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Ancora Imparo, December, 2008

3 December 2008

I am writing this final edition of Ancora Imparo for 2008 in Hyderabad while attending the Association of Commonwealth Universities Council meeting and conference. Before coming to Hyderabad, I had taken part in the highly successful launch of the IITB-Monash Research Academy in Mumbai. As you all know, Mumbai was the target on that evening of a terrible terrorist attack. The members of the large Monash delegation attending the scientific thematic symposia for the opening of the Academy were all a long way from the sites of the attack and were safe. We offer our most sincere condolences to everyone in Mumbai who was affected by these terrible events and also extend our sympathy to any of our students from India whose family may have been affected.

The crisis has strengthened our relationship with IITB and I am sure that the Academy will be a centre of excellence in research and research training. It is a unique partnership model which will benefit both institutions as well as providing high quality research addressing the needs of industry and some of the most pressing problems facing our two nations and the planet.

I am delighted to be able to congratulate Professor Stephen Barkoczy on being the joint recipient of the Prime Minister's Teacher of the Year Award. In recent years we have had a number of recipients of prestigious research awards, but I am particularly pleased that on this occasion one of our staff has been recognised for teaching excellence. I also have great pleasure in congratulating Anthea Lindquist, a final year medical student, on being the recipient of the Rhodes Scholarship for Victoria this year.

As this is the last Ancora Imparo for 2008 I will provide a brief summary of the year. It has been another very successful year for Monash University. Ultimately we exist to provide a high quality educational experience for our students and to advance knowledge for the benefit of humankind through research and scholarship. Essential ingredients are to provide an environment whereby we can attract, retain and develop the best possible staff and provide opportunities for the best students from diverse backgrounds to achieve their potential. We must also have sound financial management and administrative capability aligned to the objectives of the University.

Despite an extraordinarily difficult external environment we have continued to work towards achieving our major objectives in research and education. The University's research performance has been strong and has continued the momentum of recent years although there is still room for improvement, particularly in achieving a greater level of success in ARC Discovery Grants. Major new research platforms have been delivered including the Monash Centre for Electron Microscopy, the Monash Antibody Technology Facility, the robotic protein crystallography facility and the Zebra fish facility. A number of leading researchers have been attracted to Monash, partly because of these platforms and partly because of the reputation that Monash has gained as a good place to work. The capital program has progressed satisfactorily with the STRIP 2 building close to completion.

With respect to education, the Monash Passport, a major refocussing of our educational programs, has been launched successfully. The unit evaluations by students have steadily improved and the University had a 16 per cent increase in first preferences through the initial choices from the VTAC system, making it easily the most popular Victorian university.

Our international campuses in Malaysia and South Africa have had excellent years. Monash University’s Sunway campus, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year, goes from strength to strength with almost 4000 students, improved research performance and good educational outcomes. The Monash South Africa campus has once again exceeded its student number target and now has 2300 students and is likely to better its budget target once more.

The program to celebrate fifty years since the formal foundation of Monash University has been very successful with the public lecture series being outstanding and the Gala Dinner where the public phase of the Fund-Raising Campaign was announced was a very high profile, memorable event. Already more than $A70m of a target of $A200m has been raised since this campaign began in 2006.

In many ways, the most significant event in the 50 year celebrations was the staff celebration on 2 December where the role of the staff in the outstanding achievements of Monash University in 50 short years was recognised. Monash has been characterised since its foundation by bold, innovative and committed staff and its incredible progress is entirely attributable to this.

I was delighted to learn that Professor Ed Byrne has been appointed to replace me when my term finishes on 30 June next year. Many of you will know Professor Byrne from his time at Monash as Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences. He has all the qualities to provide outstanding leadership to the University and I am sure it will continue to go from strength to strength under his guidance.

I wish you all a peaceful and restful holiday break.