School of Anatomy & Human Biology - Strategic Plan 2006

Strategic Plan: 2006 to 2010

Our Mission

To develop Anatomy and Human Biology at local, national and international levels, and integrate the knowledge and processes of these disciplines for the benefit of all.

Our Focus

The School of Anatomy & Human Biology explores a core set of biological questions to enhance our understanding of the human condition. A diverse range of enquiries and technologies are applied to the integrative study of evolutionary biology, human ecology, human morphology, organ and tissue structure, cell and molecular biology, neuroscience, reproductive biology, immunology, forensic science, and the art-science interface.

Our Vision

Through the open and direct involvement of all staff we will achieve excellent performance in our scholarship, teaching and outreach. Our research base will improve in quality and grow in size to enhance our existing strength and will achieve yet further international recognition. Our current reputation for teaching excellence in Anatomy and Human Biology, and in Medical and Dental education, will be further enhanced.

We will maintain a healthy and supportive workplace environment and will, as a School, aim to be highly appreciated by the community because we value outreach interactions and directly relate our disciplines to everyday life.

Our Core Values

· Collegiality

· Integrity

· Respect

· Excellence

· Equity

· Diversity

Goals and Strategies

The School continually strives to improve its capacity to undertake its mission and hence increase the quality and quantity of its performance. We are confident that the specific goals and objectives outlined below are realistic within the current funding model over the next five years.

Research and Scholarship
	*Goal:* The School aims to improve both the quality and quantity of its research while capitalising on current diversity. Objectives and Strategies:
		(a)	Maintain growth of Higher Degree by Research enrolments up to an average of 3-4 per staff member.
		(b)	Develop a culture / expectation that PhDs should be normally completed within 3 to 4 years, while being cognisant of particular difficulties faced by some projects (eg, those involving fieldwork).
	Research Personnel:
		(c)	Increase the number of research-only staff within the School.
		(d)	Enhance the opportunities and career paths of postdoctoral research-only staff through local recognition and support for promotion.
	Research Funding and Infrastructure:
		(e)	Enhance research capacity through improved resources including time (i.e. reduced teaching loads) and infrastructure.
		(f)	Increase the proportion of staff receiving external funding (currently 40%) to two-thirds by 2010.
		(g)	Consolidate existing industry support and identify new opportunities.
		(h)	Enhance capacity for all laboratory-based research by continuous upgrade of shared infrastructure.
		(i)	Maintain a priority list for major infrastructure items for funding through recurrent and opportunistic schemes.
		(j)	Increase annual equipment budget progressively from the current $30,000 to $100,000 by 2010.
		(k)	Enhance CELLCentral’s capacity to serve research by attracting funds for its relocation in 2006.
	Research Output and Reputation:
		(l)	Increase the quality and quantity of publications by all staff.
		(m)	Promote publication of manuscripts from Honours projects and teaching-related research.
		(n)	Improve our research reputation within Australia and internationally by participation in marketing initiatives of the Faculty and University.
		(o)	Assign specific responsibilities for School publicity to high-profile academic staff.
		(p)	Facilitate staff attendance at national and international conferences, and staff involvement in collaborative research and teaching ventures.
		(q)	Enhance collaborative research interactions through support of international visitors to the School.

Teaching and Learning
	*Goal:* The School aims to improve further its reputation as a leader in teaching & learning performance. We will enhance teaching performance of academic staff by recognition and reward of teaching excellence and innovation. Objectives and Strategies:
		(a)	Ensure equitable academic staff teaching loads, including recognition of the need for early career academics to establish a research program.
		(b)	Enhance teaching infrastructure within the School.
		(c)	Improve retention of students to increase the pool of A&HB majors & Honours students, including promotion of the new Anatomical Sciences BSc Program.
		(d)	Promote and nurture the development of undergraduate and postgraduate student groups (eg, A&HB Student Society)
		(e)	Increase numbers of full-fee postgraduate coursework students in niche courses (Surgical Anatomy, Sleep Medicine etc)
	Quality and Evaluation
		(f)	Develop mechanisms for improved teaching evaluation including local peer-review.
		(g)	Capitalise on the new national focus on improving teaching & learning in universities by encouraging appropriate staff to seek external funding for teaching research projects (eg, Carrick Institute funding).
		(h)	Support staff in their promotion of innovative teaching developments.
		(i)	Encourage the use of teaching internships to develop new teaching strategies; make at least one application per year and ensure outcomes are published.
	The Teaching-Research Nexus
		(j)	Improve the 'Science' experience of our undergraduates in 2nd and 3rd years.
		(k)	Increase exposure of undergraduate students to quantitative analysis, including statistics, in 2nd and 3rd year units.
		(l)	Enhance student learning of generic skills in all units.
		(m)	Provide opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate students to participate in teaching, including student mentoring schemes.
	Infrastructure and flexible delivery
		(n)	Extend the amount of basic computer-aided learning hardware facilities from 60 to 120 units.
		(o)	Encourage staff to continue to expand the incorporation of innovative teaching strategies, including flexible delivery.
		(p)	Develop instruments to measure the impact of teaching innovations.
		(q)	Participate in programmes that enhance remote learning access and methodologies.
		(r)	Expand and improve our teaching resource centre as an adjunct to self-directed learning.
	Efficiencies
		(s)	Develop postgraduate coursework units as sub units of current undergraduate units.
		(t)	Increase the number of existing Science units that are available to Medical students as options.

