Review of JCU Cairns

1
Review of JCU Cairns

• Conducted by Emeritus Professor Barry Conyngham
  AM
• JCUS Response

2
Review of JCU Cairns

• Four key imperatives
• It is imperative for JCU to be the University for
  the whole of North and Far North Queensland and
  to continually inform, engage and be responsive
  to its community.
• The imperative to investigate ways to distinguish
  the curriculum and educational strategy of JCU
  Cairns.
• The imperative to demonstrate that research
  contributes to the economic and social wellbeing
  of the region.
• The imperative for substantial changes to be made
  to the distribution of management and
  decision-making structures so as to reflect the
  growing size and importance of JCU Cairns.

3
Review of JCU Cairns

• GOVERNANCE
• Recommendation 14
• That given the imperative for JCU to be the
  University for the whole of North and Far North
  Queensland, JCU Cairns be given maximum freedom
  to respond to specific local opportunity not with
  progress towards an autonomous campus in mind,
  but rather by becoming a more integrated part of
  an efficient and responsive single university for
  northern Queensland.
• Council welcomes this recommendation and
  endorses the comments of the Consultant on the
  need for JCU in Cairns to become a more
  integrated part of an efficient and responsive
  single university for northern Qld, and to have
  the freedom to respond to specific local
  opportunity. The Universitys responses to
  recommendations 1, 3, 8, 9 and 10 will enable
  this to occur.

• Governance

4
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 21
• That the challenges posed by the Research
  Quality Framework process are best met by a
  single large integrated University that continues
  to bring together the combined forces of North
  and Far North Queensland.
• Council especially welcomes and endorses this
  recommendation as it acknowledges that scale and
  capacity are essential in the current funding
  climate. Also, that industry linkages,
  collaboration and co-location are essential
  elements of any leveraging of Federal and State
  level funding. JCU is actively pursuing new
  collaborative research partnerships in Cairns as
  a mechanism to build critical mass. The
  establishment of ATFI marks a major step forward
  as do the new associated research partnerships
  with CSIRO (TLJV), Qld DPIF (including the Rapid
  Assessment Unit) and the Dept of Environment
  Heritage (MTSRF). These new research initiatives
  on the Cairns campus give further substance to
  the standing of the campus as a world leader in
  tropical environment science and management.

• Governance

5
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 1
• Acting through appropriate channels and within
  the context of the Millennium Document the
  University should create a Five Year Plan for JCU
  Cairns. Where appropriate the planning process
  should take into account the findings of this
  Review.
• Council welcomes and endorses this principal
  finding and the imperative which underpins it.
  JCU commits to a continuing and developing
  presence in both Cairns and Townsville in
  perpetuity. The plan will be a dynamic document
  responsive to external and internal drivers for
  change, and each campus/regional plan will be a
  subset of the ongoing University wide planning
  process.

• Governance

6
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 2
• The Vice Chancellor should establish a JCU
  Business and Research Liaison Taskforce at JCU
  Cairns with the purpose of advising him how best
  to inform, engage and liaise with appropriate
  business and research leaders, and determine and
  respond to opportunities for the University in
  the Far North Coast Region. It is envisaged that
  the taskforce would have members drawn from the
  business and research communities as well as the
  University itself.
• The University accepts and would welcome active
  involvement of the community in its support for a
  University Business and Research Liaison
  Taskforce. This initiative will require broad
  community as well as University investment in
  time and resources to drive the Terms of
  Reference for this Taskforce.

• Governance

7
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 5
• That the University through the appropriate
  processes establish a new School of Tourism and
  Hospitality Management based at JCU Cairns. Many
  undergraduate and post-graduate courses will
  continue to be offered across the University but
  specialisations, particularly in the
  post-graduate and research areas, should be made
  over the next three years at appropriate
  campuses.
• JCU will establish the James Cook University
  Centre for Tourism and Hospitality Management in
  Cairns in late 2006.

• Governance

8
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 6
• Investigate the establishment of a FNQ Research
  Centre for Sustainable Regional Development at
  JCU Cairns. A unique feature of the Centre would
  be its capacity to bring together
  cross-disciplinary research teams including
  socio-economic and biophysical researchers to
  address the longer-term challenges facing the FNQ
  region.
• The establishment of new research centres is
  integral to the further development of the Cairns
  campus and as a matter of priority JCU will
  identify and explore what research themes (eg
  hospitality tourism, sustainable regional
  development, agri-forestry) might provide the
  basis for a new research centre. Council is also
  pleased that the importance of research in
  driving the business of the University has been
  increasingly recognised by the regional
  community. In 2006, the University will open
  ATFI, which will consolidate the standing of the
  Cairns campus as a world-leading centre for
  tropical rainforest research. ATFI will be the
  base for the Cairns node of the MTSRF as well as
  for a new research partnership with CSIRO, the
  TLJV. The MTSRF and TLJV will add significantly
  to the research profile of the Cairns campus.

