Monash University: The next ten years
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Monash University:
The next ten years
Australia CHINA india italy Malaysia south africa
1
Monash University was established in Melbourne, Australia in 1958. We are named after Sir John Monash, a famous Australian who contributed to almost every level of Australian life. Sir John had a simple philosophy: “...equip yourself for life, not merely for your own benefit, but for the benefit of the whole community.”
Foreword
In 2005, following extensive consultation across
the Monash family, Monash University published
Monash Directions 2025.
That document was visionary in its scope and
ambition, it has served the University well for
almost a decade, and its general principles
continue to animate us. But the pace of change
in the university world, not fully anticipated when
2025 was written, means it needs replacing.
A twenty-year plan is no longer appropriate.
This document draws upon the thinking in Monash
Directions 2025 and extensive consultation from
across the Monash community to lay out a top-
level plan for the next ten years.
It is designed to be the ‘light on the hill’: to
describe where we would like to be in 2022 and
to sketch out what we need to do to get there.
It is not a detailed roadmap. The specifics of
how we will move forward are the province of the
operational and strategic plans.
3
Context
Global Australian The future of the higher education sector
The pace of change is greater For millennia, Indigenous peoples From the clerical origins of Oxford They will cultivate a deep In Australia, the university system
now than at any time since the have lived in Australia, in intricate and Bologna, to the German knowledge of the local education is changing rapidly. A failed attempt
middle ages. The information societies with complex traditions. research university model, to the and research priorities of the to create a homogenous sector
revolution, though still in its infancy, The late 1700s saw us become American model born in the communities in which they operate. is being replaced by a model that
has dramatically changed how a British outpost and then an Truman years, universities have They will develop relationships encourages each university to play
we access and use information. independent nation aligned with the always evolved. At each stage, between countries through the to its own strengths. We now face
The rise of Asia may end a five- United States. We are now entering there has been a huge advantage cultivation of intellectual links. the challenges of uncapping of
hundred-year era of European a new phase, as the geopolitics of to those who saw the future and And they will provide even places but not – at least initially – of
domination that encompassed the Asia-Pacific shift around us. embraced it early. more learning and research domestic fees. International markets
the enlightenment and the The rise of China, India and Today’s world faces huge opportunities than they do today, grow ever-more competitive.
Agrarian and Industrial Revolutions. South-East Asia presents huge challenges around creating embracing the possibilities offered We cannot tread water. We must
A student entering university opportunities for Australia. We have economic and environmental by new technologies that will continually improve, measured
today has a one-in-three chance the chance to prove that we are sustainability and social and dramatically change the way against others and ourselves.
of living to a hundred. Most will more than our minerals, to be a cultural equity. Institutions that we teach and learn.
have several careers before retiring clever nation that collaborates with aspire to greatness will contribute
in their seventies, with extended Asia. Our graduates must be substantially to overcoming those
periods of retraining and study. prepared for a knowledge-based challenges, both by educating the
An open knowledge economy in a economy, which means building students who will tackle them and
single world market will mean that upon our thriving higher education by developing blue sky and applied
excellence in tertiary education provision, not just in quantity, but knowledge themselves.
and research is judged in an in quality. In a global market,
international context. we cannot compete on price.
We must do so on excellence.
4
Monash today
One can make a plausible case that There is also our geography. We have
there is no university in the world that had an international focus for some time.
has as much opportunity as Monash We were one of the first institutions to
University does today. There is much admit large numbers of international
that equips us to meet the challenges students. We realised early, in a way
outlined above. leading US universities are only doing
decades later, that a truly international
There is our history. We were born
vision required campuses in other
of a desire for equity. When Monash
countries. It was always implicit that as
was being planned in the 1950s, the
overseas campuses grew they would
university sector in all western countries
become very significant players in the
was small and elite – less that 5% of
university scene in their own countries.
young people had the opportunity
Their contribution to nation building
for university study. Part of Monash’s
was clear from the outset, traditionally,
brief was to make that opportunity
we have been seen as an outlier in the
available to a broader section of the
Australian environment, distinguished
community. We have always been
by size, geographic footprint and
a comprehensive university, offering
complexity from all others. But it is
students the full range of disciplines.
increasingly more accurate to see us as
This broad base remains today as a
an exemplar of a large, multi-campus
key strength and puts Monash at the
university serving different regions,
forefront of interdisciplinary possibilities
a type of institution of which there
in teaching and research. And right from
are many around the world.
our inception, we have had a history of
academic excellence. But there is still much to do.
