ATN Advocate - March 2024
Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN Universities)
ATN brings together six of Australia's most innovative universities: Curtin, Deakin, RMIT, Newcastle, UniSA and UTS
Welcome from the Executive Director?
Hello again to readers of ATN Advocate, our regular update on the policy and advocacy work by the team across the country.
Given this edition comes to you after a week of top-level, high-energy engagement with government and sectoral colleagues in the nation’s capital I think it appropriate to borrow a line from the political landscape and say – a week is a long time in Higher Education.
It was certainly a pleasure to be at the pointy end of proceedings this past week, as a busy (an adjective which borders on the understatement of the year) period was kicked into gear inside Committee Room 1R3 at Parliament House as executives listened intently to Professor Mary O’Kane, architect of the Australian Universities Accord, as she outlined the key recommendations of the final report. That final report, complete with 47 recommendations, was delivered for public consumption and broad analysis by Education Minister Jason Clare on Sunday at Fairfield in south-western Sydney at the Western Sydney study hub, bringing together WSU, UTS and UNSW.
A note of thanks to the Minister for taking time out of a hectic schedule, in between division bells, to speak all things Accord in his parliamentary office with me and ATN Chair, Professor Harlene Hayne CNZM, where we also took the opportunity to brief him and his advisory team on the exciting events ahead as we celebrate ATN25.
One of the most pleasing aspects off the back of determined and consistent work by the ATN Universities team since late 2022 is that much of that toil has borne fruit. In fact, as we pored over the 400+ page document it became quickly apparent that many aspects of the Accord are the embodiment of the ATN group, what we stand for and what we aim to deliver – equitable access and student success. Equity has been and will remain a central part of our DNA, it’s who we are. From the Implementation Advisory Committee, to the establishment of an Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), a new funding model, the alignment of Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training, pathway programs and building the enabling infrastructure – it’s been made clear that this generational reform agenda is a marathon, not a sprint?— a legacy we must leave for future generations?— and we will be there, every step of the way assisting, guiding, informing and implementing.
Our congratulations too must be extended to the Universities Australia team for their Solutions Summit, which served to turbo-charge discussions around the Accord, and other pertinent issues, through a series of enlightening keynote speeches and eminent panels.
The ATN team has little time to catch our collective breath as we prepare to welcome our UK Alliance partners and their future leaders on a visit of our campuses next month, along with planning for the first of our ATN25 Lecture Series.
This month’s Under The Microscope of 2024 comes to you from Professor Karin Verspoor of RMIT with some intriguing insights into artificial intelligence research.
Please enjoy that story and this edition of ATN Advocate.
Frank Coletta
ATN Executive Director (Interim)
ATN Perspectives Podcast
The latest episode of our higher education podcast?ATN Perspectives?is now available, featuring journalists Tim Dodd (The Australian) and Caitlin Cassidy (The Guardian).
Listen to the episode here.
Universities Accord - Generational Reform
The Universities Accord is a blueprint for the future of tertiary education in Australia. The ambition and aspirations in the final report delivered by Education Minister Jason Clare after the monumental work over 16 months of Professor Mary O’Kane and her expert panel?will potentially shape tertiary education for years to come.
We owe a debt of thanks to them all:
The ATN Universities group welcomes the game-changing initiatives outlined across 47 new recommendations, a roadmap which will help drive Higher Education for at least the next two decades, as important as the Dawkins and Bradley reforms were in their era.
UA Solutions Summit - Canberra
It was a high-level few days of policy, advocacy, teamwork and engagement for the ATN leadership team in the nation’s capital – during the Universities Australia?Solutions Summit 2024?#UASolutionSummit. The UA Summit kicked off with a welcome reception before all roads led to the National Convention Centre in Canberra for a two-day program of panel discussions and a gala dinner at Parliament House, including the announcement of the inaugural winners of the Shaping Australia Awards which saw ATN universities take home four awards.
The ATN Universities team including Chair, Professor Harlene Hayne CNZM; Interim Executive Director, Frank Coletta; Executive Officer, Rachel Mason and Programs Director, Dr Dee Halil; along with Policy Adviser, Mark Warburton; undertook several face-to-face catch-ups with key stakeholders including Minister Clare. It also provided our Vice-Chancellors, Policy Group, Deputy Vice-Chancellors, and Graduate Deans of Research the great opportunity to hold face-to-face meetings for the first time this year.
Political lens
The PM visits The University of Newcastle
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended The University of Newcastle's Hunter NEXUS event in February and told the audience:
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“I see the Newcastle Uni’s commitment to equity and excellence as a model that other universities around Australia should be looking to embrace and emulate.”
Deakin University recently celebrated the grand opening of the GIFT City Campus – India's first international branch campus. Located within Gujarat International Finance Tech-City (GIFT City), the new campus will give local Indian students access to Deakin's world-class, postgraduate courses in business analytics and cyber security, as well as several specialised short courses.
The opening ceremony was attended by an array of distinguished guests from government, academia and industry, including Deakin alumni Princess Jahnavi Kumari Mewar.
Our online program for HDR students
ATN Frontiers is a fully online program that develops HDR students’ knowledge, skills, and ability to shape the future of innovation and productivity in industry.
Open to all HDR students at our?ATN member universities. Students can find out more here.
Curtin develops new resources to tackle misinformation and extremism
New RMIT test to detect common infection in expecting mothers could save 150,000 lives?
Energy project from UTS celebrated in Energy Globe Awards?
RNA breakthrough at UniSA could lead to new forms of cancer treatment?
The University of Newcastle partnership expands the region's arts and culture commitment?
Bad Influence: Deakin study shows social media unreliable for nutrition advice??