World Ready: La Trobe in 2017

La Trobe University Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor John Dewar today released a Strategic Directions Paper as a pre-cursor to World Ready: La Trobe in 2017, a new strategic plan for the University.

Building on La Trobe's values of joining social engagement to the pursuit of academic excellence, the Strategic Directions Paper proposes a curriculum framework that will deliver work ready and world ready graduates, and global leadership in focused areas of research that will develop solutions to challenges confronting the future of human societies.

‘The goal of this paper is to engage staff and students in a robust discussion about reanimating the University by refreshing its founding ideals of research excellence in areas of contemporary need and impact, promoting access to an outstanding education, and community relevance,’ said Vice-Chancellor Professor John Dewar.

At its centre, the paper proposes that La Trobe identify and develop selected areas of cross-disciplinary teaching and research focus (Areas of Teaching and Research Focus, or ATRFs) that build on our existing strengths, and which address some of the most pressing questions affecting the future of human societies and their environments. These will be areas in which we can lay claim to be one of the best in Australia, and the world, and which will attract the best students, staff and researchers to come and work or study with us.

Central to the paper is the La Trobe Framework, a radical repositioning of teaching and learning, and the student experience.

‘If accepted by the University Council, a suite of new and unique degrees will be offered at the undergraduate and graduate level in areas of La Trobe's recognized global excellence such as food security, human disease and health; sport and human movement; water and sustainability; regional Australia; and human security. New strengths in design, innovation and creativity will be combined to equip all our students with the capacity to understand and devise solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing problems.

‘All students will undertake a specified proportion of subjects in every degree to broaden their perspectives and enhance their employability. Those subjects will provide knowledge and skills in regional and global history and politics, technology, leadership, and healthy populations’, said Professor Dewar.

The paper proposes to grow student numbers from 26,800 equivalent full time student load (EFTSL) today, to 35,000 EFTSL in 2017, attracting a larger number of high performing VCE students, Australian based international students and larger numbers of graduate coursework students from the regions and Northern metropolitan areas of Melbourne. 

20% of students will study overseas for part of their degree overseas and 20% of students will study in flexible mode. 

The paper proposes an ambitious doubling of research income to $90 million in areas of traditional and emerging strength such food security, molecular basis of disease, water management and sustainability, and human security. Under these proposals, La Trobe will aim to reach the top 300 in research based international rankings.

All academic staff will be productive researchers, or on their way to becoming such, or be specialized in teaching roles. Established Productive Researchers at La Trobe will generally be connected ATRFs. Each ATRF will include at least one laureate professor or equivalent to steer the ATRF’s success and build relationships with major corporations, NGOs or government departments to ensure research remains relevant and impacting on contemporary challenges in society.

Professor Dewar said some hard choices have to be made and many things done differently for La Trobe University to prosper in an environment of funding and regulation changes to higher education.

‘We need to adapt quickly in order to prosper in today’s increasingly competitive market place and courses and research must respond to issues such as climate change, an ageing population, the rise of power and influence of Asia and revolution in medical sciences that face today’s society,’ said Professor Dewar.

 ‘By choosing La Trobe, students will know they are choosing a thoroughly modern and highly distinctive education that will benefit themselves and the world,’ said Professor Dewar.

Responses to Strategic Directions Paper from La Trobe University staff and students are encouraged. Feedback will be collected until 31 July. Visit www.latrobe.edu.au/vice-chancellor 

ENDS

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LA TROBE UNIVERSITY GOALS FOR 2017:

• A 100 % increase in research income across all categories from 2012 levels, so that La Trobe University achieves $90m by 2017, of which $60m will come from areas of teaching and research

• Improved international research-based rankings to top 300 by 2017

• All academic staff will be either established productive researchers, on their way to 
becoming such, or will be performing well in more specialised roles for which 
research is not part of their work expectations 

• At least 60% of EPRs will be aligned with ATRFs, and each ATRF will include at least one laureate professor or equivalent

• Deep partnerships will be established with major corporates, NGOs or government 
departments in each ATRF. 

• 20% of students will be able to study overseas for part of their degree overseas

• 20% of students will be studying in flexible mode

• Included in the overall increase in EFTSL is an increase graduate coursework student numbers to 6% of projected total load by 2017 and an increase in onshore international student numbers to 7000 by 2017.

• Incorporate a suite of unique degrees at undergraduate and graduate level (coursework and research) such as food security, human disease and health; sport and human movement; water and sustainability; regional Australia; human security; design, innovation and creativity to address some of the planet’s most pressing problems and lead to excellent career outcomes for students.

• Incorporate required curricular features for all La Trobe degrees that will promote work-readiness and give graduates the proficiency and knowledge they need to address the major social, economic, technological and political issues they will face as workers and global citizens. Examples include Sustainability Thinking, Global Citizenship, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Cultural Competencies, Work Readiness and Making a Difference.

• Incorporate a specified proportion of degrees from subjects designed specifically to broaden student perspectives, in regional and global history and politics, technology, leadership, healthy populations, and other areas.

• Expand the range of countries from which they come so that we are culturally richer and more diverse. Increase low SES from 17.5% to 20% and Indigenous backgrounds from 0.6% to 0.9%, VTAC applications market share to increase from 12.6% to 14%, students with ATAR of 80+ from 28% to 38% or domestic undergrad student load.