Sessional teaching staff – typically employed on a session-by-session basis – are essential to providing a learning experience at Macquarie that is responsive to employer needs and industry advancements. With their abundance of specialist expertise and practical experience, they complement the University’s core academic staff to ensure students are learning from a diverse range of informed perspectives. 

Sessional staff are a vital part of our academy. Having the right development and support structures in place for our sessional staff is vital to supporting their success at Macquarie, says Professor Taryn Jones, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education).

“Teaching excellence is one of the distinctive advantages of a Macquarie education, and great work is being done across all our faculties to support the development of teaching staff, including sessional staff,” she says. “A fantastic example is in the Macquarie Business School, which recently implemented a range of support measures for its sessional staff, reflecting a strong commitment to teaching excellence in the MQBS Education Strategy.”

Earlier this year, the Business School introduced the new service role of Faculty Lead, Sessional Staff Engagement, within the Deputy Dean (Education and Employability) portfolio.  Department of Accounting lecturer Tas Husain assumed this new position in January. Having made the leap from financial trading to teaching herself (How to be a great teacher, This Week October 2018), Ms Husain is perfectly qualified to work in close partnership with the School’s academic departments to ensure that casual and sessional staff are fully equipped to provide exceptional learning experiences for Macquarie students.

Other strategic initiatives are also underway, as Professor Yvonne Breyer, Deputy Dean Education and Employability, explains: “One noteworthy development is the establishment of the Sessional Academic Staff Engagement Subcommittee, which operates under the Faculty Education Committee.

“This committee is dedicated to providing valuable advice, evaluations, reports and recommendations on academic and governance matters concerning sessional academic staff.”

Staff attending a workshop

Macquarie Business School has also introduced a grant scheme to encourage the development of fresh initiatives and frameworks for the engagement and professional development of sessional staff. Under this scheme, sessional and permanent colleagues closely collaborated to develop and facilitate a series of workshops, exploring topics such as effective teaching strategies, approaches to engaging student interactions and new assessment techniques. This initiative has been well received and both sessional and permanent colleagues have appreciated the opportunity to network with their peers from other departments and share their experiences and teaching philosophies during these workshops. Macquarie Business School hopes to further foster such collaborations between their sessional and permanent colleagues in future initiatives.

The School is actively building a community of practice for sessional staff – a central hub for collaboration and knowledge-sharing between educators across all departments, designed to nurture a culture of ongoing improvement and learning. A professional development framework is also in train, ensuring that the School’s future sessional staff will be supported throughout their time at Macquarie.

Keep an eye on This Week over the coming weeks as we get to know each of the finalists.

LEARNING AND TEACHING AWARD FINALISTS

Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Student–Nominated Award

This award recognises staff for their teaching and support of learning that influences, motivates and inspires students to learn.

• Ms Georgia Cam, Faculty of Arts
• Dr Irina Dedova, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Associate Professor Richard Garner, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Ms Emily Gray, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Dr Michelle Hamadache, Faculty of Arts
• Dr Marina Junqueira Santiago, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Dr Jillian Kramer, Faculty of Arts
• Dr Ali Lalbakhsh, Macquarie University College
• Dr Rico Piehler, Macquarie Business School
• Dr Lay Peng Tan, Macquarie Business School
• Dr Hector Viveros Tapia, Macquarie Business School

Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Sessional Staff Award

This award recognises sessional staff for their approaches to teaching and support of learning that influences, motivates and inspires students to learn.

• Ms Abbie Hartman, Faculty of Arts
• Mr Camille Rahme, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Dr Brett White, Macquarie Business School

Vice-Chancellor’s Learning and Teaching Early Career Award

This award recognises staff for their quality teaching and support of learning and the impact they have on influencing, motivating and inspiring students to learn.

• Dr Joseph Chen, Macquarie Business School
• Dr Narelle Hess, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Dr June Ho, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Dr Madeline Taylor, Faculty of Arts

Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Teaching Excellence

This award recognises staff for their excellence in teaching and support of learning and the impact they have on influencing, motivating and inspiring students to learn.

• Dr Viken Kortian, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• The team of: Dr Hamed Jafarzadeh and Dr Prashan S. M. Karunaratne, Macquarie Business School
• Associate Professor John De Nobile, Faculty of Arts
• Dr Natasha Todorov, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences

Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Learning and Teaching Innovation

This award recognises the development and implementation of innovations that improve learning, teaching or assessment to enable, motivate, support and inspire students to learn.

