Breadcrumbs
Research and Research Training Plan 2005–2007
Introduction
This is the University's second Research and Research Training Plan. It supersedes the Research and Research Training Management Plan adopted by the University Council in 2000.
This plan is derived from the University Strategic Plan 2001-2005 and ideas informing the development of the next strategic plan, and is informed by the external and internal operating environments.
The purpose of the plan is to guide the development of research and research training in the University for the next three years. The plan comprises contextual statements, five goals to be achieved in the next three years, action plans to inform implementation, and seven key performance indicators by which the research and research training performance of the University will be monitored and evaluated.
The first research plan was primarily focused on establishing research in the University. The institution is now ready to move to the next stage, so this plan addresses the ways in which the University intends to accelerate its research performance.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor, on the advice of the Research Management Committee, will review the plan on an annual basis. A new plan will be developed in 2007 to address the next planning period.
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Context
This plan has been developed in relation to both the external and internal operating environments.
External context
There are three key features of the external context for research and research training in Australia:
Research priorities
Australia needs to increase its contributions to world research in order to continue to be a significant R&D nation. To assist this process, the Commonwealth has established national research priorities and expects research institutions to broadly tailor their research effort to these priorities. The national research priorities are:
- an environmentally sustainable Australia, including responding to climate change and variability
- promoting and maintaining good health, including strengthening Australia's social and economic fabric
- frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries, promoting an innovation culture and economy
- safeguarding Australia, including understanding our region and the world
In the context of these national priorities, Queensland has established the following research and development priorities:
- enabling technologies, including biotechnology, smart materials and nanotechnology
- environmentally sustainable Queensland, including managing climate change and sustainable coastlines/Great Barrier Reef
- foods for the future, including safe, ethically produced "new era" foods, improved production and processing systems, and reduced ecological footprint of farming and associated processing industries
- safeguarding Queensland, including infrastructure, biosecurity and e-security
- tropical futures, including agriculture, aquaculture, tropical medicine, health and biodiscovery, veterinary science, tourism, and environmental management
The development of research strengths and concentration in the University will be responsive to these priorities.
Research funding
The outcomes of the large number of recent research reviews conducted by the Commonwealth and encapsulated in Backing Australia's Ability II clearly indicate that the trajectory of change in research funding continues to be towards competitive, performance-based models. There appears little likelihood of policies directly distinguishing between universities that are funded for research and those that are not, but smaller, less research intensive universities will have to be increasingly effective in their research operations in order to continue to compete and perform effectively.
The Institutional Grants Scheme (IGS), Research Training Scheme (RTS) and Research Infrastructure Block Grant scheme (RIBG) will continue to be the mechanisms through which the Commonwealth directly funds research in universities and there will be no changes to the formulas that drive these schemes. That is, the formulas will continue to comprise various mixes and weightings of external research income, higher degree by research enrolments and timely completions, and research publications (refer to Attachment 1). In moving to the next stage of research development and accelerating research performance, the University will need to focus on these elements.
Research commercialisation
The commercialisation of research outcomes is a priority in Australia. This is because success in the new economy depends upon it (in an increasingly globalised market economy), it is the main mechanism for dissemination and technology transfer, and the Commonwealth expects a social return on the public resources it invests in research and development. The strongest single theme of Backing Australia's Ability II is the emphasis on research that generates significant intellectual property that can be capitalised upon in a range of ways. The University must also focus on this aspect of its performance through the next planning period.
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Internal context
There are also three main features of the context for research and research training within the University:
International research and the region
The University's mission, and the research mission derived from it, make it plain that the University is primarily interested in international research and the application of that research to the sustainable advancement of the region.
Research that is consistent with the University's mission has the following characteristics:
- it involves the creation of new knowledge, or the novel application of existing knowledge
- the research issues may emerge from the international research literature, practice in the region, or both of these
- the research undertaken has multiple pay-offs. It addresses a regional question and, because it has been understood in the context of relevant international literature, the research findings can be published in the international literature
In summary, the research that the University wishes to promote is research that has significant impact. Such research would enable the University to "pursue international standards in research" (University mission) by impacting on the international literature, and "be the major catalyst for the sustainable … advancement of the region" (University mission) by addressing issues in the region.
