
processes are in place for assuring and enhancing quality in student learning. A major initiative
has been the development of performance expectations in learning and teaching for academic
staff across all levels of appointment.
Academic Senate has established a Student Experience Committee to provide advice and
recommendations on the development, implementation and review of strategies, policies and
initiatives to address the needs of students and enhance the student experience at UTAS. The
Student Experience Committee and its sub-committees have significant student representation
and input, which has resulted in the development of the Student Experience Plan 2013-2015.
Student engagement is one of the indicators in this new Plan which includes a Student Forum and
the development of a Student Charter.
The newly established Student Evaluation, Review and Reporting Unit (SERRU) reports on student
evaluation (both internal and external), coordinates the University Standards Framework and
plays a key role in University benchmarking activity. SERRU tracks student engagement through
the Australasian Survey of Student Engagement (AUSSE) and the University Experience Survey
(UES), reports these results institutionally and contributes to the development of improvement
plans. SERRU also reports on student retention/attrition, Course Experience Questionnaire and
student load through the Learning and Teaching Dashboard. Attrition and retention strategies
have been included in the new draft Student Experience Plan 2013-2015, under the following
initiatives: 3.3.3 Use academic support systems to review individual progress in order to reduce
attrition; 4.2.1 Develop process to regularly report on student retention and progression at the
Faculty/School level; and 4.2.2 Explore learning analytics in the learning management system,
MyLO,as key indicators to monitor student retention and progression at the unit level. These
initiatives are aimed at examining retention and attrition from the faculty, student support and
learning analytics levels of the University.
The University plans to maintain its focus on the quality of learning and teaching through the
objectives and initiatives associated with Goal 2, which aim to ensure that teachers are prepared
and supported to develop quality teaching and learning practice: that quality teaching and
learning practices are identified and rewarded; that links between teaching and learning and
research drive improvements in both areas; and that processes are in place for the effective
management of teaching performance.
Elements associated with these objectives include: a suite of professional development activities
for staff at all stages in their careers; ongoing professional learning in academic standards;
internationalisation of the curriculum; graduate attributes and technology enhanced learning; a
framework for leadership development in learning and teaching; adoption of Communities of
Page 29
Practice to facilitate cooperation across boundaries; an integrated grants scheme to support
innovation; support for staff using evidence to improve teaching practice; an evaluation strategy
for learning and teaching; integration of internal and external teaching awards and fellowship
schemes; increased avenues for acknowledging learning and teaching awards; and the
development of mentoring and leadership roles.
Accredited staff development occurs through the Graduate Certificate of University Learning and
Teaching, with new academic appointments required to undertake Foundations of University
Learning & Teaching as a condition of their probation. Staff also have access to non accredited
professional development activity such as curriculum development workshops, training in the use
of the MyLO Learning Management System, communities of practice and peer professional
learning programs.
The annual learning and teaching conference Teaching Matters is a primary mechanism for
sharing good practice across the institution. In 2012, the conference was attended by 175 UTAS
staff, with all Australian campuses represented. Over 80 staff contributed through showcases and
Pecha-Kuchas and a further 18 presenting posters. UTAS through the Tasmanian Institute of
Learning and Teaching, hosted the very successful HERDSA (Higher Education Research and
Development Society of Australasia) conference in July 2012 which bought over 300 delegates to
Hobart and provided another valuable opportunity for sharing good practice.
2012 marked the start of a new system of reward and recognition for good teaching practice at
UTAS with the identification of a clear UTAS Teaching Awards Pathway. This pathway begins with
the Teaching Merit Certificate for which applicants can receive a maximum of three. The next
three categories align with the Office for Learning and Teaching award categories including the (1)
Vice-Chancellor’s Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning; (2) ViceChancellor’s Awards for Programs that Enhance Learning; and (3) the Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for
Teaching Excellence. In 2012, a fourth category was also added: the UTAS Commendation for
Sustained Commitment to Teaching Excellence.
The University has undertaken an extensive review of the Academic Promotion Policy and
associated processes. This has included participation in an international benchmarking project on
promotions with the universities of Leicester, Newcastle upon Tyne and Wollongong. This project
has focused on how teaching performance has been evidenced in promotions criteria. A selfreview and peer-review process has informed the internal review of promotion policy. This
review has been aligned with the development of Opening UTAS to Talent: The UTAS Academic
which clearly describes performance expectations for academic staff in both research and
learning and teaching. In turn, the Strategic Plan for Learning and Teaching 2012-2014 and the
Research and Research Training Management Plan have a shared strategic vision for ensuring
learning and teaching and research are seen as complementary activities.
The University is supporting the development of generic attributes through a Graduate Attribute
Review which includes a working group and the development of a new graduate attribute
statement and policy. Graduate attributes and student learning outcomes are tracked through the
development of new online unit and course reports. These reports are aligned to the Australian
Qualifications Framework.
