Collaborating to protect small courses at universities

April 30, 2007

The University of New England is to host a conference for the Carrick Institute that will address an urgent need for Australian universities to increase collaboration if they are to continue to offer courses that have had a decline in student or staff numbers.

Given its relevance in helping to shape the future of higher education in Australia, the organisers expect the conference to attract a great amount of interest. The "Collaboration to offer small courses/subjects" conference will explore how universities can offer greater flexibility in the future through small or short courses offered in association with other institutions.

UNE's Dr Belinda Tynan (pictured - left), Associate Professor Kerry Dunne (pictured - right), and Dr Robyn Smyth, together with the Director of the Grants Scheme at the Carrick Institute, Professor Elizabeth McDonald, are convening the conference, which will be held on 17 and 18 May. (The Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Limited is an innovative Federal Government funding body with a role comparable – in the field of teaching – to that of the Australian Research Council in funding research in the nation's tertiary education sector.) For more information on the conference, contact Dr Tynan on (02) 6773 3196, or visit www.une.edu.au/collaborating/

This unique conference is limited to 60 delegates: two each from organisations, to ensure interactivity and a representative spread from the tertiary education sector. "The Carrick Institute has recognised the importance of the conference, underwriting the conference costs for delegates over the two days," Dr Dunne pointed out. "Delegates only need to cover travel and accommodation costs."

"Australian universities pride themselves on being able to offer a broad range of study and course opportunities," Dr Tynan said. "That depth of course options can be threatened when the numbers of students or staff decline, rendering them unfeasible. However, universities can continue to offer these small courses and maintain a high degree of diversity through creative collaboration between each other, alternative institutions and the private sector. Once you start reducing courses at a university, it impacts upon a range of things, such as the capacity for research, the interaction between students in different disciplines, and even the foundations for higher-level courses.

"The speakers at the colloquium have been – or are currently – involved in a collaboration to support specialist or low-enrolment courses/subjects. Through presentations, questions to presenters, and round table discussions, higher education specialists will develop their understanding of the nature of a successful collaboration and the issues that must be resolved to collaborate successfully on the delivery of small courses between institutions. Delegates will also be exposed to a range of models and the latest initiatives."

"There are many successful programs in the sciences and education," Dr Dunne said, "but the programs I know best are two in languages. When staffing levels at the University of Newcastle declined in 2005, UNE began delivering the German program there. At James Cook University in Townsville, there was one remaining staff member in French, so a collaborative approach has seen UNE supplementing what that staff member can deliver. These resourceful arrangements mean that students at these universities can continue to study a wide range of language subjects."

Posted by Jim Scanlan at April 30, 2007 04:54 PM