Collaboration and research track records
The convergence of a range of factors in research management means that research in many disciplines that has a significant impact is increasingly conducted collaboratively. Collaborative research is conducted in teams that are often multidisciplinary and usually include at least one senior researcher with a significant track record. Collaborative research also involves the deliberate formation of a sizeable, multi-faceted program that is systematically addressed over time and through a range of research projects. Involvement in such collaborative research program teams is an excellent way for early to mid career researchers to build up their own track records and thereby significantly increase their chances of becoming successful senior researchers.
While researchers in the natural sciences have traditionally developed a range of models for collaborative research, successful researchers in the social sciences and humanities are creating their own approaches to collaboration, albeit with the same basic features described above. Iain McCalman's Humanities Research Centre at the Australian National University is an excellent example of this. In 2003, this Centre had a faster rate of growth of external research earnings, much of it form overseas, than any other research centre at ANU.
The forces converging to encourage collaboration and mitigate against the lone researcher affect many disciplines. They include the following:
- the evidence that most new discoveries occur at the edges of disciplines
- global competition for research resources
- the desire to effect social change and improvement
- growing internationalisation of higher education and rapid development of information and communication technologies
- greater systematisation of Australian research management through the ARC and NHMRC
- the identification of Australian, and State, research priorities
- the need for the social sciences and humanities to compete for scarce research resources in an era favouring science and technology research
- the need to address social, cultural, economic and environmental issues that present as complex, multi-faceted problems requiring multidisciplinary solutions
- the need for academics in universities to compete for research resources against new private sector research conglomerates, such as media and entertainment organisations, and to both compete and cooperate with small, flexible and highly skilled research-based companies, such as those associated with Noosa Innovation Industries
The University has embarked on a strategy of establishing research institutes and research centres, based on collaborative, longer-term research program teams, to enable the University to develop the significance of its contributions to Australia's research effort.
Advancing the teaching-research nexus
It is crucial to the ongoing success of the University that it remains a full-service university, providing both educational programs and research services to its region, and raising its international research profile. The traditional university connection between teaching and research is therefore very important to the future of the University.
The time that academic staff spend on research and scholarship, apart from that which is covered by research grants, is funded from the total allocations the University receives to fund teaching. Research and scholarship are supported in this way because, through the teaching-research nexus, they make a major contribution to the quality of teaching. It is therefore incumbent on the University to demonstrate that research and scholarship actually do enhance teaching and learning.
Development of the teaching-research nexus is the first goal of the University's Strategic Plan. Consequently, it is one of the five goals of this plan and will be proposed as one of the goals of the new Learning and Teaching Plan.
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Plan
University mission
The University's mission is:
To be the major catalyst for the innovative and sustainable economic, cultural and educational advancement of the region through the pursuit of international standards in teaching and research.
Research mission
The University's research mission is:
To undertake research and research training at international standards that contribute to the advancement of the region.
Goals
The goals for the Research and Research Training Plan 2005-2007 are:
- to develop further the University's research capacity, capability and performance
- to develop further the University's research training capacity, capability and performance
- to develop further the University's research commercialisation capacity, capability and performance
- to advance the teaching-research nexus in the University
- to enhance support for research and research training
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Key performance indicators
The key performance indicators for this plan are:
External research income
- description: the external research income generated from all research grants
- measures: $ income from all research grants
- targets: $1,000,000 income from all research grants reported in Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) in 2007 on 2006
Research publications
- description: the number of research publications
- measures: the value of research publications according to the DEST formula (HERDC)
- targets: weighted research publications reported in the HERDC in 2007 on 2006: 100
Higher degree by research enrolments
- description: higher degree by research enrolments
- measures: EFTSU enrolled, RTS places
- targets: 75 EFTSU enrolled as at 31 August 2007, 50 RTS places for 2008
Timely completions of higher degrees by research
- description: candidates who complete PhDs within four years (eight years part-time) and Master level programs in two years (four years part-time)
- measures: percentage of candidates who complete within the allocated time
- targets: 65 percent timely completions achieved 31 August 2007
Capitalising on intellectual property
- description: intellectual property used to generate social and commercial outcomes
- measures: patents, trade marks, designs, rights, royalties, new businesses
- targets: five types of capitalising in intellectual property by December 2007
Advancing the teaching-research nexus
- description: the mutually reinforcing connections between teaching and research that are central to the meaning of higher education.