The University plans to engage with the student body to develop a renewed curriculum through
the objectives and initiatives associated with Goal 3, including the development of a strategic
approach to curriculum design, internationalisation of the curriculum, and ensuring that curricula
support student learning across a diverse range of student and course profiles and use innovative
applications of technology and blended learning approaches.
Three key University-wide projects are providing an impetus for curriculum renewal. The first is a
move to a new Learning Management System and the accompanying opportunities for
professional development and support in designing curriculum. The second initiative is around an
increased emphasis on ongoing evaluation and review of units and courses, in support of the
Learning and Teaching Evaluation Policy. This will be formally manifested in the annual course and
Page 30
unit reports. The third is a focus on curriculum renewal through a Curriculum Development
Group with University-wide representation.
The University embeds the outcomes of the Office of Learning and Teaching into its policies,
processes and practices. It is represented on the OLT Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC) by the
DVC (Students and Education) and as such a good flow of information from and to the OLT has
been developed. Successful grant winners (either as lead or team members) are announced to the
University through the web-based news, emails or in printed material. The projects and contact
persons are listed on our Awards and Grants web page.
Specific grants have been influential in shaping UTAS policy and practice:
 The OLT grant on Adoptions and Open Educational Resources has helped UTAS develop its
OER policies and repository; the strategic commission on professionalising the academic
workforce has helped UTAS with the UTAS Academic, Teaching Performance Expectations
(TPE) and Promotions Policy;
 The Benchmarking Sessional Staff project has precipitated benchmarking activities and
review of support for Casual Teaching Staff;
 The CATS project has provided material for Inclusive Teaching workshops and presentations;
 The Learning and Teaching Academic Standards project, through the discipline scholars has
been adopted at UTAS through the LTAS@UTAS project, resulting in an institution-wide
focus on refining course level learning outcomes.
Our Awards and Grants Office was developed with the support of the Promoting Excellence
Network, and continues to be an active contributor to the Vic-Tas PEI network. This network also
reaches out to the broader UTAS community through the online community of practice. The
Awards and Grants Office draw on the experience of OLT award and grant winners and assessors
in their workshop program, and training of peer mentors.
Note: All calendar year references below relate to projects and awards in that calendar year.
Principal Performance
Indicators
Number of active learning
and teaching projects
supported by the PELTHE12
program where the
University is the lead
institution
Number of active learning
and teaching projects
supported by the PELTHE13
where the University is a
partner institution
Number of citations for
outstanding contributions to
student learning
Number of awards for
teaching excellence
Number of awards for
programs that enhance
excellence
12 Promotion
Baseline Progressive
2012
Target 2013
2
3
Progressive
Target 2014
3
Progressive
Target 2015
3
Target
2016
3
4
5
5
5
5
3
6
6
6
6
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
of Learning and Teaching in Higher Education - the program providers learning and teaching grants, awards and fellowships and is
administered by the Office for Learning and Teaching.
13 See
footnote 10 for definition.
Page 31
4.3
Equity
4.3.1
Commonwealth objectives
The Commonwealth is committed to a fair and equitable higher education system that provides
equal opportunity for people of all backgrounds to participate to their full potential and the
support to do so.
In particular, the Commonwealth has an ambition that by 2020, 20 per cent of higher education
enrolments at the undergraduate level will be people from low socio-economic status (SES)
backgrounds.
The Commonwealth expects all universities to play a part in meeting the Commonwealth's higher
education participation ambitions, consistent with the objectives and regulatory requirements of
Commonwealth funding.
The Commonwealth funds a range of programs to encourage and support access to and
participation in higher education by people from low SES backgrounds and other underrepresented groups, including the Higher Education Loan Program and Student Income Support.
The Commonwealth will monitor the University’s equity performance through the reporting
requirements and evaluations of programs and initiatives. The University’s performance in
meeting equity objectives will also be linked with teaching and learning Performance Funding
targets.
Universities have obligations under the fairness requirements in Division 19 of HESA. This compact
does not change those obligations.
4.3.2
University strategies
The UTAS Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015, after wide consultation, will be presented to Academic
Senate in June 2013. The Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015 has been developed in conjunction with
the Student Experience Plan 2013-2015 and links with the Equity Plan 2013. Taken together the
three plans have a strong equity and diversity focus, and represent the University’s commitment
to a comprehensive framework for building aspirations, ensuring access, providing opportunities,
and creating a supportive environment in which all students with the ability to succeed at
University are enabled to realise their potential.
Open to Talent: Strategic Plan 2012-onwards articulates the commitment of the University of
Tasmania to ‘cater to an expanded and increasingly diverse student cohort’. As the only
university in the state, the University of Tasmania has a critical role in addressing relatively low
levels of post compulsory participation and attainment, and to address all stages of the student
lifecycle: access (aspiration, pathways, recruitment and selection); retention (transition,
engagement and support), and career transition. The University has a commitment to providing
access to higher education and an equitable and inclusive experience for all students, including
the increasing numbers of international students, and to be cognisant of the multiple identities of
our students.
