Former vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake to head new uni review

Recently retired vice-chancellor of Queensland University of Technology Peter Coaldrake will lead a review of higher education category standards.

Former vice-chancellor of Queensland University of Technology Peter Coaldrake will lead a new university review.

In today’s Higher Ed Daily Brief: existential question, new chancellor for Swinburne

Looking at the fundamentals

Recently retired vice-chancellor of Queensland University of Technology Peter Coaldrake is back in the saddle leading a review of higher education category standards. This seemingly innocuous title hides something really fundamental — it goes to the very definition of a university.

Currently Australia has three types of domestic universities: regular universities (which include all the well known institutions) which must do research, as well as offer degrees at all levels in at least three broad fields of study; university colleges, which have slightly less stringent requirements, but must have a plan to become a university within five years; and specialist universities which operate in a narrow area of specialisation.

As many have pointed out, this leaves no room for a university-like institution whose function is only to teach, not do research. But there’s no reason why Australia shouldn’t have them when other countries, particularly the US, do.

Professor Coaldrake’s review will be issuing a discussion paper later this year and the merits of having teaching-only universities is likely to be one of the topics it tackles.

John Pollaers for Swinburne

Leading business figure and high level policy adviser John Pollaers will be the next chancellor of Swinburne University of Technology, taking over from Graham Goldsmith. Professor Pollaers chairs the Australian Advanced Manufacturing Council, the Australian Industry and Skills Committee, and the Aged Care Workforce Strategy Taskforce. He is a former CEO of Fosters Group and Pacific Brands.

He is known for being a strong advocate of experiential learning, which integrates workforce experience with education. He begins his role at Swinburne in February next year.