• The team of: Associate Prof Louise Koelmeyer, Dr Belinda Thompson, Robin Blumfield, Professor Catherine Dean, Robbie Blackwell, Dr Kylie Gwynne, Fiona Tisdall-Blake, Dr Morwenna Kirwan, Matthew Robson, and Chloe Szilas, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• The team of: Dr David Payne, Dr Sara Deilami, and Dr Binesh Puthen Veettil, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• The team of: Dr Marjan Nazifi and Professor David Orsmond, Macquarie Business School
• The team of: Dr Mareike Riedel and Dr Amanda Head, Faculty of Arts

Vice-Chancellor’s Educational Leader Award

This award recognises educational leadership that has influenced and enhanced learning and teaching and/or student experience.

• Dr Onur Ates, Macquarie University College
• The team of: Associate Professor Agnes Bosanquet, Dr Mathew Hillier, Dr Olga Kozar, Dr Karina Luzia, Kylie Coaldrake, and Alison Hayward, Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education)
• Dr Josephine Paparo, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• The team of: Professor Ronika Power, Mr Michael Rampe, and Dr Neil Durrant, Faculty of Arts
• Dr Malcolm Ryan, Faculty of Science and Engineering

RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD FINALISTS  

Excellence in Higher Degree Research Awards

These awards will be presented for outstanding research undertaken by a current or former higher degree research candidate (in both HASS and STEMM disciplines). 

HASS

• Ms Michelle Bishop, Faculty of Arts
• Mr Jonathan David, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Mr Thom Dixon, Faculty of Arts
• Dr Tamika Worrell, Faculty of Arts

STEMM

• Mr Jaime A. Alvarado-Montes, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Mr Harry Carey, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Mr Alexander Hahn, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Dr Ali Lalbakhsh, Faculty of Science and Engineering

Excellence in Higher Degree Research Supervision – Supervisor of the Year

This award recognises our outstanding Higher Degree Research (HDR) supervisors who enable our HDR candidates to achieve their highest potential.

• Associate Professor Alice Chik, Faculty of Arts
• Professor Niloufer Selvadurai, Faculty of Arts

Early Career Researcher of the Year

These awards acknowledge outstanding performance in research by an early career researcher (in both HASS and STEMM based disciplines).

HASS

• Dr Anam Bilgrami, Macquarie Business School
• Dr Emlyn Dodd, Faculty of Arts
• Dr Madeline Taylor, Faculty of Arts

STEMM

• Dr Jean-Simon Pacaud Lemay, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Associate Professor Noushin Nasiri, Faculty of Science and Engineering

Excellence in Research – Five Future-shaping Research Priorities

These awards celebrate the five future-shaping research priorities that are identified areas of cross-disciplinary research strengths.  Awards within the five future-shaping research priorities demonstrate the real-world impact of University research that has the potential to deliver significant benefits to Australian and international communities.

The five categories are: Healthy People, Resilient Societies, Prosperous Economies, Secure Planet and Innovative Technologies 

• Associate Professor Mark Alfano, Faculty of Arts
• Professor Tao Gu, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• The team of: Professor Catherine McMahon, Professor Leanne Holt, Associate Professor Boe Rambaldini, Dr Kylie Gwynne, Luke Halvorsen, Kai Nash, Noeleen Lumby, Cara Cross, Dr Yvonne Dimitropoulos, Dr Andrea Salins, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences and Faculty of Arts
• Professor Tina Soliman-Hunter, Faculty of Arts
• The team of: Dr Miles Yang, Dr Candy Lu, Macquarie Business School
• Dr Yipeng Zhou, Faculty of Science and Engineering

Excellence in Research Integrity

The inaugural Excellence in Research Integrity award recognises outstanding contribution, leadership or innovation in research integrity by an individual or team.

• Associate Professor Reema Harrison, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Associate Professor Mianna Lotz, Faculty of Arts

Excellence in Research Innovation, Partnership and Entrepreneurship Award

The Research Innovation, Partnership and Entrepreneurship award recognises and rewards excellence in research innovation, partnership, commercialisation, translation and entrepreneurship at Macquarie University.