Open to Talent articulates key priority areas in terms of widening participation, increasing student
engagement through a renewed curriculum, and promoting an inclusive environment. The
commitment of UTAS to widening participation aligns with Australian Government legislation and
strategic activity in relation to participation and partnerships. It also aligns with Tasmanian
Government priorities to improve educational attainment, articulated in the Tasmanian
Government–University of Tasmania Partnerships Agreement. Regardless of Government policy
and funding incentives, to attract and retain domestic and international students in the
Tasmanian context UTAS must be socially inclusive.
To be a socially inclusive University, UTAS must ensure that all areas of planning and activity for
students and staff reflect a social inclusion focus. This will involve building on current programs
and supports, designed to provide a socially inclusive experience across the student lifecycle. This
Page 32
aim will be achieved by implementing an institution-wide social inclusion strategy underpinned by
Open to Talent: Strategic Plan 2012-onwards and UTAS Standards Framework, of which the Social
Inclusion Plan 2013-2015 is one component. There are a number of other related plans and
strategies: Faculty and Institute Strategic Plans, Learning and Teaching Strategic Plan 2013-2015,
Indigenous Higher Education Strategies, Internationalisation Plan 2011-2013, Community Plan (to
be developed), Strategic Research Plan 2011-2015; People Strategy (2013); Student Experience
Plan 2013-2015, and Equity Plan 2013 covering staff and students.
Goals and Strategies
The Social Inclusion Plan proposes four broad goals and a number of related strategies:
Goal 1. Increase aspiration toward University and improve access and pathways into and out of
University for all students
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
Partner with the State Government and other bodies to build aspiration toward school
completion and tertiary education.
Develop a coordinated University-wide plan to build aspiration toward University study.
Provide access to UTAS through programs and services that prepare students to succeed
and are offered locally and by flexible delivery.
Continue to develop and promote multiple pathways into UTAS at an undergraduate and
postgraduate level.
Increase the University-wide focus on later student lifecycle activity to provide pathways
for workplace transition.
Ensure there are appropriate governance structures in place to lead and support activity
at all stages of the student lifecycle, with particular attention to the early (aspiration
building) and later (career transition) stages.
Goal 2. Promote and support a socially inclusive culture across the University
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
Review policies, procedures, governance structures and University communications and
promotional materials, with a social inclusion lens.
Provide a range of informal and formal professional learning opportunities for all staff to
encourage and support socially inclusive culture and practice.
Value and reward socially inclusive practice of staff.
Recruit staff whose values are consistent with the University Statement of Values.
Seek sustainable opportunities to support diversity at UTAS.
Goal 3. Facilitate an environment that supports participation and engagement of all students in
all aspects of University life
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
3.6
Implement socially inclusive course, curriculum and assessment design across UTAS.
Ensure all students have the opportunity to participate in relevant, accessible and
culturally appropriate support services and programs (including orientation and UniStart)
to promote social inclusion.
Normalise student help seeking.
Minimise financial challenges for students.
Identify and minimise other challenges affecting students’ learning opportunities and
successful outcomes.
Ensure information about and use of physical spaces contribute to a socially inclusive
environment.
Goal 4. Build UTAS capacity to engage within the University and with the broader community to
support social inclusion research and practice
4.1
4.2
4.3
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Conduct research into all aspects of social inclusion, aspiration, and related issues.
Build awareness and commitment to a socially inclusive University at all levels.
Raise awareness of social inclusion issues within the broader community.
These goals and related strategies draw on research by Devlin et al (2012) regarding teaching and
support for students from low SES backgrounds.
UTAS views social inclusion as progressive, contributing to the quality of student learning
outcomes. The UTAS Social Inclusion Plan 2013-2015 recognises the importance of a whole of
University commitment to socially inclusive processes and practices in order to maximise student
access, satisfaction and success, and covers learning, teaching, research and the broader student
experience at the University of Tasmania, and the provision of an optimum learning environment.
There is a focus on activity at the beginning of the student lifecycle, that is, building aspirations
and provision of accessible pathways, as this is critical to the broader agenda of UTAS to ‘open the
university to Tasmanians from a wider spectrum of backgrounds, including those who may not
have traditionally considered higher education’. The University focus on internationalisation of
the curriculum provides leverage for inclusive curriculum renewal at a broader level. There is a
strong focus on professional development, as a key platform for supporting a socially inclusive
culture and environment at UTAS. While it promotes socially inclusive practices for all, the Social
Inclusion Plan, and the related Student Experience and Equity Plans, recognise that particular
groups of students may also require targeted support mechanisms such as international students,
equity group students and those studying by distance. The Social Inclusion Plan, as part of the
overarching social inclusion strategy, will place UTAS in a position ‘over the next decade, [to] cater
to an expanded and increasingly diverse student cohort’.