5
Key principles 2012 – 2022
Values
1 2 3 4
Our students come first. We are committed to
We are hungry. We are young.
From the brief history absolute excellence.
That is not to say we are We are competitive but Like all good youthful
laid out above, from guided exclusively by focus We pursue absolute largely with ourselves. institutions, we are
Monash Futures and groups and student demands. excellence in the education of We want to be the best university passionate about fairness and
from other vision We understand our students’ students, in the development we can be and have a global social equity, a passion that defines
aspirations and societal demands of knowledge that improves the impact. We are willing to do things how we see ourselves. We are
statements, four but also have a profound, human condition, in leading a differently from the university norm. flexible and vigorous yet maintain
key themes emerge. constantly evolving understanding culture of respect, fairness and We are constantly looking for new rigor and discipline. We are
Taken together, they of what should be taught and how. equity for all within and outside opportunities and new ways of renowned for our ‘can-do’ attitude.
We aim to prepare young people our walls, in running our university doing things that allow us to do We want to change the world!
articulate what we for a life where they may have as well as we possibly can and our job better.
stand for, carving a many careers. We are flexible and in providing opportunities and
encouraging our staff to excel.
distinctive identity attuned to the needs of mature
We value innovation in all that we
students. Monash graduates will
in the global higher be sought after by employers do. These principles apply wherever
education market. around the world. we operate around the world.
We aim for excellence in all we do.
We do not define this in a narrow
or even a traditional university way.
We aim to offer superb education
We are constantly looking
that meets societal needs and fits
students for successful careers,
for new opportunities
instilling them with lifelong learning
ambitions. We aim to conduct
and new ways of doing
a broad range of break-through
research that improves life in
things that allow us to do
communities around us and
impacts around the world.
our job better.
6
Goals
By 2022, we will be:
1 2 3
The best university A truly global university, Among the strongest
within the Asia Pacific. both physically and research universities
Not one of the best – intellectually. in the world.
the very best. We have a real This will be a key selling point We will create critical mass
chance because we are already to both students and research in areas where we are or will
a university of and for the Asia funders. Our international become world-renowned
Pacific. No inward-looking campuses and our wide network and in areas relevant to the
Australian university can aspire of research and teaching grand challenges the world
to that goal in the years ahead. collaborations are a promising faces, particularly areas at the
For our students, a Monash start, but they are not enough. intersections of disciplines.
degree will be without peer in The new depth alliance with We will focus on research that
the region. Warwick University, a leading has a high impact on the world,
UK institution, is central to this engaging with local communities
ambition. Joint planning and and industry to ensure we are
resource allocation in strategic meeting the challenges they face.
areas with Warwick will give us
a head start over all other Asia-
Pacific universities. This will result
in attractiveness to elite students,
new research and research
funding opportunities and global
partnerships with industry
and governments.
7
Strategies
We will meet our
1
Embracing the distinct Embracing and leveraging this Thus far, we have failed to translate Monash has thrived with great
identities of each model has two key aspects. the promise of our non-inner authority at faculty level and this will
goals by: of our campuses Melbourne campuses into continue. However, it is crucial that
First, the things that are common
and developing the academic or financial competitive we take advantage of massive
to all facets of Monash must be
competitive advantages advantage. This must change and strategic opportunities that align
clearly understood and defined.
that diversity offers. change now. Massive effort over with our forward plans if we are to
Some of these are expressed in
We must turn our identity as a the values above. Others, of huge 20 years has gone into these excel as we can and should.
