The mission of the University of Southern Queensland (USQ), like universities the world over, is to lead in economic and social development through higher education and research excellence. But unlike metropolitan universities, USQ’s community-centred values are grounded in our regional ...

This past August, I found myself again at Gulkula in northeast Arnhem Land for the 20th anniversary Garma Festival run by the Yothu Yindi Foundation on the lands of the Gumatj clans of the Yolngu. Charles Darwin University’s engagement with this ...

Aboriginal involvement in key decision-making areas is paramount for a whole-of-university approach to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence, with the overall aim being shared responsibility and accountability across the whole university. Under-representation of Aboriginal peoples on high-level committees and ...

Dawn Freshwater has an eye towards the future. The University of Western Australia’s 18th vice-chancellor believes her institution can be an agent for change in WA, and beyond, by contributing to good policy and discussion. Hailing form the UK, Freshwater ...

The change in the relationship between universities and students has been revolutionary – but its benefits are many. I was honoured to be asked to speak recently at the Universities Australia annual conference about a topic that sits at the ...

Why governments and universities should reconsider their dependence on international students as a major means of funding. I recently mentioned to a group of newly arrived students that Australia once offered free education to international university students. They looked at me ...

How are we preparing graduates for these times and the next? How are we preparing our polity, our economy, our society for these times and the next? Some time ago now, in a discussion about why China is investing heavily in ...

How universities keep the wheels of the new economy turning. In the year I took up the role of vice-chancellor at the University of South Australia, GM Holden, one of Australia’s most iconic brands, announced it would be closing down its ...

How higher education might respond to AI and the case for lifelong learning Higher education has, for decades, been instrumental in developing and adopting new technology and new ways of working. From the beginning, universities cultivated the so-called digital revolution ...

Volunteers contribute an enormous amount to Australia’s major civic institutions, including universities. The slogan ‘more give, less take’ applies far more to universities than to any bank in Australia. And that fact is even more pronounced in regional areas. As ...