4.3.3
Participation and Social Inclusion Targets
Proportion of domestic undergraduates who are from a low SES background
Baseline for improvement target: To be determined
Principal
Performance
Indicators
Excellence Target
2014
Reward Payment
(target for 2013
students)
To be determined
2015
Reward Payment
(target for 2014
students)
To be determined
2016
Progress target
(target for 2015
students)
To be determined
Improvement Target
Outcome
To be determined
-
To be determined
-
To be determined
-
Proportion of domestic undergraduates who are from another underrepresented group
Baseline for improvement target: x% (Either 2009 or average of 2008 and 2009 data)
Principal
Performance
Indicators
Improvement Target
Outcome
Page 34
2014
Reward Payment
(target for 2013
students)
To be determined
-
2015
Reward Payment
(target for 2014
students)
To be determined
-
2016
Progress target
(target for 2015
students)
To be determined
-
4.4
Teaching and Learning Infrastructure
4.4.1
Commonwealth objectives
The Commonwealth is committed to the development of world class higher education
infrastructure. A contemporary, technology rich, well designed and equipped campus
environment has a positive influence on staff and student performance and satisfaction.
While the responsibility for capital infrastructure development and maintenance rests with the
University, the Commonwealth’s commitment is demonstrated through programs such as the
Education Investment Fund. Universities also utilise Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding for
capital works and maintenance.
The Commonwealth will monitor the University's infrastructure performance, through the
Institutional Performance Portfolio/CAMS.
4.4.2
University strategies
UTAS will continue to develop and redevelop teaching and learning infrastructure to achieve the
specific infrastructure goals articulated in the Open to Talent strategic plan, in alignment with the
University of Tasmania Master Plan and consistent with the requirements of the UTAS Strategic
Asset Management Framework (SAMF).
Whilst UTAS has been quite successful in attracting major infrastructure funding in recent years,
competitive funding of infrastructure tends to be unreliable for planning purposes and is allocated
for new developments and strategic initiatives rather than to address core operational and
systemic requirements.
The UTAS Master Plan recognises that UTAS has a high proportion of infrastructure that is no
longer fit-for-purpose, inflexible, poorly utilised, and costly to service. Teaching and learning
practices have evolved dramatically over the past decade, with greater emphasis on group and
self-paced study; research environments have also developed with cross-disciplinary and
collegiate teams replacing traditional faculty ‘silo’ structures. UTAS buildings do not reflect these
changes – in fact limited construction work since 1980 has resulted in a high proportion of
buildings on the Sandy Bay and Newnham campuses having reached the end of their design life.
This has resulted in substantial deferred maintenance liabilities that need to be addressed.
The clear direction of the UTAS Council is that we must rationalise and more effectively integrate
research and teaching activities, significantly improve utilisation of our infrastructure portfolio
and significantly reduce ongoing teaching and overhead costs.
UTAS campuses at Sandy Bay and at Newnham require significant rationalisation and
redevelopment. UTAS is assessing the options of moving more of its activities to the CBD areas –
allowing us to build new high tech, environmentally sustainable, cost effective, accessible and
highly utilised infrastructure. Much of this planning involves better opportunities to focus our
research activities and place them in appropriate environments.
The benefits of planning and designing new integrated 5/6 green star high tech infrastructure
include substantial improvement in monitoring and management of space utilisation and energy
efficiency, and increased cost-effectiveness in teaching and research activities. New facilities
would also improve the capacity for government, business, industry and the community to
maximise the utilisation of these facilities.
UTAS is developing plans to establish its Newnham campus as a demonstration site with a focus
on, and modelling, physical activity and healthy lifestyle. This will bring together key strengths in
health training, technological development, community engagement and translational research
that will make Launceston and northern Tasmania a focus in establishing more effective future
capacities and systems to deal with emerging national health management issues.
The Newnham campus is an ideal site for this initiative because of the significant health
infrastructure already in place in the Faculty of Health Science, including the Nursing Simulation
Page 35
Centre and the Human Life Sciences Exercise Physiology Clinic and Human Performance Lab. The
Launceston Unigym incorporates a state-of-the-art weights and cardio facility, fitness and dance
rooms, tennis and squash courts, multi-purpose sports halls and various sports fields, along with a
relaxation and Dojo centre. Newnham is a base for Sense-T and the HITLab, which will play a
significant role in developing and refining sensing and monitoring systems that will be a hallmark
of the campus learning environment.
There is significant capacity to redevelop Newnham campus facilities into highly integrated
contemporary active learning, teaching and research spaces. This initiative will require the
refurbishment of 15,000m2 of space. It will increase the quality and functionality of existing
spaces across the campus, and link existing high quality health infrastructure, to enable the
significant extension of health-related programs to a much larger student population.
UTAS is currently in the process of finalising detailed property development strategies for all key
campuses. Based on the results of a comprehensive facilities condition and functionality audit
executed in 2011-12 and an analysis of future needs, the strategies focus on consolidation, space
rationalisation, reduced maintenance costs and operational efficiency through the establishment
of campus precincts and the identification of specific built assets for reinvestment/repurposing or
demolition/disposal.