- measures:
- bringing lecturers' research findings into the classroom
- applying lecturers' research findings to curriculum design and development
- developing students' research capabilities
- developing communities of scholars
- exploring the meanings of, and debates about, research in the classroom
- developing generic research attributes
- researching teaching
- teaching leading/contributing to research
- targets: evidence from surveys that each of these elements are present in, and consciously being advanced by, all faculties by December 2006. Systems in place to collect quantitative and qualitative data on each of these elements by December 2006. Baseline data established on each of these elements by June 2007.
International research and the region
- description: internationally significant research that impacts on the advancement of the region.
- measures:
- number of research projects impacting on the advancement of the region that involve at least one noted international researcher
- number of externally funded research projects impacting on the advancement of the region
- number of refereed publications resulting from research projects impacting on the advancement of the region
- number of PhD and research Master level projects impacting on the advancement of the region
- targets:
- 10 research projects impacting on the advancement of the region that involve at least one noted international researcher by December 2007
- 15 externally funded research projects impacting on the advancement of the region by December 2007
- 50 refereed publications resulting from research projects impacting on the advancement of the region by December 2007
- 50 PhD and research Master level projects impacting on the advancement of the region by December 2007
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Benchmarking
The key performance indicators in this plan have been derived from knowledge of the key performance areas that are central to university research and research training nationally and internationally. For instance, most of the identified key performance indicators are used in Australia to drive the Commonwealth's main research funding schemes (Research Training Scheme, Institutional Grants Scheme, Research Infrastructure Block Grants) and are similar to the indicators that inform various research assessment exercises in other countries.
The performance targets incorporated in the key performance indicators of the plan have also been determined relative to the reported performance in these areas of other Australian universities. Based on the University's existing performance and performance trajectories, these targets have been set in comparison with the published accomplishments of the list of universities against which this University's research and research training performance is monitored by the Research Management Committee and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. These include University of Ballarat, Southern Cross University, Charles Sturt University, Charles Darwin University, Swinburne University, Victoria University of Technology, Central Queensland University, University of Southern Queensland, Edith Cowan University and Australian Catholic University.
Research and research training performance will also be compared with that of selected overseas universities during the life of this plan. In particular, the University will benchmark its performance with the international partner institutions with which it has study abroad and research collaborations.
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Action plans
The following action plans for each goal indicate the actions to be taken to achieve the goal, the main ways in which progress in implementing the actions and achieving the goals will be measured, and the key performance indicators that relate to each goal.
Responsibility for implementation of the action plans is shared between the Research Management Committee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Office of Learning, Teaching and Research, Deans, Faculty Research Coordinators and academic staff.
Research management committee
Progress in implementation of the action plans is an agenda item for all meetings of the Research Management Committee. The committee receives, discusses and makes recommendations to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor on a written report on the stage of implementation of each action plan. An additional agenda item for all meetings of the committee is detailed discussion of a key aspect of one of the action plans. This also generally results in recommended actions for the consideration of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Office of Learning, Teaching and Research
The Office of Learning, Teaching and Research coordinates University wide implementation of the plan on behalf of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor. This includes monitoring implementation of the plan, preparation and presentation of progress reports for each meeting of the Research Management Committee and ensuring recommendations to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor from the Research Management Committee are followed up. In addition, the Office of Learning, Teaching and Research is responsible for direct implementation of aspects of the plan, such as coordinating staff and student development activities, liaison with potential and actual research partners, facilitation of research and consultancy grants, higher degree by research candidate administration, and the consultative development of policies, procedures and systems.
The Deputy Vice-Chancellor has overall responsibility for research and research training in the University and therefore is ultimately responsible for the implementation of all aspects of the plan.