Organization and Management
	*Goal:* The School aims to maximize the efficiency of all its resources, protect and improve collegial decision-making and provide an outstanding work-place environment for all those who work in it. Objectives and Strategies:
		(a)	Review organisational structure for effective management of School, Centres and sub-groups. Ensure clear roles and responsibilities and delegation of authority are communicated to all staff.
		(b)	Keep flexibility in the committee structure so that it is responsive to an ever-changing milieu. Commit to annual reviews of committee structure.
		(c)	Accounting system. Continue to work with Financial Services to deliver accurate information direct to individual academics for research and direct to management for School issues.
		(d)	Continue to improve the use of technology for communication.
		(e)	Establish priorities that reflect broad School needs and utilize these in all funding initiatives and opportunities.
		(f)	Ensure efficient management of data by use of integrated databases and avoid duplication of collection.
		(g)	Encourage staff participation / membership of university committees.

Resources
	*Goal:* The School aims to improve its physical resources to fairly reflect its relative performance, and to maximize the use of those resources. Objectives and Strategies:
		(a)	Broaden income streams to reduce reliance on the Faculty Funding Model.
		(b)	Support commercialisation of research and teaching innovations.
		(c)	Facilitate retirement opportunities for senior staff.
		(d)	Continue to develop the ‘Annum Distribution Model’ to reward performance in line with the Faculty Funding Model.
		(e)	Seek improvements in existing space and access to new space.
		(f)	Establish reserves for maintenance and replacement of equipment for teaching and research.
		(g)	Maintain shared facilities to maximize effective use of resources.

Outreach
	*Goal:* The School aims to develop its outreach activities to a broader base and in a way that encourages all staff and students to participate. Objectives and Strategies:
		(a)	Develop programmes for undergraduates to visit schools as part of their studies.
		(b)	Continue active involvement in Secondary School Human Biology arena, particularly in relation to Curriculum Council developments and the Tertiary Entrance Examination.
		(c)	Provide professional development workshops for secondary school teachers in areas of the School’s expertise.
		(d)	Continue to improve collaboration with CTEC in relation to technical, managerial and academic initiatives.
		(e)	Participate via SymbioticA in Art / Science workshops.
		(f)	Provide educational resources via the net.

Equity
	*Goal:* The School will provide an equal opportunity workplace for staff and students. Objectives and Strategies:
		(a)	At times of new appointments aim to increase the number of female staff, particularly at managerial levels.
		(b)	Develop mechanisms to ensure part-time staff can participate in the full range of School events.
		(c)	Provide appropriate ‘academic status’ for research-only staff.

Staffing and Industrial matters
	*Goal:* The School aims to attract and retain the highest quality staff and provide a high quality workplace environment. Objectives and Strategies:
		(a)	Further develop a workload model that fairly recognises the varied contributions individual academic staff members bring to our mission.
		(b)	Adopt School policies that promote an appropriate work-life balance.
		(c)	Make junior academic appointments to redress concerns over staff profile and to encourage development and rejuvenation.
		(d)	Enhance the opportunities and career paths of postdoctoral research-only staff through local recognition and support for promotion.
		(e)	Maintain a healthy and safe workplace.
		(f)	Promote awareness of the School’s Risk Management Plan.
		(g)	Provide opportunities for staff to develop skills appropriate to their work.
		(h)	Maintain and strengthen the collegial facet of decision-making.