Consistent with these aims, UTAS is commissioning two large-scale consultancies intended to
support and refine initial analysis and to deliver action plans relating to relocation, disposal,
repurposing and potential commercialisation of UTAS property assets.
The Southern Campus Spatial Analysis Consultancy will consider the scope of, and functional
relationships between, activities undertaken at UTAS’ Sandy Bay, Domain and Hobart CBD
campuses and related spatial/infrastructure requirements. Project outcomes will include a range
of space configuration options and floor plans, together with recommendations for staged
implementation, suggested mitigation measures for significant project constraints and cost
planning advice on implementation. The study will commence in June 2013 with the final report
expected by November. Works to execute the recommended relocations will commence in 2014.
The UTAS Property Commercialisation Project is also expected to commence in June 2013, with
Phase 1 to be completed by September. Initial studies will investigate options for redevelopment
and commercialisation of underutilised built assets and land excess to UTAS’ requirements, with
the aim of reducing UTAS’ built footprint, improving space utilisation and creating funds for
reinvestment in strategic priorities.
UTAS is currently in the process of developing a comprehensive Backlog Maintenance Liability
Reduction Plan. Using data obtained from recent audits of building condition and functionality,
space utilisation and energy consumption, UTAS has developed an Asset Prioritisation Index and a
desktop risk profile for major built elements. These can be cross-referenced with campus
development plans to identify priority assets for detailed inspection and remediation. Approval
for the Backlog Maintenance Liability Reduction Plan is expected to be obtained in June, after
which a program of prioritized works will commence.
With an overall teaching space utilisation of 9.2m2/Equivalent Full-time Student Load (EFTSL) and
lecture theatre utilisation of 17m2/EFTSL, UTAS falls well below the TEFMA utilisation benchmark
of 56.25%. While these figures vary widely between campuses, UTAS intends to improve its
average utilisation rates by:
 transferring all Locally Managed Learning Spaces (LMLS) to the central pool of teaching
spaces;
 extending space audits to include office, ancillary and research space to ensure a ‘whole-ofcampus’ approach to space management;
 rationalising and consolidating teaching space to improve utilisation, increase operational
efficiency and deliver space for repurposing to meet other UTAS needs;
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



prioritising teaching space refurbishment and upgrade program to meet strategic priorities
and emerging teaching and learning trends;
implementing continuous review of UTAS timetabling software to ensure that it will facilitate
strategic space planning and utilisation;
establishing a Project User Group for each planned campus consolidation/space
rationalisation project; and
introducing space charging to minimise wastage and encourage responsible space usage.
UTAS will also continue to improve the ongoing sustainability of its built environment through
implementation of its Sustainable Built Environment Designs Policy, introduced in 2011.
The aims of the policy are to ensure that:
 all new and/or refurbished built environments are to be designed in accordance with
sustainability principles; and
 building projects with an estimated cost in excess of $5m budget (gross) are to be designed
to achieve a minimum 5 Star Green Star Certified Rating.
To date, two major UTAS projects – the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies building at
Sullivan’s Cove, Hobart and Medical Sciences 2 building in the Hobart CBD – have achieved 5 Star
Green Star design ratings.
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PART FIVE: RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING
5
RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING
A range of research and research training performance indicators and targets are proposed in this
section. Principal Performance Indicators are compulsory and institutions may voluntarily
nominate optional performance indicators and targets considered reflective of individual
institutional goals.
The Commonwealth recognises universities have diverse missions and, consequently, targets and
performance will vary between institutions. Each university should develop performance
indicators and targets to reflect its individual performance and strategic direction.
5.1
Research performance and research capability
5.1.1
Commonwealth objectives
The Commonwealth encourages excellence in research performance and the strengthening of
research capability. Particular objectives are to:
 progressively increase the number of research groups performing at world class levels, as
measured by international performance benchmarks; and
 promote collaboration, amongst universities, across sectors, between researchers and
industry Australia and internationally.
The Commonwealth, through the Australian Research Council (ARC), conducts the Excellence in
Research for Australia (ERA) which evaluates the quality of research undertaken at Australian
universities by discipline against international benchmarks. ERA is used to assist in determining
funding in the Sustainable Research Excellence in Universities program administered by the
Commonwealth.
5.1.2
University strategies
The University has completed its (draft) research plan for 2013-16. The plan includes an overall
strategic objective for the University and two related general strategies.
The principal objective is optimal research performance, placing us amongst the top ten
Australian research intensive universities overall, and ranking us amongst the top twenty global
research intensive universities in our four areas of research strength (the UTAS research themes).
The two operational strategies are focussed at progressing research breadth and depth.
Research breadth means ensuring that the University’s academic community is committed to an
academic vocation that requires active research inquiry, collaboration, publication and impact. It
requires the University’s teaching to be informed by current research, and research training to be
provided by research-active staff. These commitments are essential for a research-intensive
university that uniquely serves an entire state, and has longstanding engagements with the
Tasmanian government and community in its mission to be an active change and innovation
agent.