• Professor Michael Aitken, Macquarie Business School
• The team of: Distinguished Professor Phil Taylor, Dr Bishwo Mainali, Dr Vivian Mendez, Dr Maciej Maselko, Dr Soo Jean Park, Dr Mary Whitehouse, Dr Piotr Trebicki, Faculty of Science and Engineering

The Jim Piper Award for Excellence in Research Leadership

This award seeks to recognise, encourage and reward those researchers who are on a path to becoming research leaders at Macquarie University.

• Associate Professor Morten Andersen, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Associate Professor Amy Cain, Faculty of Science and Engineering
• Professor Helen Rizos, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
• Distinguished Professor Deborah Schofield, Macquarie Business School

Students in Macquarie’s Doctor of Medicine (MD) program have been attending a series of masterclasses hosted by Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton, in which he has shared advice and wisdom gained over a 40-plus-year career in medicine, research and higher education.

The masterclasses are one of the distinctive features of Macquarie’s MD program, which has a unique focus on integrating medical and clinical science training with opportunities to develop professionalism, research and cultural awareness skills. Along with clinical placements in a variety of Australian healthcare settings, Macquarie MD students also undertake a third-year clinical placement at one of India’s top hospitals, which provides a unique comparative learning experience and helps develop a global outlook as future medical professionals.  Macquarie MD students also have elective opportunities during their fourth year in other countries, including the USA, to again witness another very different healthcare system.

The Vice-Chancellor shared with the students his own experiences of a globally focused career, having taken an atypical path to professional practice by leaving Australia after graduation.

“People told me I was ruining my career by going to America for my postdoctoral training,” the Vice-Chancellor told the students. “My advice to you is: if you are comfortable with an element of risk, don’t let anyone talk you out of thinking outside the box, and be prepared to travel the road less travelled.

“Every opportunity I have had in my own career has come by chance. Keep as many doors open for as long as you can and embrace the twists and turns that might feature in your career.”

The Vice-Chancellor’s words resonated with second-year MD student Dylan Foskett.

“I’ve always felt more drawn to the intersection of medicine with research and leadership, over a standard clinical career,” Dylan says. “The Vice-Chancellor really demonstrated how far you can go when you’re not afraid to stray from the normal path that most people take in medicine. Pursuing your own interests should be central to your career, even if it doesn’t fit the norm.”

Dylan says that, almost halfway through his four-year MD program, he feels strongly that he and his peers are getting much more than a standard medical education.

“The strength of the Macquarie MD is in the way it exposes us to other cultures and healthcare systems outside Australia and encourages us to reflect on those experiences,” he says. “I feel as though I’m being shaped into a compassionate clinician who has a good understanding of my place in the world and how I can go above and beyond, not just locally, but also internationally.”

Professor Deborah Youdell has commenced as the Dean of the Macquarie School of Education. As the Dean of the School of Education at the University of Birmingham, she led innovation in teacher education and achieved a joint third-place ranking in the United Kingdom for research and impact. Professor Youdell holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Educational Studies (Teaching and Learning in Higher Education) from Macquarie (2001). Her association with Macquarie goes back to the early 2000s when she was a lecturer in the School of Education (2001– 2003). She returned to the United Kingdom to take up a lectureship at Cambridge University.

Professor Youdell is a Professor of Sociology of Education, well known internationally for her work on inequities in education and how they relate to policy, practice and everyday life in schools. Most recently, she has been focusing on understanding the ways that learning is shaped by biosocial influences. She has substantial experience in leadership within the education sector, particularly in research engagement and impact, as well as in developing sustained partnerships with philanthropic and educational organisations. 

Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, and MQ Health 

Dr Welly Firmanto, Executive Director, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, and Chief Operating Officer for MQ Health, will be leaving Macquarie on 23 August to take up a new position as Chief Operating Officer at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research.

“Welly has been of immeasurable value to me personally and to the broader leadership team that together has overseen the significant growth of Macquarie’s health enterprise over the past eight years”, says Patrick McNeil, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Medicine and Health).

“His ability to lead while navigating complexity within his leadership roles for both the faculty and MQ Health Clinical has been one of his greatest strengths, and I know I speak for many of us in expressing our deep appreciation to him for what he has contributed to the University over more than 10 years. While saddened at Welly’s departure, I’m sure you will join me in congratulating him on this appointment, which is a testament to his immense strategic, operational and leadership capabilities.” 

