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

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TARGETING STRATEGIC SUPPORT TO BUILD ON STRENGTHSSouthern Cross UniversityImproving overall research performance at Southern Cross University startedwith an initial five-year change process stimulated by successive vicechancellorswho have had a particularly strong influence on the directions andthe change process. The University set out to differentiate its approach fromother universities. The change process included a shift in the internal budgetallocation to research aimed at increasing the productivity in the areas that theUniversity knew it was good at. Some areas targeted for a significant shift inperformance had been working towards national and international standingfor over a decade: the last five years provided them with a marked step-upin research activity. At the same time an opportunistic approach by seniorexecutive encouraged some areas to come out of left field.The strategic actions to build on these developments included establishinggood industrial linkages: the University decided that it was important to try forlarger grants and industry was the best potential source. The University has alsomade a point of looking for long-term relationships with a small number ofinstitutions of the same kind. The relationships are not just faculty-to-faculty butuniversity wide, and since they are multi-stranded are more likely to endure.Strategic support was also focused on recruiting research active staff; theDeputy Vice-Chancellor takes a direct role in selection panels for new staffto ensure that appointees have strong research records. These appointmentsset up a positive cycle of attracting and retaining high quality post-doctoralstudents. With that came new approaches to performance management tosend clear signals through promotions and work allocations that research isvalued. The University has a continuous review process in place where thoseareas not doing so well are identified and new targets set. Higher degrees havebeen the subject of particular attention with steps to lift the whole profile ofhigher degree research and the impact that it has on the research profile of theinstitution.84 A handbook for executive leadership of research development
Principle 10. Strengthen the alignment of research and teachingThe benefits of strengthening research–teaching relationships are often overlookedin the initial phase of research development reforms in the face of more urgent andimmediate tasks of capacity building. However, the process of making connectionsbetween research and teaching should be a major component of the morefundamental goal of achieving sustainable improvements in the nature, level andquality of research.Universities that have been successful in charting a new course focus onstrengthening the connections between research and teaching to underpin thecultural shift to a research-oriented workforce. As we noted in the introductorysection to the handbook, productively connecting research and teaching rather thanseparating the two areas in a kind of competitive tension is a characteristic of thesehighly dynamic university research cultures.Much of the success of the transformation process hinges on the work culture ofacademics. Spending significant resources on the recruitment of research activeacademics should be accompanied by systematic measures to retain them, includinga satisfying work environment. Major research intensive universities instinctivelyrecognise the importance of sensitively managing the balance of permittingsubstantial freedom in the ways academics arrange their academic lives, whilemaintaining their primary obligation to the mission of the institution.The executive leadership position statement on research-teaching connectionsshould therefore explicitly acknowledge the critical importance of core academicvalues and aspirations, especially those centred on academic autonomy, leavingroom for interpretation at the local level. It is useful to consider that tapping intothe preference of most research-active academics to engage in both researchand teaching in a meaningful and balanced way, has the major overall benefit ofimproving their general level of work satisfaction.What it means in practiceIdentify practical steps and tangible benefits to support changeThe importance of aligning research and teaching is widely acknowledged in missionstatements but not always central to the actions of executive leaders of researchas they go about the task of increasing research productivity. While there may bea general view that the link between research and teaching is important for theFocus 4 — Developing a research-oriented workforce85
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A HANDBOOK FORExecutiveleadershipof
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A publication of the Centre for Lea
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ForewordDuring a period of signific
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AcknowledgmentsThis handbook was co
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IntroductionThis handbook is a sour
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Executive leadership of researchA c
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The principles and elements are app
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A background briefing on the eviden
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By far the best background or envir
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• clear goals that serve a coordi
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2. Leadership, management and acade
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in relation to the environment cond
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Table 1. HR strategies to grow rese
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incentives to undertake research (i
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Principles and elements25
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Principle 1. Create a compelling vi
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concrete and tangible form that fit
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Compile a vision statement that exc
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Page 43 and 44: REVITALISING PRODUCTIVITYDeakin Uni
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Page 47 and 48: across disciplines. This is particu
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Page 51 and 52: Principle 4. Devolve leadership of
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Page 55 and 56: Recognise and reward research leade
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Page 59 and 60: Principle 5. Build on current stren
Page 61 and 62: A core task of the executive leader
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Page 67 and 68: Principle 6. Invest in research inf
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Page 79 and 80: Principle 8. Invest in early career
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Page 83 and 84: BUILDING ON STRENGTHSUniversity of
Page 85 and 86: Principle 9. Provide direction for
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Page 97 and 98: Kenna, R. & Berche, B. (2011). Crit
Page 99: About the authorsCraig McInnis is a
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