During 2012 this focus on breadth produced a successful strategy to establish research
performance expectations (RPE) for each member of the academic community based upon
comparative disciplinary norms and level of appointment. At the individual level these
expectations have changed recruitment, probation, promotion and staff performance discussion.
Monitoring these changes with clear regular KPIs and reports has occurred. This strategy has been
reinforced by extensive changes to research administration, support mechanisms,
communications strategies, and refocussing of research support priorities.
Simultaneously a second operational strategy has been developed to identify, build upon and
support areas of actual or potential research distinctiveness and excellence. We have determined
that four thematic areas stand out – Creativity and Society; Health and Wellbeing; Environment
and Sustainability; Marine, Maritime and Antarctic. Each theme aligns with national research
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priorities, UTAS research strengths identified by ERA10 and 12, research with particular salience
to (and thereby impacting upon) the University’s location, while developing the reputation and
expertise to contribute to and transform selected areas of global research. Currently theme areas
articulate highly cited researchers, coherent teams, successful leadership, appropriate
infrastructure and organisational structures (institutes and centres), postgraduate concentration,
and a track record of success in competitive grants; the balance and quality of these elements
varies within our selected themes. Consequently our research plan concentrates on additional
investment to achieve consistency and quality, and to measuring these enhancements over a
four-year period.
The operational strategies to invest in the four research themes are comprehensive: new
appointments are underway; HDR scholarships have been prioritised; new research buildings,
precincts and collaborations are under construction; an infrastructure plan is concentrating on
access to world class facilities; the research budget principles and processes are under revision;
and the appropriate measures to direct resources and measure their effectiveness (quantity,
quality, impact and return on investment) are under development through the Planning,
Performance and Review Committee (PPRC).
For these research themes to shape the character of UTAS, four other factors must be realised: a
high performing research culture university-wide (research breadth) supported by enabling
disciplines and new technologies; the themes must enhance our teaching and learning strategies,
and thus the curriculum and its delivery (the teaching-research nexus); a commitment to a multicampus university with distributed research capacity and excellence; and international
collaboration, recognition and leadership.
For example, we are developing momentum in the Health and Wellbeing theme area from
collaborations amongst Food, Health and IT in particular, and these in turn are providing a
platform for increased research activity on our northern campuses. These research initiatives are
strongly linked to teaching programs designed to increase engagement in higher education in
Northern Tasmania (see Sections 4.1.2 and 4.4.2). Related initiatives in health, food and IT
include:
 The Centre for Research and Education in Active Living (working title). Partnership
discussions include Federal and State Governments, local organisations such as Tas Medicare
Local, Tasmanian Institute of Sport, and the Premier's Activity Council. This and related
initiatives aim to develop critical research mass and contribute to improvements in ERA FoR
1106: Human Movement and Sports Science.
 A virtual research centre has been formed to coordinate research with an eHealth focus. The
eHealth Research Centre supports the development of eHealth research, disseminates the
results and develops priorities. It provides the umbrella for engagement with industry and
community partners. Sense-T and the HITLab are key enablers of eHealth research strategy.
 A collaborative agreement with CSIRO and DSTO is scheduled to be signed in April 2013,
through which our recently established Centre for Food Innovation will investigate, for
example, food life cycles, food and health, food and sport. The Centre for Food Innovation
has a strong remit to engage with the emerging initiatives in Health described above. UTAS
and DSTO are co-funding the Director's position.
To achieve our principal objectives we have crafted a research plan that details specific strategies,
with an implementation plan that includes timelines, KPIs and responsibilities. The research plan
is simply designed to emphasise three matters – people, capacity and empowerment.
Our operational planning supporting research is designed to deliver breadth and depth. There are
three strategies that are built around the quality of researchers – how they are recruited,
supported and their activities measured. There are three strategies designed to increase capacity
and global research impact - strategies to deepen global collaboration, to train the next
generation of researchers while enjoying their energy and innovation and to build an enterprising
culture of end-user engagement. Finally there are two strategies to empower and incentivize
Page 39
researchers, by forming responsive and adaptable policies and implementation bodies that help
align resources with our research priorities.
The University is currently analysing the ERA 2012 results to determine how to address areas of
research underperformance, consolidate its broad array of research strengths and address the
predictable changes to ERA 2015 where impact measures are likely to complement quality
measures. Based on ERA10 and ERA12, global rankings and internal research performance
metrics, the University will continue its practice of aligning HDRs with high quality supervisors in
areas of quality research. During 2013 the criteria for allocating scholarships will be reviewed and
refined.
5.1.3
Performance indicators and targets
The purpose of the research performance and the research capability performance indicators and
targets is to assist the University and the Commonwealth in monitoring the University's progress
against the Commonwealth's objectives and the University's strategies for research performance
and research capability.
The University will aim to meet the research performance and research capability performance
indicators and targets set out in the following table.