Global Engagement and Reputation  

Following the departure of Peter Hawke (Director, Global Engagement and Reputation) from Macquarie University earlier this month, the following reporting lines are now in effect:

In thanking Peter for his valuable contributions to the University, Jonathan Wylie, Vice-President, Strategy, Planning and Performance, highlighted his exceptional work in connecting teams and functions to enhance Macquarie’s global reputation. The responsibility for overseeing global rankings will remain with the Vice-President, Strategy, Planning and Performance, with ongoing support from a university-wide network.  

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy)

As announced by the Vice-Chancellor in an email to staff on 27 July, Professor Leanne Holt, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Strategy), will be leaving Macquarie University to take up a new position as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) at the University of New South Wales. Her last day at Macquarie University will be 8 September.

“We will be creating a series of four telescopes that will send out laser signals and detect the reflected laser light that bounces off the lunar surface,” explains Associate Professor Lee Spitler (pictured below), who is currently leading space-related projects at AAO-Macquarie. “We are thrilled to be drawing on our expertise in the area of astronomical instrumentation and developing this essential component for future explorations of space.”

The AAO-Macquarie team will create a critical component for landers from 2025-26, enabling exploration of unreached regions of the Moon and beyond to Mars.

Learn more about the project on the Advanced Navigation website >

“There’s a lot of red dirt, a couple of pubs, and not much to do,” he says. “It was always my plan to move away. But going to uni didn’t really come into the picture. It’s far away, it’s expensive, and not many people know how to navigate what’s required to move to a bigger city to study on your own.”

Thanks to Bailey’s hard work and the intervention of his AFL coach and school careers advisor (“He told me that dreaming of playing footy wasn’t enough – I needed to get a university degree”), Bailey was successful in securing a Regional and Remote Support Scholarship for study at Macquarie University.

“My scholarship 100 per cent changed my life plans and my future,” he says. “There’s still no place like home, but it’s changed my view of where I can go and what I can do in the world.”

Read more of Bailey’s story >

This tax time, consider supporting scholarships to give students like Bailey the opportunity to succeed. Donations are tax deductible and Macquarie staff have the option of supporting via pre-tax salary donations.

Macquarie University has received a grant of $1.2 million from Australian cancer charity Love Your Sister to bring international standard clinical trials to regional, rural and remote Australia. 

Professor of Oncology Howard Gurney, who also runs the Macquarie University Clinical Trials Unit, is leading the Oncology trials for regional, rural and remote patients collaboration (‘ONTRAC’) project, which will run over three years.  

“People in regional, rural and remote (RRR) Australia have considerably poorer outcomes with most common cancers than other Australians, and this is especially true for Aboriginal people,” says Professor Gurney. 

“Governments have been investing in cancer care centres and telemedicine to better meet needs in rural and regional areas, and this is an important step, but it is taking time to see this translated into improved outcomes for people with cancer in these areas. 

“ONTRAC aims to not only bring cutting-edge options for cancer treatment to our most vulnerable populations, but also to establish fully equipped clinical trial units in regional healthcare centres and train local people in clinical trials delivery to staff them.  

“By doing this we hope to increase the number of regional, rural, remote and Aboriginal patients taking part in clinical trials, while also minimising the need for them to travel in order to participate.” 

The first clinical trial will begin in Dubbo in coming months, with other areas to follow. 

Love Your Sister Co-Founder Samuel Johnson OAM says he is “beyond excited” about the partnership with Macquarie University. 

“Underpinning this grant is Love Your Sister’s promise to fund research that improves access to precision medicine for all cancer patients, whatever the cancer, regardless of location, age, income, or status,” Mr Johnson says.  

“Collectivity is the answer when equity is the aim and I look forward to encouraging the Australian business sector to join me in becoming part of the solution.  

“I am thrilled to be starting with Dubbo and can’t wait to roll up my sleeves during my extended visit to the region in September.” 

The involvement of local Aboriginal communities will be a vital part of the project, with the Djurali Centre for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research and Education at Macquarie University to lead the codesign process. 

Some of the Love Your Sister grant will be used to fund a part-time Aboriginal postdoctoral researcher on the Djurali Centre team. 

Bundjalung Elder and Macquarie University Associate Professor of Health Sciences, Uncle Boe Rambaldini, says this project will be an important step forward.  

“Cancer is the leading cause of death in Aboriginal people, overtaking cardiovascular disease, and a key barrier is access to the latest treatments and affordability,” he says. 

