Meetings to plan impactful research processes that will inform policy

On Monday I had excellent meetings with DVC-RE Mark Evans, Pat McKenna, Nilima Mathai from the Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor - Research and Engagement and Hazel Dalton from the Rural Health Institute (RHI) to plan impactful research processes that will inform policy. I also got to say hello to a number of people at the ACCC, including Prof Wayne Hudson who is the next speaker in the Provocations Public Lecture Series (https://research.csu.edu.au/engage-with-us/provocations).

Hazel Dalton and Sharynne

Prof Wayne Hudson, Sharynne and Nilima Mathai at ACCC in Canbera

Planning future research

I was privileged to spend time with DVC-Research Mark Evans, Emeritus Professor Robert Clancy, and Sarah Bartlett yesterday. We spent a number of hours thinking about how to support children and families in rural and regional Australia (as well as non-metropolitan areas around the world), how to undertake high quality research, how to support future researchers (including HDR students) and how to translate research into policy and practice. What an inspiring day.

DVC(Research) Prof Mark Evans, Sarah Bartlett, Emeritus Professor Robert Clancy, Prof Sharynne McLeod

 

CSU Research Retreat

I was privildged to be one of 60 people attending the 2-day 2023 CSU Research Retreat in Canberra. It was an inspiring time - and I am looking forward to contributing to the vision shared. The Vice Chancellor's Award ceremony was held in the evening: https://speakingmylanguages.blogspot.com/2023/02/vice-chancellors-award-dinner.html

Sharynne, Prof Julian Grant, Dr Nicola Ivory, Dr Emmaline Lear

Subject:	Outcomes From The 2023 Research Retreat "Top 200 By 50"
Message:	Dear colleagues Many thanks to Retreat participants for your active and deep participation. It was uplifting to be part of the conversation. We certainly achieved objectives 1, 2 and 4 of the Retreat. First, gain greater clarity over the University's 2030 Research Strategy and: - where we are now - what we are trying to achieve - how we are going to do it - what is expected from you - how you will be supported Second, foster better understanding of Faculty and Research Institute research aspirations and principles and avenues for collaboration and establish joint working arrangements. Third, complete the co-design of new Research Service missions and charters. And, fourth, celebrated the winners of the 2022 Vice Chancellor's Research Excellence Awards. A more detailed report will follow but we agreed to the following principles to inform Institute-Faculty-School relations: Research and teaching excellence are reinforcing features of a high quality academic community. Parity of esteem and mutualism. Active and quality collaboration. Everybody should contribute to teaching (e.g. research training). Everybody should contribute to research/scholarship (e.g. project based research). Equity principle to inform distribution of resources to enhance research excellence. Alignment of research/teaching focus. Rights and obligations for different types of Institute membership. Shared accountability for research outcomes. Active and intentional communication. The 10 principles triggered a detailed conversation on the actions viewed as necessary to inform a strong Research Institute-Faculty-School collaborative culture. These actions are largely about identifying enabling structures for collaboration including: 1 - Internal recruitment of an Inter-Institute-Faculty Dean and co-design of coordination machinery (e.g. 2 - Establishment of co-governance mechanisms (via Institute executive membership, program convenorships) 3 - Institute membership of various types through Faculty-Institute Fellowships, Institute Associates and Adjuncts 4 - Joint appointments between Institutes and Faculties and other Institutes (for interdisciplinary concerns). 5 - Joined-up research communication strategy Then there are recommendations for a range of joint programs: 6 - Joint research programmes * Conferencing, seminar and workshop activity * Project based seed core funding * Research team to research team 7 - Joint education programmes * HDR development and support including research training programs particular mixed methods * Co-production of postgraduate/micro-credential programmes. 8 - Researcher support and development strategies * Incentivised research leadership - via for example, sabbaticals * ECR support programme * Research mentoring And then, 9 - We recognized the need for strategic joint working on: * FoR/FoE alignment and guidance * Research-teaching focus alignment * Shared KPIs and performance expectations * Strategic joint hiring * Embedded local administrative support * Campus strategies * Identification of appropriate institutional benchmarks - e.g. Wollongong The general take-home message is that we are all committed to change and willing and able to engage in quality collaboration. It is envisaged that this year's Retreat will be held in Orange in the last quarter and will focus on the First Nation's Research Strategy. In the meantime, we will need your help and support to complete the co-design of the new Research Service missions and charters. Best wishes Mark DVCR