Principal Performance Indicators
ERA 2010
ERA 2012
ERA 2015 Target
Number of disciplines, as defined by two-digit Fields
of Research (FoR), performing at world standard or
above (3, 4 or 5)
15
14
20
Number of disciplines, as defined by four-digit FoR,
performing at world standards or above (3, 4 or 5)
38
37
47
Disciplines the University
commits to demonstrating
substantial improvement in
as defined by two-digit FoR
and/or four-digit FoR
Disciplines
nominated in
2014–16 Compact
2011–13 Compact
n/a
Page 40
Disciplines nominated in
Information and Computing Sciences (08)
Engineering (09)
Education (13)
Commerce and Management (15)
Public Health and Health Services (1117)
Nursing (1110)
Psychology (1701)
Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.
Principal
Performance
Indicators
Baseline
2012
Progressive
Target 2013
Progressive
Target 2014
Progressive
Target 2015
Target
2016
Category 1 income
$34,967,435 $33,748,525
$38,032,082
$40,999,047
$43,966,013
Category 2 Income
$18,526,227 $24,948,161
$26,033,954
$28,283,130
$29,755,707
Number of joint
research grants in
Australia
663
670
700
748
790
Number of joint
research grants
overseas
18
19
22
26
30
Number of jointly
supervised PhD
students in
Australia14
186
168
176
185
194
Number of jointly
supervised PhD
students
overseas15
9
35
37
39
41
Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.
Optional Performance
Indicators
5.2
Baseline
2012
Progressive
Target 2013
Progressive
Target 2014
Progressive
Target 2015
Target
2016
Research income per
FTE (positions with a
research component)
$90,014
$98,857
$105,383
$115,521
$128,011
National share of ACG
2.1%
2.4%
2.5%
2.7%
2.9%
Research training
5.2.1
Commonwealth objectives
The Commonwealth encourages excellence in the provision of research training. Particular
objectives are to:
 support research excellence and develop an internationally competitive research workforce
in Australia through high quality research training;
 develop an internationally competitive research workforce in Australia through high quality
research training; and
 significantly increase the number of students completing higher degrees by research over the
next decade.
14
Please provide the number by headcount of jointly supervised HDR students enrolled in your institution who have a supervisor from an external
organisation in Australia (examples include someone from a government organisation, hospital or another university).
15
Please provide the number by headcount of jointly supervised HDR students enrolled in your institution who have a supervisor from an
external overseas organisation (examples include someone from a government organisation, hospital or another university).
Page 41
5.2.2
University strategies
Strengthened research training is a key strategy for UTAS’ pursuit of research excellence.
Reforms instituted during the last Compact period have yielded strong results, resulting in growth
in HDR load and timely completions. The University will continue to improve this area by
attracting and retaining the best research students, further improving completion times and
equipping students with skills beyond their immediate research focus.
The University has successfully introduced a compulsory study program to provide a range of
generic skills in research planning, the ethical conduct of research, research publications and
communications, as well as a range of specialised subjects to increase capabilities (in theory,
methods and techniques). In 2013 we are reviewing the content of the generic skills and
capability units, their delivery methods and increased tailoring of the capability units.
We are working through a new HDR reporting mechanism for adaptation to the faculty, school
and institute understanding of their progress in meeting recruitment, total load, completions and
completion time targets. At a broad level, considerable progress has been made to improve
completion times, but we need to have a more informative and diagnostic approach to the
provision of reliable and regular reporting. There is a strong appetite across the University to
better understand performance, targets and strategies in the HDR area.
Enhancing quality
 Through competitive scholarships and support packages, UTAS will attract and retain the best
possible HDR candidates.
 The distribution of scholarships will be increasingly aligned with research themes and
research excellence.
 UTAS will attract increasing numbers of international HDR candidates, in keeping with its
focus on global engagement. The University highly values the benefits of developing an
internationalised pool of researchers.
 Supervisors’ capacity will be developed by training workshops, colloquia and their evaluation.
 The recently developed Higher Degree Research (HDR) Good Practice Framework will be used
to guide and inform research training.
Supporting completions
 Investment in upgrading of the candidate management system (iGrad) will better support
candidates and supervisors, improving HDR outcomes.
 Completions are a key performance indicator for faculties/institutes and scholarship
distribution.
 The University is upgrading administrative processes in candidate management, including
staffing levels, roles and responsibilities.
 The governance structure has been strengthened by the appointment of Associate Deans
(Graduate Research) and training Graduate Research Coordinators.
Skilling students
 2011 saw the introduction of the Graduate Certificate in Research for all doctoral candidates
and two core research units for Masters candidates. Monitoring and evaluation will ensure it
contributes to enhancing HDR generic skills and employability.
 A new Skilling Unit has been established to manage the Graduate Certificate and innovative
programs such as PASSPORT, a peer-based skilling program.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
•
Funds for two scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are earmarked.
Page 42
5.3
Performance indicators and targets
The purpose of the research training performance indicators and targets is to assist the University
and the Commonwealth in monitoring the University's progress against the Commonwealth's
objectives and the University's strategies for research training.
