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Huge success of USC brings challenges
1 September 2007
The success of the University is creating significant challenges as we try to respond to the many expectations of us. It’s a great position to be in, especially relative to many other universities that are experiencing declining demand and often desperately looking at other locations where student places can be picked up, but with no real concern with the development of that region. USC is focused squarely on this region and that is one of our greatest strengths, as well as benefits for the region itself.
We hope that with the new Transition Committee and subsequently with the amalgamated Regional Council, we will be able to develop a genuine partnership to accelerate the advancement of the Region. So much growth that is ahead of us could be geared to produce community benefits if we work concertedly together, planning and lobbying in unison.
Our broadening programs and research foci can most obviously be geared in this way, and we would then be either mirroring or leading world’s best-practice on inter-institutional regional co-operation. We can jointly lobby for funding, share infrastructure, consider joint appointments and address regional needs and shortages.
But there are also many internal challenges for the university: parking, wildlife protection, more buildings, bandwidth, IT system upgrades, staffing – all, and more, worthy of support but cumulatively costing millions more dollars than we currently possess.
It’s going to be a busy end of year addressing these issues and I’ll be away from the University for the next three months, but Professor Greg Hill will be Acting Vice-Chancellor. The University Council offered me a period of sabbatical leave, so I’m going to get a mixture of professional experiences in Europe, along with a little more relaxation than I can normally get. I’m looking forward to it, but I know I’ll be glad to be back on December 1, and will be in regular contact with the university in the meantime.
Professor Paul Thomas AM is Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Sunshine Coast.