Untitled - Annual Report 2004 - The University of Western Australia

2. Research and ScholarshipDesired OutcomeThe desired outcome in Research and Scholarship is to enhance the University’s ‘standing as one of Australia’s leading research universitiesand the premier research institution in Western Australia. There are two dimensions to this goal: firstly, the University is committed to theachievement of high quality research and scholarship, by international standards, across the whole spectrum of its disciplines; andadditionally, to the development of special research concentrations, of the very highest international standards, in selected areas ofparticular strength, importance and opportunity’. [Primary goal in Research and Scholarship, UWA Strategic Plan]Indicator 2.1 Higher Degree by Research International and Interstate EnrolmentsThis University’s success in attracting higher degree by research students is a reflection of its reputation for excellence in research asmeasured by the proportion of higher degree research students whose undergraduate qualification is from an overseas or an interstateinstitution. The following table of commencing higher degree research enrolments by undergraduate institution of origin shows that in 2004,46 per cent of the University’s commencing research students came from outside UWA, with 19 per cent from overseas institutions andnine per cent from interstate.Commencing Higher Degree by Research Enrolments by Undergraduate Institution Location, 2000 to 2004Overseas Interstate Other WA None (a) Sub-Total (b) UWA Total (b)2004 Enrolments by FacultyArchitecture, Landscape and Visual Arts 17% 33% 33% 0% 83% 17% 100%Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences 7% 14% 10% 2% 33% 67% 100%Economics and Commerce 21% 4% 21% 13% 58% 42% 100%Education 34% 6% 28% 12% 80% 20% 100%Engineering, Computing and Mathematics 25% 6% 2% 2% 34% 66% 100%Law 43% 14% 14% 0% 71% 29% 100%Life and Physical Sciences 14% 5% 7% 1% 27% 73% 100%Medicine and Dentistry 7% 13% 21% 4% 45% 55% 100%Natural and Agricultural Sciences 18% 12% 12% 3% 44% 56% 100%2004 Total 19% 9% 14% 5% 46% 54% 100%2003 Total 18% 10% 15% 1% 44% 56% 100%2002 Total 20% 10% 15% 1% 46% 54% 100%2001 Total 25% 10% 16% 5% 56% 44% 100%2000 Total 26% 13% 17% 2% 58% 42% 100%(a)No undergraduate studies undertaken, or prior institution not recorded.(b)Discrepancies between the sums of component items and the totals are due to rounding.With regard to fee-paying overseas doctoral students, a breakdown of their regional origin shows that over a five-year period, from 2000 to2004, the University attracted 243 doctoral students from all regions of the world—Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the Americasand the Pacific Region.Indicator 2.2 Higher Degree by Research Completions per Staff FTEThe numbers of higher degrees by research completed per staff member is a measure of the teaching-and-research staff productivity inresearch and scholarship. It should be noted that the University uses external examiners with international reputation to ensure that thedegrees that are conferred are of the highest international standard.The number of higher degree by research completions per 10 full-time equivalent (FTE) teaching-and-research staff members at lecturer orabove status (excluding casual staff appointments) has increased from 3.67 in 1999 to 3.90 in 2003. It should be noted that the staffing levelused for this ratio was the average staff FTE for the previous three years of teaching-and-research staff with a level B or above appointment,and excluded casual staff.92