• Governance

9
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 20
• That the University continue to encourage and
  monitor research undertaken by staff at JCU
  Cairns. Further, that a FNQ Research Centre for
  Sustainable Regional Development be established
  at JCU Cairns (see Recommendation 6).
• Regionally-focussed research based in JCU Cairns
  is an integral part of the Universitys research
  portfolio and this is reflected in staff and
  capital infrastructure planning. The
  establishment of a research centre was addressed
  under recommendation 6, as well as other
  significant investments in research development
  in Cairns.

• Governance

10
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 7
• That the University consider establishing a
  Tropical Public Policy Institute or Think Tank
  based in Cairns. This would be an exercise of
  focus and leadership to facilitate discussion and
  publication by university, regional, state and
  international thinkers capable of contributing to
  the development of public policy in relation to
  issues dealing with living in the tropics.
• Council will investigate the extent to which the
  Universitys resources are able to establish such
  an institute. There is potential that the
  development of the Tropical Public Policy
  Institute could be a task incorporated in the
  Terms of Reference for the Business and Research
  Liaison Taskforce. Any Institute or Think Tank
  would include fundraising activities for topical
  research, community consultation, conferences and
  papers as required.

• Governance

11
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 16
• That the University establish an International
  Marketing Strategy and Implementation Group at
  JCU Cairns.
• The University will establish such a group in
  Cairns to provide input to the University wide
  international marketing strategy.

• Governance

12
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 17
• That the University investigate a separate JCU
  Cairns Study Abroad package. Further, that the
  University investigate future needs for
  accommodation on or near JCU Cairns.
• In line with Priority Objective 4
  Internationalisation articulated in the
  Millennium document, JCU seeks every opportunity
  to market attractive Cairns based programs, not
  just Study Abroad, to international students.
  Student Accommodation is acknowledged as one of
  the attractions for overseas students and our
  capacity to meet the demand is under continual
  review.

• Governance

13
Review of JCU Cairns

• MANAGEMENT
• Recommendation 3
• That the University through the appropriate
  processes ensure that, while many courses and
  degrees are available at both locations, there is
  significant difference in the courses originating
  from JCU Cairns and JCU Townsville.
• Recognising that many of our courses will be
  common to both, we acknowledge the value of
  differentiation and specialisation at each
  campus. JCU now offers several unique courses in
  Cairns including Creative Industries, Hospitality
  Management and Multimedia Gaming. In line with
  the recommendation, we will continue to actively
  pursue differentiation and specialisation of
  course offerings at each campus. In particular we
  will look at the possibility of increasing our
  suite of health related programs in areas
  currently not available and will be seeking
  Government support for such initiatives.

• Management

14
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 4
• That the Vice Chancellor allocate a proportion
  of Cairns EFTSL load to the PVC (Cairns
  Academic Planning and Development) who will then,
  after negotiation, reallocate load to the
  Faculties, with the intention of encouraging
  differentiated or new course offerings at that
  campus. Some of the criteria for allocation would
  be that these programs focus on interdisciplinary
  or cross-disciplinary studies connect to the
  distinguishing characteristics of the region and
  seek to increase the size of classes at JCU
  Cairns.
• Strategically this would be difficult to
  implement given the lack of demand, and appears
  to be based on a misunderstanding about the
  relationship between demand and EFTSL. Enrolments
  are demand driven, and reallocation of Student
  Load between Townsville and Cairns will not
  impact the demand for courses. JCU obtained extra
  DEST allocated places in the last round, but has
  had great difficulty in filling these. Whilst JCU
  is currently under enrolled, the University
  agrees that when the demand in Cairns determines
  an increase in load that this would be done.

• Management

15
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 8
• That the University acting through the
  appropriate channels and within a reasonable
  period should ensure that the proportion of the
  Senior Management Group (possibly in time
  including the DVC) based at JCU Cairns, reflects
  the proportion of the University student load at
  that campus.
• Recommendation 9
• That the Vice-Chancellor ensure that the
  proportion of the Office Directors and School
  Heads based at JCU Cairns reflects the proportion
  of the University student load at that campus.
• JCU has 26 Professorial positions in Cairns.
  Council believes that SMG positions should be
  located where they would be most effective, and
  would move staff accordingly. JCU will ensure
  that the proportion of staff - including senior
  staff at JCU Cairns is appropriate to the scale
  of activities.

