ATN Advocate August 2023

Welcome from the Executive Director

It was a pleasure to be at the National Press Club of Australia with a group of our Vice-Chancellors this week to hear one of our own, 澳大利亚南澳大学 Vice-Chancellor and newly appointed Universities Australia Chair, Professor David Lloyd, deliver the keynote address.?

Speaking of our Vice-Chancellors, I’d like to extend my gratitude to them for their strong show of support in what we have built at ATN under my stewardship these past few years and their faith in the forward planning and strategy we have in place, by reappointing me for another five-year term as Executive Director. Exciting times are ahead.?

I’m also pleased to let you know that we are putting the final touches on the ATN Universities' response to the Universities Accord interim report which is officially due on September 1. The ATN team is also preparing for next month’s 5-day visit by our friends from the TU9 – German Universities of Technology (TU9), where they’ll be stopping in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth – with a showcase of UTS Startups at 澳大利亚悉尼科技大学 to be followed by the flagship event to be co-hosted by ATN and the Victorian Government ahead of a campus tour of 澳大利亚科廷科技大学 .

My thanks too to our friends and partners the Tech Council of Australia ,?who invited me to speak on a panel at the Digital Employment Forum in Canberra as I did at the recent Australian University Senior Finance Officers Group’s (AUSFOG) conference at The University of Newcastle.?

And finally, Under The Microscope this month comes to us from Jennifer Matthews a Deputy Team Leader at the UTS Future Reefs Program. We hope you enjoy her remarkable story which is also told in-depth on the ATN Universities website. Please?enjoy all the other interesting reports in this latest edition of ATN Advocate.?

Luke Sheehy

ATN Executive Director

David Lloyd address to National Press Club

This week’s address to the National Press Club was delivered by University of South Australia Vice-Chancellor and Universities Australia Chair, Professor David Lloyd.?

Professor Lloyd focused on the crucial role of Higher Education in Australia’s future prosperity, telling the packed NPC auditorium:

“Our nation’s future prosperity, its vibrancy, its competitiveness, and its social cohesion is all intrinsically linked to how well our nation’s university system is enabled to deliver on its mission.”

“Our vulnerability becomes a nation’s vulnerability. A good university system counteracts this. A good university system supports the education of the skilled professionals we need. A good university system supports the research and development that will continue to drive Australia forward – safely and successfully. A good university system is for the whole community, not just certain sections. And a good university system is deeply engaged with that community.”

ATN Perspectives Podcast

The latest episode of our higher education podcast?ATN Perspectives?is now available. This episode is the first part of our Universities Accord series, focusing in on the Accord as it rolls out.?

In this episode, ATN Executive Director Luke Sheehy sits down with Mish Eastman from RMIT and Andrew Norton from ANU to dissect the Accord interim report and give their views on what works, and what needs to be changed before a final review is handed down.

Listen to the episode here.

Read our full interview with Dr Jen Matthews on our website.

Political Perspectives

澳大利亚迪肯大学 ’s ManuFutures 2 hub was officially opened recently at the Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus by Victoria’s Minister for Manufacturing Sovereignty, Ben Carroll (pictured below with Vice-Chancellor Professor Iain Martin)?

ManuFutures is Australia’s unique advanced manufacturing innovation hub, located within the heart of Deakin’s Future Economy Precinct, which helps businesses to accelerate success through its unique facilities, programs and services. ManuFutures has been a significant and growing part of Deakin’s success since its establishment in 2018, helping create over $1 Billion in company value, hosting over 500 student placements and creating over 120 direct new jobs. Following a $20 million contribution from the Victorian Government, under the Victorian Higher Education Investment Fund, the already successful hub will now double in size with expansion due for completion in Q3 2022.?

University of Newcastle transfers land to Central Coast Council for community use?

UTS award-winning bachelor program partners with the University of Arizona?

RMIT researcher’s experimental proton battery could one day replace lithium-ion batteries?

Deakin’s ISRII to be part of $7m SmartSat project?

UniSA appoints its first Chair in Regional Housing and Planning amid housing crisis?

Curtin’s MWA project celebrates ten-year milestone with major upgrade?

AUSFOG appearance in Newcastle

ATN Executive Director Luke Sheehy delivered the keynote address at The Australian University Senior Finance Officers Group’s (AUSFOG) annual conference in Newcastle in late July, with The University of Newcastle nominated as this year’s host institution.?

Luke provided the gathering details of the peak body’s view of the Universities Accord process including the short-term priority areas for the sector.?

A piece of PIE on the Gold Coast

The PIE Live was a two-day conference held across 24 and 25 July on the Gold Coast, looking at current issues within international education, bringing together leaders and aspiring leaders working in international education from the region to learn about subject areas and products.

Included among the panel sessions:

• Building back better – What does better look like and are we on the right track – with Professor Kent Anderson
• The immigration tightrope – balancing policy and politics – Phil Honeywood, CEO of IEAA
• Radical education delivery – including Ms Wendy Palmer from Deakin University
• Weathering the storm. Why TNE offers a solid foundation for growth – with Sally Way from ATN Universities

Have a story to share about your university?

If you have anything of interest for us to include in the next edition of ATN Advocate, please send it to [email protected]

Want to stay in the loop with ATN Universities?

Click here to subscribe to our mailing list.