“This project will work with Aboriginal people in a culturally safe way to identify barriers to treatment and create pathways to overcome them. 

“When we have inclusion and equity, that’s when we get better outcomes for my people.” 

Professor Sakkie Pretorius, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), says it is extremely pleasing to see the ONTRAC project receive such significant support. 

“People living in regional, rural and remote locations will benefit tremendously, not only from having access to more clinical trials within their community, but also from the upskilling of the local workforce,” says Professor Pretorius.  

“This impactful initiative will help patients stay closer to home and their support network rather than being required to travel long distances to receive the latest treatments.” 

The pilot model will also be designed, evaluated and documented so that it can extend beyond this grant, and be used not only by any trial unit within Australia, but also extended to non-cancer indications. 

Macquarie is collaborating on the project with the Oncology Department at Dubbo Hospital, led by Dr Florian Honeyball, as well as the newly formed Western NSW Clinical Trial Support Unit and NSW Health. 

Macquarie University’s Clinical Trials Unit currently runs about 120 trials a year, many of which are first in-human trials run on behalf of pharmaceutical and biomedical companies. 

On Wednesday 19 April the Educating for Success forum took place on campus, with 174 people joining in person and 80 online.

Professor Dominique Parrish, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) and Professor Rorden Wilkinson (pictured below), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) welcomed attendees and shared the opening address.

Professor Wilkinson spoke about the opportunity that Macquarie University has when it comes to improving assessment and feedback for students:

“I think there is a consensus in this University around the need to move forward with how we assess and give feedback to students in novel and interesting ways, and hope we’re ready to rise to that challenge.”

Later in his opening address, Professor Wilkinson said, “When we think about assessment and feedback, I think feedback is the poor cousin of assessment. It’s an issue that we don’t often focus on in great detail, but it’s what gives students that genuinely transformative educational experience.

“When we give feedback that students can action, when they can really see what they can use to develop their learning, understanding, and expression, they thrive.”

During the forum, an emerging theme was the impact of AI in teaching and assessment. Several presenters referenced AI in their talks, however, not all viewed it as a negative disruptor, with some presenters discussing the prospect of using AI in the classroom as a tool to enable learning.

Presentations also covered important topics such as Indigenous perspectives in assessment and innovation through industry-based assessments. Other highlights included:

• Dr Jo Anne Rey presenting Creative assessment through Country: A transformative practice for sustainable success
• Associate Professor Joanne Jamie presenting Embedding Indigenous perspectives into assessment
• Dr Olga Kozar (pictured right) presenting Assessments in the AI world
• Dr Lurion De Mello presenting Stepping out with industry-relevant skills: designing course-based assessments using real-world data
• Dr Kelly Gray presenting Bridging the gap: Redesigning assessment to link theory to shared-patient care
• Dr Prashan S M Karunaratne presenting Enhancing employability skills via course-based assessments for learning in a capstone unit
• Dr Jacqueline Mackaway presenting Assessments and PACE – working with industry
• Dr Jon Burtt presenting Developing a ‘pathway’ approach to assessments
• Zara Bending presenting Keeping PACE with the times through ‘living voice’: assessment via viva voce.

Videos of each presentation will be available shortly. In the meantime, view an outline of the event program here.

Pictured L to R: Jess Sewell, Professor Melanie Bishop, Leah Mercier, Udai Kamath

The finale of the event was a great debate on the future of assessment, with the topic under discussion ‘That, in response to the proliferation of sophisticated AI, universities should adopt innovative assessment tasks instead of returning to traditional assessment methods (e.g. in-person, invigilated exams)’. Both affirmative and negative teams argued convincingly and provided valuable insights into the future of assessments. At the conclusion of the debate the negative team prevailed with their argument for traditional exams and were declared winners by audience vote.

Thanking the speakers and concluding the event, Professor Parrish expressed her excitement for the future and the impacts on assessment and feedback that will come from the forum’s discussion.

“I look forward to hearing all about the assessment tasks that you will go away and create,” she said.

Beyond the individual benefits of education, there can be no doubt that a better educated workforce, together with stronger research capacity, increases the likelihood of positive outcomes from the changes underway in Australia’s society, economy and environment; and that above all, education contributes to a better-informed and more vital community.

