The year 2006 saw the release of Growing Esteem, a strategy which seeks to ensure the University’s place in an evolving global knowledge economy. This approach “embraces the notion of a triple helix: a public spirited institution, defined by tightly-bound strands of research, teaching and knowledge transfer, offering its students, staff and community one of the finest universities in the world.”[92]
The helix is an apt metaphor for the complex and shifting relations between three spheres of activity which are tightly bound, each reinforcing the others.
Integral to achieving the Growing Esteem vision will be the way in which our information services, systems, technologies and spaces come together to underpin the educational model, to enhance the quality of the student experience and to provide the foundation for strategic agility in a changing global environment.
The following sections, modelled on the concept of the triple helix, outline Melbourne’s aspirations and pose questions for the University given the changing environment in which we operate.
3 Comments
Dear Review,
My comment comes from a former U of M staff member now employed by VU. My scholarly work is published in top-ranking international journals & I am potentially a future collaborator with U of M researchers.
In my work, I often need access to specialised publications held at the University of Melbourne, including in the CARM store and the stacks of the ERC. There are also journals that I read but that VU will never be able to afford to buy for one or two specialised users.
At present it is difficult for outsiders to access the U of M collections and electronic material. In the past, the honorary system at Departmental level enabled friends of existing staff to access the U of M resources. This was always inequitable. But this system is breaking down as new funding arrangements limit Department’s willingness to make honorary appointments (at least, ones that don’t have a direct monetary gain for the Department).
I think there needs to be a mechanism for scholars not attached to U of M’s social networks to access the research collection.
First, it would increase the useage of this magnificent resource.
Second, is in the University of Melbourne’s interest for Melbourne as whole to generate as many world-class scholars as possible. This helps with cross fertilisation of ideas and keeps Melbourne staff on the toes (competition).
Third, restricting access encourages misrepresentations. For example, I am currently planning to enrol in a community subject every semester, just so I can buy library access. This is silly, of course, but as a ‘friend of the Bailleau’ i can’t get access to electronic journals.
So here is my proposal: What about a scholarly facilitation scheme in which recognised scholars and authors in Melbourne (retired, unemployed, working for inferior universities etc)can for a modest fee obtain full library access? You could use the RQF or equivalent metrics to find out who qualifies. If you wander through the Bailleau in January, you will see us there, working away. If we could take the books home, we wouldn’t be taking up a seat! But then, its good for undergraduates to rub shoulders with committed researchers at work.
A final point- despite the drumming of the story that Melbourne is leading research, there are many insular, inward-looking and defensive strategies among U of M academics. This is unhealthy and could be addressed by opening up the University to a community of intellectual peers.
Yours Sincerely
Sally Weller
from my experience i m interested in every knowledges thats y i can connect economic science politic may b i m pointless guy which have no aim just hungry for knowledges eventually u will at first c this world as elephant ear then tail then legs when u have a very strong foundation of knowledges eventually u will c this world as elepant or connect all the knowledges or b a polymath full of conflicts like duality of light very confusing world just depend on what perspective u r looking in the world problems until now i just can said this world is never ending stories n history keep repeat thats just depend on u learnt to survive or u learnt to enjoy the knowledge if u learnt to survive u will b specialist if u learnt to enjoy the never ending of knowledges eventually u will b polymath just like u want broadband of knowledge or narrowband of knowledge haha
i think oz need some utopia universities to invest heavily in education to open the pandora box of new products or services for blue oceans strategy for oz aging population or knowledge economic ,if u privatize too many universities the pressure to learning
will increase ….i think the libraries can digital the no copyright books to ebook n build one wimax then the whole university will become virtual library even can read ebook (in future generation will enjoy reading in notebook rather than real books just my opinion)
wirelessly in toilet since different ppl
have different way of learning some enjoy smoking while learning some enjoy in libraries some enjoy in sunbathing while learning n solved the libraries traffic jam woow so ideal or utopia university i think without support of oz government it is very hard to lower the cost of learning to be cutting edge knowledge or attract the think tanks give some free knowledges to growing esteem haha while also know what is the real world is happening now from the users feedback to adapt the ever changing environment better to predict the future problems since there is no perfect knowledge in this world if u give some free knowledge u will get free feed back about the flaw of the knowledge like newton law hack by einstein law mean theory is unbreakable
or evolving superfast world during this globalization or cyberworld age if the cost of knowledges is too high ppl will seek internet knowledges like wiki ahha y this world so many conflict is some ppl level of knowledge c this world as elepahant tail some ppl level of knowledge c this world as elepant ear thats y this world is confusing n conflict world haha i think they must be a balance between virtual uni n real uni
like chinese proverb said everbody eat rice but it feed 100 differnt type of ppls haha flexiblity is very good to adapt super fast changing world