globally networked university with practical importance, relate to campuses and they are part of the Not all faculties will take part in
multiple campuses and graduate faculty and academic board Monash journey. Changes in every project, but a careful
academies into a major strategic oversight of academic quality mindset at campus and central examination of opportunity is
advantage. For this to happen, across all Monash campuses university level will be essential essential. In China, India and the
we need to work together. Our and programs. to ensuring success. Warwick alliance, we currently
structures need to ensure both Our outer south-east campuses have probably the three greatest
Second, local visions must be
that leaders retain the autonomy must provide superb education opportunities that Monash has
developed and supported
necessary to effectively deliver to the new population centres had in its history. It is a key part of
by teaching and research
outcomes and that there is a clear they serve. Our Malaysian campus faculty leadership’s responsibility
programs that optimise the
strategic framework for them to must be the best teaching and to understand the opportunities
opportunities of local geography.
operate in. research university in Malaysia. provided by these initiatives.
This may entail creating better
processes to understand and And our South African campus
support local initiatives. must contribute significantly to
nation building in sub-Saharan
Africa. In time, with recognition
of contribution, all these
campuses will add to Monash
University’s lustre.
8
2 3 4
Increasing our focus This is no longer enough. We Revolutionising Continuing
One such advantage is
on Asia. must access larger talent pools student learning. to strengthen our long-nurtured ‘can do’
for outstanding staff and students. academically. reputation. Initiatives such as the
Until recently, Australia was We will be a leader
This sits at the heart of the next Warwick partnership and our new
an outer province of an American- in providing education that is We will continue the academic
phase of our Asia strategy. The research developments in India
European dominated academic appropriate for the new era. strengthening program embraced
development of our joint academy and China also provide appeal.
world. With the ever-accelerating Amongst other things, we will by the university community, where
with IITB in Mumbai will build up to We must be entrepreneurial
rise of Asia, we are now equipoised ensure that students have the ability all research-active academics are
350 PhD students in science and in engaging with industry and
geographically and culturally to locate and use good quality required to meet minimum research
engineering. Our new joint graduate developing new income sources,
between the old and the new at information in a highly complex criteria and are aware of stretch
school and research academy with and efficient in managing core
a tipping point in history. What and overloaded information criteria relevant in career building.
South East University is arguably operations so we can support
opportunity! In the past, Australia environment. The environment We must recruit new talent and
the most exciting university project ambitious research planning.
has punched above its weight we teach in will draw on the continue to grow our own.
in all of China and offers unique
because we have lateral thinkers best information, including open New talent is in huge demand
masters, PhD and research
who challenge accepted norms. ware, and encompass state- worldwide so we need to show
opportunities for all Monash
of-the-art learning spaces and clear advantages to attract top-
faculties. It is crucial that they
blended approaches, conscious quality recruits.
are taken up.
development of character and soft
skills, and opening students’ minds
to international opportunities. We
will resource necessary investment
in educational infrastructure, in part
through partnerships.
We will be a leader in providing education
that is appropriate for the new era.
9
5 6
Giving optimal Continually improving A state-of-the-art IT system will
attention to each our systems. be essential to delivering the
campus. ambitions outlined in this paper,
Resource is tight and
so we must continually improve
Most of Monash’s academic mass people’s time precious. We must
the management and delivery of IT
is centred on our three inner- continue to eliminate red tape. In
solutions. We will create systems
Melbourne campuses. It is these some areas we may have become
and structures that draw the best
campuses from which our charge uncharacteristically risk averse
out of our professional staff and
to become one of the world’s top and adopted unduly tight
engage them in delivering on our
research universities will be led. management protocols. We
institutional goals.
Yet much if not most management cannot afford inefficient or
attention over the last decade has suboptimal support processes.
gone to the diaspora rather than the Considerable progress has been
home base. Going ahead, we must made under Monash Futures in
pay appropriate attention to both in consolidating our operations where
our management structures. appropriate and we must keep
looking for sensible efficiencies.
10Conclusion
The principles, initiatives and structural changes
laid out above are top-level strategic directions.
The details of how we will implement them and
how we will measure our success are the province
of the research and educational plans recently
developed as part of Monash Futures.
These plans are ambitious, but we are working
from a strong base and have already made
substantial progress in accomplishing many
of them. For these reasons, I strongly believe
that everything within this paper is achievable.
Ed Byrne, AO
Vice-Chancellor and President
11CRICOS provider: Monash University 00008C
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