The Universities Accord Review Panel Discussion Paper asked for input on the kind of higher education system Australia needs in two to three decades’ time, as well as what is needed to address immediate challenges.

Following input from staff across the University, in its 11 April submission Macquarie University advocated for reforms that would support the sector partnering with government, industry and other stakeholders to make the best possible contributions to Australia’s future.

The University’s submission is summarised below. These proposals indicate areas the University believes should be key themes for inclusion in the Review Panel’s final report and the basis for accountability in any future compact between universities and government.

The University’s full submission, including context and evidence to support the proposals, can be found here. I extend my thanks to all colleagues from across the University who have contributed to this submission.

Submission executive summary

 Students

Macquarie supports high targets for attainment and participation, particularly for underrepresented groups, as well as the development of new entry pathways for neurodivergent students, and a greater focus on lifelong learning. Macquarie’s specific feedback includes:

• Jobs and Skills Australia should model demand and identify attainment targets for 2030 and 2040 with help from the sector.
• To support parity, a scholarship pool should be established for students from low SES backgrounds and from regional and remote areas to attend regional or metropolitan universities. It should be jointly funded by university investment and government.
• The sector needs to do more outreach work with schools and communities in collaboration with relevant government agencies so prospective university students from underrepresented groups can make informed choices and are properly prepared to succeed at their studies.
• Regarding neurodiversity, Macquarie supports the December 2022 decision by the Australian Government to develop a national autism strategy. The University also supports the Government’ request to the Equity in Higher Education Panel to consider the needs of autistic students as part of the Panel’s ongoing work on a national student equity in higher education strategy.
• To increase the participation of neurodiverse people in higher education, better training material for university staff should be developed and existing expertise and initiatives that support neurodiverse people around the country need to be coordinated.
• The University believes that recommendations by the Productivity Commission’s Advancing Prosperity report – for consolidated support for lifelong learning, a trial and evaluation of support targeted at employed lower-income people and extension to self-education deductions – should be included in the development of a National Lifelong Learning Strategy.

Quality teaching

Equity, student support and wellbeing, and the work rights of international students need more attention. In particular:

• Equity programs are currently supplementary to education, rather than embedded. Funding is typically short-term, which can impede innovation. Real impacts will only come when action goes beyond the higher education sector and reaches into schools and communities.
• The sector should develop ways to prepare graduates for life after university.
• To strengthen resilience in the next generation of graduates, the sector needs to develop additional strategies and a mechanism for sharing effective strategies.
• The University supports government efforts to diversify and rebuild the international student market. The widespread problem of wage theft from international students and skilled migrants needs particular attention. More rigorous enforcement of laws is needed to protect vulnerable workers.
• The University endorses the 2021 report of the Senate Select Committee on Temporary Migration’s recommendations for a comprehensive worker rights education plan as well as an increase in penalties for wage theft, including its possible criminalisation.

Connections between VET and higher education

There needs to be increased collaboration with the VET sector as well as the establishment of a coordinating council to promote collaboration. More specifically:

• The work of the VET and higher education sectors needs to be integrated. Policy must be comprehensive and focused on tertiary education as a whole.
• All levels of government need to work together to incentivise collaboration, co-design and innovation across industry and education providers and to provide students with a smoother transition across different loan and fee settings.
• A formal coordinating council is needed to address issues at the intersection of VET and higher education including: qualifications, reciprocal recognition of prior learning, collaborative courses and provider funding models. Student funding also needs to be addressed, preferably with a commitment to Commonwealth Supported Places for joint courses like those on offer from the Institute of Applied Technology – Digital, of which Macquarie is a foundation partner.
• Articulation arrangements are needed between VET and universities to support Closing the Gap targets for achievement.

Innovation

The sector needs increased funding for research training together with efforts to promote greater collaboration with industry and incentives to support more interdisciplinary work. Specifically:

• Macquarie University supports the Bradley Review position on the nexus between teaching and research as a cornerstone of universities. This link is fundamental to innovation. It ensures that research discovery and skills are brought into the workforce and that an institution is responsive to local, regional and national needs.
• An uplift in Research Training Program (RTP) funding is needed to enable higher stipend rates and support needed growth in HDR recruitment. Greater flexibility is also needed in the guidelines for the use of RTP funds.
• Federal and state governments have crucial roles to play in developing funding mechanisms that incentivise a sectoral approach to course design with industry input and engaged research.
  Suggestions include:
  • a high-profile and active communications campaign to explain the benefits accruing from collaboration with university researchers.
  • financial incentives for organisations that collaborate with university researchers on projects, research centres and research training.
  • revisiting the recommendations of the 2016 Ferris, Finkel and Fraser Review of the R&D Tax Incentive, notably its recommendation that companies which work with publicly funded research organisations should receive a higher tax offset (a “premium rate”).
  • tax incentives that promote a culture of philanthropic support in Australia and encourage giving to the education and research sectors.
• Universities need to do more to show Australian industry how to search for talented graduates and engage university staff in research projects, how to invest in R&D and how to identify opportunities to licence IP.
• Australia needs more imaginative funding schemes and programs that support interdisciplinary research combining STEM and HASS, and basic and translational research.
• Macquarie recommends reviewing the European Research Council weighting and tolerance for innovative blue-sky projects as a potential method to better support innovation in Australia.
• Increased funding should be available for university research centres that have clear aims and distinctive strengths and that attract high-quality researchers and graduate research students.
• Greater government and institutional funding for multi-jurisdictional projects and initiatives to support international collaboration would be useful.

Infrastructure

A rolling program for infrastructure development, together with an enhanced National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) is recommended. Particularly:

• Instead of universities pitching for individual building infrastructure grants/funding, the establishment of a 10-year infrastructure plan would allow strategic growth.
• NCRIS needs to be enhanced to achieve its aim.
• Long-term investment growth in coordinating digital research infrastructure is needed to integrate the national digital research infrastructure ecosystem and underpin collaboration at scale.
• HASS disciplines have specialised infrastructure needs that need to be considered.
• National facilities could be developed to promote collaboration, reduce costs of duplication and recognise that not every university requires the same suite of research infrastructure.

Funding

New arrangements are needed to promote flexibility and innovation in funding, including a shift to funding the full costs of research. Macquarie supports a return to demand-driven funding and that a wholesale review of student contributions is needed.

• The University supports mission- and place-based five-year partnerships with a flexible funding envelope.
• A return to demand-driven funding is needed.
• Macquarie strongly supports uncapped Commonwealth Supported Places for all First Nations students studying bachelor degrees, regardless of where they live.
• The Job-ready Graduate program needs a complete review so that it finances participation.
• The student contribution policy needs an overhaul to ensure that pricing arrangements are equitable and are not having a distorting effect on student choices. The establishment of repayment thresholds that do not contribute to structural inequalities is also needed.
• The 50 per cent rule to exclude students who fail half their units should be abandoned.
• The University supports a target for paying the indirect costs of research at 50 cents in the dollar by 2025. That would be the first step in moving to funding the full cost of research (including salary costs) by 2030.

Accountability

A nationwide framework is needed.

• The University supports a detailed regulatory stock and flow analysis to determine areas of overlap, inefficiency and red tape across the sector. Its purpose should be to reduce unnecessary burden.

The faculty welcomed Vice-Chancellor Professor S Bruce Dowton to the town hall to provide an update on the University and factors impacting the higher education sector. Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sakkie Pretorius also provided an update on the University’s work in accelerating research and training excellence at scale in priority areas.

Among the Business School’s focus areas will be a consilience centre focused on transforming energy markets, led by Professor Stefan Trueck, and a co-led consilience centre researching data-driven solutions, with Professor Hanlin Shang on the centre’s steering committee. The Business School also plays a leading role, or has members in, five other new research centres.

Another key priority is the reimagining of the Bachelor of Commerce and the introduction of a new Bachelor of Business degree. Professor Knight described these projects as an opportunity to “take the biggest courses in the Business School and make them even better”.

Excitement about the course redesigns was noticeable, with many staff across the faculty having input in the process. Dr Murray Taylor and Dr Prashan Karunaratne, course directors for the Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Commerce respectively, explained the key features of the two courses: The Bachelor of Business is designed for managers and leaders and will focus on developing professional skills that can be applied to a range of different industries.

The Bachelor of Commerce is designed for aspiring professionals in fields ranging from accounting to human resources, marketing, business analytics and economics, among others, and will focus on equipping students with a thorough technical skillset. Following a common set of subjects in the first year, students then do a deep dive into their professional major/s for the remaining years.

Both courses will have an employability focus and students will benefit from the expertise for which the Business School is internationally renowned.