• Management

16
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 10
• That the Vice Chancellor establish a
  Decision-Making Taskforce to review all
  mid-management and low-level decision-making,
  particularly that directly affecting students and
  staff on a day-to-day basis, with a view to
  consolidating responsibility upwards and then
  either delegating downwards or creating parallel
  responsibilities on a campus basis.
• This is a welcome recommendation and follows on
  the work already initiated by SMG in 2004 and
  2005 including the University wide Review of
  Administrative Processes conducted by an external
  consultant, and the review of administrative
  procedures and authorities in an effort to
  provide more more autonomy and effective, timely
  service for Cairns staff.

• Management

17
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 13
• That the Vice Chancellor establish a
  Decision-Making Taskforce (see recommendation
  10).
• SMGs response to this recommendation is stated
  in response to Recommendation 10.

• Management

18
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 11
• That the University consider commissioning an
  in-depth study into university participation
  rates for FNQ with a view to increasing the
  number of people attending university in general
  and JCU in particular. It is assumed that such a
  study would look at issues of demographics, work
  patterns and age distribution.
• A study has been funded through Strategic
  Initiatives for 2006. This will provide the
  necessary information to the University. This
  study will be managed by PVC (CID).

• Management

19
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 15
• University commission an in-depth study into
  university participation rates for FNQ (see
  Recommendation 11).
• Councils response to this recommendation is
  stated in response to Recommendation 11.

• Management

20
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 12
• That a formal Office of the Vice-Chancellor be
  established at JCU Cairns. This would house
  members of the Senior Management group if based
  at Cairns and contain facilities for other
  members of the SMG when at JCU Cairns.
• These facilities already exist near the
  Pro-Vice-Chancellors office in Cairns. More
  formal recognition of these facilities will be
  made.

• Management

21
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 18
• That the University through the work of the JCU
  Business and Liaison Task Force and other
  consultative and university processes continue to
  investigate and appropriately introduce new and
  responsive disciplines and programs for delivery
  from JCU Cairns.
• The Terms of Reference for the Business and
  Research Liaison Taskforce will incorporate this
  recommendation, which is also supported by the
  University through recommendation 3.

• Management

22
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 19
• That the University investigate ways to develop
  different and more innovative learning techniques
  appropriate for cross-campus delivery. Further,
  to facilitate this, the University review the
  continuing development of video-aided teaching at
  the University. Finally as part of its ongoing
  review of teaching the University examine the
  teaching preparedness of all casual Tutors at JCU
  Cairns.
• The University is now undertaking reviews each
  Semester of its students feedback on teaching,
  and commits to the further development of
  innovative teaching techniques and delivery of
  its programs. The Academic Induction program was
  introduced in 2004 to assure the quality of JCU
  teaching and provide guidance on resources
  available.

• Management

23
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 22
• That the University
• (a) (given that on balance there is not a case
  for establishing an independent CBD presence)
  investigate the possibility of a joint CBD
  facility with FNQ TAFE.
• (b) investigate ways of increasing further
  collaboration and cooperation with FNQ TAFE and
  public and private schools in FNQ.
• (c) in relation to the ELC, investigate future
  needs for accommodation on or near JCU Cairns.
• The University will investigate further
  collaboration with FNQ TAFE, public and private
  schools, and the business community and agrees
  that it would be very useful to have clear and
  rational assessment of use of future
  accommodation requirements in Cairns.

• Management

24
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 23
• That the University establish a Local Marketing
  Strategy Task Force at JCU Cairns to examine and
  make suggestions to appropriate existing bodies
  within the University regarding increasing the
  entry level and graduate performance on
  completion of studies, and lowering the attrition
  rates of students at JCU Cairns.
• This recommendation is endorsed by the
  University which is actively reviewing ways to
  recruit and retain students at JCU, especially in
  the current trend of a decline in domestic demand
  for tertiary education.

• Management

25
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 24
• That the University improve the mechanisms for
  media liaison (e.g. wider distribution of press
  releases to say business, community and political
  offices) and improve awareness of the activities
  and location of JCU Cairns (e.g. improved signage
  on main highways and at the airport).
• The suggestions made in this recommendation are
  good ones and will be implemented. We have
  broadened our electronic releases to
  parliamentary representatives and members of
  Councils, local Government and the business
  community. Any person interested in receiving
  these releases will be added to the list.
  Management sees a major potential role for the
  Business and Research Liaison Taskforce referred
  to in recommendation 2, in improving local
  awareness of the activities of JCU Cairns.

• Management

26
Review of JCU Cairns

• Recommendation 25
• That the University continue to respond to the
  views and aspirations of its staff and students
  on the future of James Cook University.
• The University is committed to this
  recommendation.

• Management