“I AM LISTENING”
GRAPESHOT GETS ANSWERS FROM MACQUARIE’S VICE CHANCELLOR ON ALL OF MQ’S BURNING QUESTIONS 2020 has already well and truly left us unable to see straight. Starting off with nothing less than blistering heat, bushfire devastation, a worldwide health epidemic and a panic-inducing amount of eStudent crashes and enrollment issues. Things are already starting to look a tad like a royal shitshow in the making. So, Grapeshot turned to The Man himself, our very own Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bruce Dowton, to try and make sense of the mayhem around us (and to get to know him a little bit better of course). So enough from us, on to the interrogation!
What challenges do you foresee arising in 2020 for Macquarie, especially with the changes brought in by MQ 2020? “2020 will also be a year where we need to pull together as a diverse community to achieve more in a shifting landscape, and for us to recognise areas where we must be open to change. Macquarie is known for our innovative and unconventional approach to learning, to problem solving, to defying convention.”
“Macquarie has always chosen a path of institutional distinctiveness, quality and innovation. In order to continue First off, did you make any new year’s resolutions? with those aspirations, we need to adapt to the reality of what is happening in the higher education sector and around “The Christmas and New Year break for me is always a time us.” for reflection. I like to reflect on the year past, and how to best “A constant for this year will be change. However, I would approach the new year ahead. I don’t do new year’s resolutions like to emphasise that the success of our students will always as such. I am always striving to look at things in a new way be the cornerstone on which we make decisions. Having put or from a new perspective, so in a way, this is my new year’s a lot of work into MQ2020, I believe we will begin to see focus. Reading allows me to understand situations from the rewards of that work in the year ahead with a clearer different points of view.” and easier to navigate approach for our students to their “Unfortunately, as you know we are experiencing an educational programs.” unprecedented summer and the impact to our environment is immense. So many of the community have experienced such loss. Our fauna and flora have suffered greatly. All of which brings perspective to what we are here to do. It highlights the importance of community, and the role of universities in helping build resilience. It also shines a light on the steps that are needed to care for the future of our nation, and how we equip our students with skills for the future.”
Macquarie has been criticised in the past for acting more like a business than an educational institution. This view has followed through to many of the curriculum and staffing changes that were made under the MQ 2020 program. What is your response to this criticism? “Ultimately my role as Vice-Chancellor is to guide the
What are you excited about for 2020 (personally, and for University’s actions to ensure our focus remains on delivering Macquarie)? a transformative, research-enriched learning experience for “This is an important time for Macquarie. As we commence a new decade, the environment in which we operate is shifting dramatically. For many universities it brings opportunities and challenges, and we are no exception. For Macquarie it brings us opportunities to renew our University community focus and to accelerate our progress towards realising our potential, and to commit to new ways of working.” “For me personally, I am excited about approaching the new year with renewed areas of focus in education and research, learning and teaching methodology, as well as renewing our campus, technology and ways of working across the breadth of the Macquarie community. This means working closely with all our stakeholders.”
12 || NEWS
our students. Any changes made to structure and processes within the University are made to drive specific sustainable actions that have the greatest impact to our students, and ensure they are equipped with the right skills that prepare them for their chosen careers now and into the future.”
