annual report/2006 - University of Melbourne

inding the
strands together/
Improving Effectiveness
and Efficiency
The annual Quality of University
Management and Administration
(QUMA) survey assesses perceptions
of the Administration’s service delivery
across the University. The 2006 QUMA
survey shows general improvement in
satisfaction with central administrative
services. Areas of best performance
included communications, public
affairs, Melbourne Research Office
services, leadership programs for
staff and Access Melbourne. Areas
nominated for further improvement
were knowledge transfer, shared
services implementation, development
of commercialisation strategies, the
University’s enterprise systems and
space planning and infrastructure. Only
three services of the 111 surveyed
ranked less than four on a five-point
scale of importance.
Further administrative efficiencies
were gained as improved management
systems came on-stream in 2006.
Significant progress was made in
implementing new IT systems,
discussed in the Information Services
section on p 56 of this Report. In
particular Themis (Research), the
Content Management System and
the Student Portal, will enhance the
University’s capacity to capture and
manage data in an effective manner.
Approval was given to purchase and
implement a new student system to
replace the in-house developed Merlin.
Simplifying Planning
In 2006 the University adopted
a proposal for streamlining and
simplifying the University’s planning
and accountability cycles. From 2007
the University will have a single annual
plan containing goals and targets,
supplemented by more detailed plans
in areas of key strategic significance.
Underpinning policy statements will
provide detailed guidance in areas such
as equity and capital planning.
Operational planning will be managed
centrally through the Budget and
Capital Plans, and at faculty level,
through Business Plans. Annual quality
assurance processes will also be
consolidated and streamlined.
Managing Risk and Compliance
In 2006 the Victorian Workcover
Authority noted a series of occupational
health and safety risks in the University.
While all were resolved, the Authority
expressed concern at the level of
understanding and support of the
issues from managers. Responding
to the concern, the University
allocated $80,000 to improve training
and understanding of staff of their
occupational health and safety
responsibilities and obligations.
A new approach has seen responsibility
for risk assessment and development
of mitigation strategies increasingly
devolved from the central University
administration during the year. Faculties
and divisions now incorporate risk
analysis into their business planning.
A Crisis Management Plan, designed
to establish a framework for business
operations continuity during a sustained
emergency, was developed and will be
tested in 2007.
Outlook
In 2007 the University will continue
to respond to restructuring needed for
optimal implementation of Growing
Esteem with a particular emphasis on
providing high level administrative and
program support for students. This
will be underpinned by a substantial
initiative to support training for the
staff involved in delivering those
services. Implementation of the
recommendations of the Shared
Services Review will continue.
profile
Dr Janice Stockigt
University musicologist Dr Janice
Stockigt discovered Antonio Vivaldi’s
‘lost’ work Dixit Dominus, while
researching in the Saxon State
Library on Dresden last year. It is
regarded as the finest Vivaldi work
to have emerged since the 1920s
and had for some centuries been
misattributed to the composer
Baldassarre Galuppi.
The University’s Faculty of
Music presented the Australian
premiere of Dixit Dominus at a
recital in April.
Dr Stockigt was previously awarded
the University’s inaugural Woodward
Medal for a significant contribution
in the area of humanities at the
University. She has also received
the Derek Allen Prize from the
British Academy for her book Jan
Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) and a
Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship from
the Australian Research Council.
The University of Melbourne Annual Report 2006
61