Deans
Deans are responsible for the quantity and quality of research and research training undertaken by their staff, particularly that carried out through research institutes and research centres. Consequently, Deans play a key role in ensuring all aspects of the plan are fully implemented.
Faculty research coordinators
The role of Faculty Research Coordinators is to support Deans in the management and development of research and research training, and therefore they also play a key role in ensuring all aspects of the plan are fully implemented.
Directors of research institutes and research centres
Directors of Research Institutes and Research Centres are responsible for many aspects of the implementation of the plan because they lead the entities that have been established by the University and its faculties to concentrate and coordinate the University's most important research activity.
Academic staff
All academic staff are expected to be research active and are central to the implementation of the plan.
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Action plans
Goal 1: to develop further the University's research capacity, capability and performance
1.1
Action: identify and invest in a manageable number of areas of research strength:
- establishment of research institutes and centres
- full operation of research institutes and centres
- groups of researchers forming around broad research programs
Measures of progress:
- most applications for internal and external research grants emanating from research institutes, centres and program groups
- most research candidates are associated with research institutes, centres and program groups
1.2
Action: plan and undertake collaborative, high impact research projects:
- development of broad research programs
- formation of collaborative research teams
- strategic inclusion in research teams of researchers beyond the University, including significant international researchers
Measures of progress:
- research track records of early and mid career researchers are developing
- research findings are published in quality refereed publications
- research findings are cited by other researchers and practitioners in the field
- researchers are invited to present their work at important conferences
- research findings change theory, or practice, or both
1.3
Action: secure external income to fund research:
- cooperation with industry, business, government and the community
- linkage grants
- significant consultancies (preferably that lead to research)
Measures of progress:
- external research income grows appreciably
- the University's share of DEST's Institutional Grants Scheme increases significantly
- income available for investment in further research from consultancies, short courses and tenders grows considerably
1.4
Action: develop active, strategic research partnerships:
- local
- national
- international
Measures of progress:
- research teams include significant researchers beyond the University
- the number of Linkage and Discovery grants grows appreciably
- there is extensive sharing of research infrastructure and facilities
- the number of joint appointments and inter-institutional exchanges grows extensively
1.5
Action: develop research infrastructure and facilities:
- Fraser Island
- Beerwah
- laboratories
- GIS
- bandwidth/e-research
Measures of Progress:
- capacity to undertake high impact research increases significantly
- new research opportunities emerge
- Fraser Island and Beerwah facilities are fully utilised for research
- e-research strategies are in evidence
1.6
Action: appoint research active academic staff:
- professors
- researchers with good research track records
Measures of progress:
- there is a notable increase in the capability to undertake high impact research
Related key performance indicators
- external research income
- research publications
- capitalising on intellectual property
- international research and the region
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Goal 2: to develop further the University's research training capacity, capability and performance
2.1
Action: further develop the research training component of Bachelor Honours programs:
- develop and adopt a statement of research graduate attributes;
- provide relevant coursework
- provide relevant workshop and seminar programs, and the annual research training symposium
- provide industry placement opportunities
Measures of progress:
- Bachelor Honours graduates possess a breadth and depth of research skills and understanding
- Bachelor Honours graduates possess appropriate generic capabilities
2.2
Action: increase higher degree by research enrolments:
- cooperation with industry, business, government and the community
- appoint research active academic staff
Measures of progress:
- annual enrolments are maintained at or above the level required for the University to compete successfully in the Research Training Scheme
2.3
Action: enable higher degree by research candidates to complete their degrees in a timely manner:
- provide relevant workshop and seminar programs, and the annual research training symposium
- welcome candidates into well-organised research program environments
Measures of progress:
- at least 65 percent of Doctoral level candidates successfully complete within four years (eight years part time) and Master level candidates within two years (four years part time)
- supervisors consciously work towards achieving timely completions
- Research Degrees Committee decisions are based on the University achieving its 65 percent timely completions target
2.4
Action: further develop the quality of supervision:
- provide relevant workshop programs and the annual research training symposium
- provide collegial supervisor support through well-organised research program environments
Measures of progress:
- research proposals for probationary candidature are of good quality
- proposals for confirmation of candidature are of a high standard
- candidates report positively about supervision through feedback instruments
- examiners' reports are positive,
- successful, timely completion rates are high
2.5
Action: align higher degree by research projects with identified areas of research strength:
- enrol most candidates into research programs in research institutes and centres
Measures of progress:
- most higher degree by research candidates are associated with research institutes, centres and research program groups
2.6
Action: enable higher degree by research candidates to develop appropriate generic attributes:
- develop and adopt a statement of research graduate attributes
- provide relevant workshop and seminar programs, and the annual research training symposium
Measures of progress:
- a statement of USC research graduate attributes is developed and adopted
- an appropriate annual program of workshops is available to candidates
- most candidates participate in the workshop program
- candidates have opportunities to work for some time in a relevant professional setting
Related key performance indicators
- higher degree by research enrolments
- timely completions of higher degrees by research
- research publications
- capitalising on intellectual property
- advancing the teaching-research nexus
- international research and the region
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Goal 3: to develop further the University's research commercialisation capacity, capability and performance
3.1
Action: review and revise the Intellectual Property Policy
Measures of progress:
- an appropriate policy is adopted by Council
- awareness and understanding of intellectual property issues is increased through the process
3.2
Action: develop a research commercialisation system:
- procedures, forms, guidelines and relevant ICT systems are in place
Measures of progress:
- the system spans the creation, identification, protection, development and commercialisation of intellectual property
- the system is interlinked with the Innovation Centre and the proposed Technology Park
3.3
Action: create, identify, protect, develop and commercialise existing and potential intellectual property
Measures of progress:
- awareness and understanding of IP is significantly increased
- various forms of IP protection are in place
- examples of commercialisation exist
Related key performance indicators
- capitalising on intellectual property
- international research and the region
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Goal 4: to advance the teaching-research nexus in the University
4.1
Actions: articulate the meaning and significance to the University of the teaching-research nexus:
- an appropriate document is drafted and adopted
Measures of progress:
- awareness and understanding of the teaching-research nexus, and its importance to the University, is significantly increased
4.2
Action: further develop the use of lecturers' research findings in the classroom
Measures of progress:
- lecturers demonstrate their currency, credibility and enthusiasm by routinely bringing their research findings into the classroom
- students rate lecturers and courses highly for the use of lecturers' own research findings
- discussion about, use of, and training in research are routinely integrated into undergraduate courses, including first year
4.3
Action: further develop the use of lecturers' research in curriculum design and development
Measures of progress:
- curriculum design and development is routinely informed by relevant research literature and lecturers' own research findings
- knowledge and understanding about research, including the issues and contestation about research, are embedded in the curriculum from first year
4.4
Action: further develop students' research skills and understanding at undergraduate level:
- students undertake minor research tasks at undergraduate level
Measures of progress:
- students are introduced to key research skills at undergraduate level
- Bachelor Honours graduates possess a breadth and depth of research skills and understanding
- some students are involved in research internships with experienced researchers
4.5
Action: develop research-based communities of scholars that include undergraduate students.
Measures of progress:
- groups of lecturers form around mutual interest in scholarship in a particular field or area
- these groups include undergraduate and postgraduate students
- these groups are internationally connected to the cutting edge of their field or area through seminars, the involvement of expert colleagues and the use of electronic discussion groups
4.6
Action: further develop research into teaching as a normal part of academic work.
Measures of progress:
- there is strong and healthy competition for Teaching Research and Development Grants
- lecturers routinely publish the findings of their research into teaching in higher education journals
4.7
Action: capture further ideas for research that emerge from teaching
Measures of progress:
- good ideas that emerge from classroom activities are routinely fed into active research programs
Related key performance indicators
- advancing the teaching-research nexus
- international research and the region
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Goal 5: to further develop support for research and research training
5.1
Action: further develop the effectiveness of the internal research grants program:
- strategic use of these grants by research institutes, centres and program teams
- improved documentation
Measures of progress:
- there is strong and healthy competition for Internal Research Grants
- the size of grants is increased
- the Internal research Grants schemes meet their objectives, ie Seed Grants enable early career researchers to develop their research track records and University Grants enable more experienced researchers to win external research income
5.2
Action: further develop the provision of staff development for researchers and supervisors:
- provide relevant workshop and seminar programs, and the annual research training symposium
Measures of progress:
- an effective annual staff development program is planned and delivered
- most researchers and supervisors participate in the staff development program
- feedback on the staff development program is very positive
5.3
Action: further develop the recognition and reward framework for effective researchers and supervisors:
- further develop the provision of staff development and training programs
- propose a Vice-Chancellor's medal for the best supervisor
- introduce a visiting research fellows program
- provide additional incentives for researchers to form productive research program teams.
