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Cover Story - Peer Review of Teaching
In this issue, Dr Kerri-Lee Harris, Senior Lecturer at the CSHE, explains the national project she has recently directed, Peer Review of Teaching in Australian Higher Education, which developed a suite of new resources to assist institutions to effectively implement policies and programs for peer review of teaching. View the complete article here, and download the project handbook here. From The Director
The attention of the Australian higher education sector is focused squarely on the recommendations of the Review of Australian Higher Education. CSHE policy research was highly influential in informing the review panel’s deliberations and its recommendations, especially in the areas of student finances, equity, social inclusion, international education and global engagement. Professor Simon Marginson was commissioned by DEEWR to prepare an advisory paper for the review panel. The CSHE was reviewed in late 2008 as part of the cyclical reviews of University of Melbourne research centres. The Review Panel comprised Professor Barry McGaw, Professor Frans van Vught (University of Twente), Professor Shirley Alexander (UTS), Professor Eleanor Mackie and Ms Anna-Maritza Martin. The review panel commented on ‘the extraordinary quantity and impact of the centre’s work’ and concluded that the quality and quantity of the Centre’s research and professional development activities ‘are of a very high standard, unique internationally and the clear leader in the field of higher education in Australia’. CSHE staff were particularly gratified by the acknowledgement of the Centre’s strong relationships with its stakeholders and the broad support and recognition for its expertise across the University of Melbourne. I thank and congratulate the Centre’s staff for their achievements, which provided the basis for this fine outcome from the review. The review has endorsed the importance of the relationship the CSHE strives to achieve between its policy-oriented research program and its professional development and consultancy work for the University of Melbourne. Easter greetings from all at the CSHE. Richard James, Centre Director CSHE Post
Premises Opening The CSHE and the LH Martin Institute formally celebrated the opening of new shared premises on February 19, hosted by the Dean of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education Professor Field Rickards (pictured right). Colleagues and associates gathered to toast the expansion of higher education research capacity within the University of Melbourne. In addition, University Provost Peter McPhee re-dedicated the Barbara Falk Room in memory of the CSHE's founder. New Projects The CSHE has recently commenced three new projects: Leading curriculum renewal, redesign and evaluation: The development of a guide for academic leaders in Australian universities. This project is funded by an ALTC grant, led by Professor Tom Angelo at La Trobe University, with Kerri-Lee Harris and Richard James contributing from the CSHE. National study of the first-year experience. A longitudinal study funded by the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR), led by Richard James and Claire Jennings. This study continues the CSHE's long tradition of influential research in this area. Victorian University Selection Practices. Richard James has also commenced a project on university selection practices for the Victorian state government. New Staff The CSHE welcomes Clinton Golding and Gabriele Lakomski. Clinton joins the CSHE on secondment from the Melbourne Graduate School of Education to support teaching and learning in the University of Melbourne's Breadth Subjects, and has recently been awarded a University of Melbourne prize for teaching excellence. Professor Lakomski joins the Centre as an Honorary Professorial Fellow, bringing her considerable experience from a distinguished career to support the Centre's research and teaching activities. 
Conferences In a busy start to the year Simon Marginson (pictured right) was invited to present at the conference 'Reforms and consequences in higher education system: An international symposium' at the Center for National University Finance and Management (CNUFM), National Center of Sciences, Hitotubashi Chiyoda-ku in Tokyo. A copy of Simon's paper National system reform in global context: The case of Australia can be found here. Simon has subsequently visited Vietnam and China. Bookshelf
Education, Science and Public Policy - Ideas for an Education Revolution Edited by Simon Marginson and Richard James. The chapters for the book were generated from the highly successful series of public policy seminars organised by the CSHE in 2007. The Melbourne Sessional Teachers' Handbook Authored by CSHE academic Chi Baik, this guide is a valuable resource for sessional teachers both new and experienced, wanting to 'brush up' on their teaching skills or simply looking for a starting point in their university teaching careers. Creativity and the Global Knowledge Economy Co-authored by Michael A. Peters, Simon Marginson and Peter Murphy. This book investigates the emerging set of complex relationships between creativity, design, research, higher education and knowledge capitalism. Spotlight
This issue we focus on two new Research Fellows, Dr Iona Annett and Dr Xin (Lynn) Yu, who have recently joined the CSHE. The CSHE warmly welcomes both. 
Dr Xin (Lynn) Yu Xin Yu joined the CSHE in December 2008 working on the ALTC project, “Enhancing Domestic and International Student Engagement: Strategies for influencing attitudes and behaviours” with a multi-institutional research team. The project aims to gather examples of good practice in teaching and learning contexts that enhance international and domestic student engagement and identify the possible factors that may hinder engagement. It will develop and disseminate novel teaching and learning approaches that create suitable environments for students to engage outside their cultural and socio-economic groupings for learning purposes, thereby creating a classroom environment that enhances learning for all students. Before coming to the CSHE, Xin worked as a research fellow at Monash University and RMIT University on a number of research projects. Her main research interests cover areas of intercultural competence, cultural mediation, assessment and feedback practices, work integrated learning and continuing professional development. 
Dr Iona Annett Iona joined the CSHE to work with Professor Simon Marginson and Professor Mark Considine on their ARC-funded project, "Boundary and strategy making in knowledge forming organisations". This project is examining emerging issues in the connections between universities and other knowledge forming and creating organisations in the private sector. It will gather data from North America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific to understand the policy needs and priorities of universities and private sector companies involved in the globalised knowledge economy. Iona's background is in political science, with a PhD from the University of Melbourne titled 'Federal Governance in the European Union'. Her professional experience has been with the Parliament of Victoria as a researcher with the Family and Community Development Committee and as a senior policy officer with a major institutional reform project at Victoria University. Iona hopes to contribute to the work of the CSHE through the results of this project and the pursuit of her interests in the teaching of political science in Australian universities. |
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