The University will aim to meet the research training performance indicators and targets set out
in the following table.
Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.
Principal
Performance
Indicators
Baseline
2012
Progressive
Target 2013
Progressive
Target 2014
Progressive
Target 2015
Target
2016
HDR student load
733
771
811
841
887
HDR student
completions by
masters
30
32
32
34
35
HDR student
completions by
doctorates
150
172
177
182
193
Note: All calendar year references below refer to the previous year’s data collection.
Optional Performance
Indicators
Satisfaction with thesis
examination time
(Our examination process is
seen as fair (89% agree) and
transparent (90% agree),
however we need to improve
examination time).
Page 43
Baseline
2012
Progressive
Target 2013
Progressive
Target 2014
Progressive
Target 2015
Target
2016
68%
64%
70%
75%
80%
PART SIX: GENERAL PROVISIONS
6
GENERAL PROVISIONS
6.1
Compact Review
6.1.1 The Commonwealth and the University will review the compact annually. This review will
be a mechanism for considering progress made towards agreed goals outlined in this compact.
Compact review will aim to ensure that the Commonwealth and the University will continue to
focus on key objectives and strategies and will be an opportunity to consider developments that
may impact on the compact or trigger a need to change the compact.
6.1.2 To facilitate this review the Commonwealth will produce an annual Institutional
Performance Portfolio and the University agrees to contribute to the annual Institutional
Performance Portfolio Information Collection (IPPIC). The Commonwealth will consult with the
higher education sector on the information collection requirements and any issues arising from
the IPPIC process.
6.2
Privacy and information sharing
6.2.1 Subject to clause 6.2.2 below, the University acknowledges and agrees that any
information it provides to the Department for the purposes of this compact, may be accessible
under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and may also be:

published by the Commonwealth in any manner in accordance with any legislative
requirement;

used by the Department for any purpose of the Commonwealth, including dealings with
other Commonwealth or State or territory agencies;

used in reporting to or answering questions from a Minister of State of the Commonwealth
or a House or Committee of the Parliament of the Commonwealth; or

disclosed where the Commonwealth is required or permitted by law to do so.
6.2.2 The Commonwealth and the University agree to carry out their roles under this compact
in accordance with any obligations they have under the Privacy Act 1988 or any state or territory
law relating to the protection of personal information.
6.3
Changing the Compact
6.3.1 Either party may propose changes to this compact at any time. Any variation to this
compact is to be in writing and signed by the University's, and the Commonwealth’s
Representatives.
6.4
Notices
6.4.1
A party wishing to give notice under a provision of this compact:
a. must do so by sending it to the other Representative set out in clause 6.4.2; and
b. must, if a response is required to the notice, set out the time in which the response is
to be given;
6.4.2
The Representatives are:
a. University Representative
Professor Peter Rathjen
Vice-Chancellor
University of Tasmania
Private Bag 51
HOBART Tasmania 7001
Email: Vice.Chancellor@utas.edu.au
Phone: 03 6226 2002, Fax: 03 6226 2001
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b. DIICCSRTE Representative
Division Head
Higher Education Group
Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary
Education
GPO Box 9839
Canberra ACT 2601
OR
compacts@innovation.gov.au
6.5
Dictionary
In this compact, unless the contrary intention appears:
‘Department’ means the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change,
Science, Research and Tertiary Education or any successor.
‘HESA’ means the Higher Education Support Act 2003 and includes any subordinate legislation or
Ministerial determination made under that Act.
‘Institutional Performance Portfolio’ (IPP) is a report which provides an historical record of a
university's performance based on information provided by the University and an analysis of the
Higher Education Data Collections. An IPP will be prepared by the Commonwealth for the
University annually using the latest available data.
‘Institutional Performance Portfolio Information Collection’ (IPPIC) is a set of Commonwealth
instructions requesting that universities provide a submission to the Commonwealth, endorsed by
the University's chief executive, that includes student, staff, financial and research
information needed for the preparation of an Institutional Performance Portfolio for that
university.
‘Minister’ means the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research.
‘Mission’ means the University’s Mission set out at Part One of this compact as amended in
accordance with the variation provisions in this compact from time to time.
‘TEQSA’ means the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.
‘Term of this compact’ means the period set out in Part B of the Context of this compact.
‘University’ means the University of Tasmania, ABN 30 764 374 782.
Page 45
Signed for and on behalf of the University of Tasmania
by
……………………………………………………..
Signature
…………………………
Date
Professor Peter Rathjen
the Vice-Chancellor
In the Presence of:
.....................................................................................
WITNESS
.....................................................................................
Full name and occupation or profession of witness (Please print)
SIGNED for and on behalf of
THE COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA
by
……………………………………………………..
Signature
…………………………
Date
Mr David de Carvalho
the Head of Division
of Higher Education Division
of the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education
a Delegate of the Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills, Science and Research
In the Presence of:
.....................................................................................
WITNESS
.....................................................................................
Full name and occupation or profession of witness (Please print)
Page 46