handbook-executive-leadership-of-research-development-pdf-v10

More documents

Recommendations

Info

create a sense of urgency with respect to removing obstacles to excellent researchsupervision and changing established practices that undermine the quality of thepostgraduate experience.What it means in practiceReframe student recruitment and retention strategiesNew research universities face special challenges in attracting talented studentsinto postgraduate programs. Some successful universities develop their recruitmentstrategies around particularly innovative approaches to postgraduate researchtraining, appealing to students looking for an alternative to traditional models. Theyalign the recruitment program with the research goals. These successful institutionsavoid simply mimicking established research-intensive universities and seek to createan approach that confirms the overall distinctiveness of their mission. In the longerterm this will require a constant cycle of renewal to capitalise on the appeal of newapproaches and new horizons: a reality that should be acknowledged in keepingwith the notion of a plan as a ‘living’ document.Recruiting is not just about marketing, it is specifically targeted at attracting studentswho will value being part of team making a difference in an area of enquiry aboutwhich they are passionate. For universities aiming to raise and sustain the qualityof the research student cohort, this means identifying the factors that influence thechoices of potential students as they relate to the specific research goals of theuniversity. It also means providing a unified and purposeful approach combiningthe strengths of the supervisor, department and university with the promise of strongsupport systems and a sense of belonging to a leading research community.Scholarships and awards schemes are a highly effective way of supporting targetedrecruitment and retention of outstanding postgraduates. They should be reinforcedby a clear emphasis in the wider benefits of being part of the new or renewedmission of the university. Examples of these include philanthropic, business andindustry sponsored scholarships around specific themes aligned with the researchgoals. However, in line with the view that excellence in research should be supportedwherever it is found in the university, tagged central funds should also be availableto support exceptional candidates in any field of study. Finally, the approach torecruitment will need to be renewed with a highly professional evidence-based80 A handbook for executive leadership of research development
strategy that meets best practice standards from student enquiries, offer andacceptance, and relationship management right through to the commencement andconfirmation stages.Raise standards of supervision and examinationYears of policy drift and idiosyncratic approaches to supervision and examinationpractices can lead to a pattern of poor student progress rates, extended time tocompletion, and low standards of examination across the university or within specificdiscipline areas. In many if not most cases a radical overhaul of higher degreeresearch programs is needed with the aim of turning performance around in thespace of three to four years.Close analysis of available data by the executive leader should identify the majorgaps from central records and student feedback on supervision, administration andsupport. The major aspects of interest usually include time to completion, completionrates, and patterns in the turnaround of examination to the final result. From thatmay evolve a closer more diagnostic faculty-by-faculty review, with support froma research leadership group, to explore more discipline-specific issues such asthe quality of examiners, the involvement of students in their supervisor’s researchprogram, levels of engagement with department and faculty activities and successionmanagement of supervision partnership arrangements.The examination system is an obvious target for review and change in caseswhere current supervisors may be locked into a pattern of low aspirations andexpectations where standards have declined as a consequence of internal andself-referencing processes. The introduction of external examiners is a useful step inraising understanding of the quality required. This sometimes leads to mandatingthat examiners should be recruited from external authorities, especially those frominternational benchmark universities, to push up the quality. Policy changes may evenextend to articulating principles and specific requirements with respect to protocolsand criteria for examination, and benchmarking against like disciplines in otheruniversities.Highly effective steps taken in some institutions also include changing thecomposition of higher degree research committees to include a clear majority ofmembers currently research active at a high level. This has the considerable benefitFocus 4 — Developing a research-oriented workforce81
Page 1:
A HANDBOOK FORExecutiveleadershipof
Page 4 and 5:
A publication of the Centre for Lea
Page 7 and 8:
ForewordDuring a period of signific
Page 9 and 10:
AcknowledgmentsThis handbook was co
Page 11 and 12:
IntroductionThis handbook is a sour
Page 13 and 14:
Executive leadership of researchA c
Page 15 and 16:
The principles and elements are app
Page 17 and 18:
A background briefing on the eviden
Page 19 and 20:
By far the best background or envir
Page 21 and 22:
• clear goals that serve a coordi
Page 23 and 24:
2. Leadership, management and acade
Page 25 and 26:
in relation to the environment cond
Page 27 and 28:
Table 1. HR strategies to grow rese
Page 29 and 30:
incentives to undertake research (i
Page 31 and 32:
Principles and elements25
Page 33 and 34:
Principle 1. Create a compelling vi
Page 35 and 36: concrete and tangible form that fit
Page 37 and 38: Compile a vision statement that exc
Page 39 and 40: Principle 2. Provide clear coordina
Page 41 and 42: Universities that make a significan
Page 43 and 44: REVITALISING PRODUCTIVITYDeakin Uni
Page 45 and 46: Principle 3. Create a competitive e
Page 47 and 48: across disciplines. This is particu
Page 49 and 50: the initial period of adjustment an
Page 51 and 52: Principle 4. Devolve leadership of
Page 53 and 54: The continuity of the leadership gr
Page 55 and 56: Recognise and reward research leade
Page 57 and 58: CREATING A CULTURE WHERE EVERYONE T
Page 59 and 60: Principle 5. Build on current stren
Page 61 and 62: A core task of the executive leader
Page 63 and 64: The executive leader needs to help
Page 65 and 66: LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS WITHSTRATEGI
Page 67 and 68: Principle 6. Invest in research inf
Page 69 and 70: markedly to find core staff —at c
Page 71 and 72: Focus 3 — Expanding research capa
Page 73 and 74: Principle 7. Focus appointment and
Page 75 and 76: establishes precedents that confirm
Page 77 and 78: BECOMING A SELECTIVELY RESEARCH-INT
Page 79 and 80: Principle 8. Invest in early career
Page 81 and 82: central support for building resear
Page 83 and 84: BUILDING ON STRENGTHSUniversity of
Page 85: Principle 9. Provide direction for
Page 89 and 90: is that they are there to help stud
Page 91 and 92: Principle 10. Strengthen the alignm
Page 93 and 94: and practices have often evolved ov
Page 95 and 96: There are a number of practical thi
Page 97 and 98: Kenna, R. & Berche, B. (2011). Crit
Page 99: About the authorsCraig McInnis is a
show all

handbook-executive-leadership-of-research-development-pdf-v10

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?