Measures of progress: the recognition and reward framework for good research and supervision includes:
- academic promotion
- Performance Planning and Review
- Professional Development Program
- annual staff development program
- Vice-Chancellors medals (including a medal for best supervisor)
- Internal Research Grants Scheme (including incentives for the formation of productive research program teams)
- Visiting Research Fellows Scheme
5.4
Action: further develop administrative support for research and research training:
- renewal of documentation
- development of systems and processes
Measures of progress: administrative support includes:
- rules
- plans
- policy
- specified procedures, forms, guidelines and systems in all key areas
- training in effective use of the University's administrative systems
- effective finance systems and processes
- effective committees
- effective coordination at University and faculty level
- effective grants administration
- effective higher degree by research administration
- effective electronic systems
Related key performance indicators
- external research income
- research publications
- higher degree by research enrolments
- timely completions of higher degrees by research
- capitalising on intellectual property
- advancing the teaching-research nexus
- international research and the region
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Attachment 1: Commonwealth formulas
Research training scheme
Higher degree by research candidate completions: 50 percent
External research income: 40 percent
Refereed research publications: 10 percent
Institutional Grants Scheme
External research income: 60 percent
Commonwealth-funded research student load: 30 percent
Refereed research publications: 10 percent
Research Infrastructure Block Grant
20 percent of total the institution's income from national competitive grants funds
Attachment 2: research performance data
Table 1: Summary of research performance and performance-based funding 1998-2004
Research performance
| Year | Research income $ | HDR enrolments (EFTSU) | HDR completions | Research publications (weighted) |
|---|
| 1998 | 100,857 | 13.25 | 0 | 37.64 |
| 1999 | 184,504 | 18 | 1 | 40.63 |
| 2000 | 319,289 | 22.5 | 2 | 50.04 |
| 2001 | 415,885 | 27 | 3 | 38.39 |
| 2002 | 582,020 | 34.75 | 1 | 63.64 |
| 2003 | | 44.25 | 3 | |
| 2004 | | | 4 + | |
Performance-based funding
| Institutional grants scheme * $ | Research training scheme $ | Research infrastructure block grant $ |
|---|
| (The University was not eligible for Commonwealth research funding prior to 2001.) |
| 2001 | 111,080 | 192,000 | 481 |
| 2002 | 119,186 | 305,954 | 3,997 |
| 2003 | 128,019 | 434,959 | 5,092 |
| 2004 | 137,834 | 566,925 | 41,880 |
Table 2: Summary of research income and publication performance by faculty, 1998-2003
Research incomes
| Cost centre | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|
| Arts and Social Sciences | 30,762 | 111,567 | 105,674 | 206,645 | 66,745 | 330,471 |
| Business | 45,836 | 23,460 | 77,913 | 25,964 | 34,902 | 50,973 |
| Science | 24,259 | 46,634 | 135,554 | 183,276 | 480,373 | 317,612 |
| Total | 100,857 | 181,661 | 319,141 | 415,885 | 582,020 | 699,056 |
Publications
| Cost centre | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 |
|---|
| Arts and Social Sciences | 13.5 | 19.67 | 16.33 | 21.94 | 23.5 | 27.1 |
| Business | 21.08 | 16.13 | 30.67 | 11.82 | 36.48 | 28.9 |
| Science | 3.06 | 4.83 | 5.04 | 4.63 | 3.66 | 6.1 |
| Total | 37.64 | 40.63 | 50.04 | 38.39 | 63.64 | 62.1 |
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