The University of Newcastle provides a model for the higher education sector

Tuesday 5 September 2006

The University of Newcastle will receive over $8 million in Commonwealth funding - more than double the allocation for any other university - to implement a number of innovative workplace improvements.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Services), Dr Sue Gould, said the Australian Government's major investment acknowledged the University of Newcastle's successful management of the change process implemented in 2005.

"The University of Newcastle is striving to become an organisation that actively anticipates and embraces opportunities to achieve excellence. The Government's funding for two workplace improvement projects will help to consolidate those efforts."

The two projects to be funded under the Australian Government's Workplace Productivity Program are:

Understanding our Business - $2,040,000 to integrate corporate information systems and strategic reporting to improve the University's corporate management systems in information management, academic workload and financial modelling.

Australian National Higher Education Benchmarking Programme - $6,141,147 to be the lead university on behalf of the Programme Management Partner and the Australian Universities' Procurement Consortium. The project will review and reform procurement management practices, improve productivity and performance in strategic procurement, and promote professional development amongst strategic procurement managers in Australian universities.

"The higher education sector is operating in challenging times where the modus operandi of previous years no longer fits the bill. We must strive for efficiency, diversity and quality in an increasingly competitive environment," Dr Gould said.

"The University of Newcastle is undergoing a significant improvement process. We are on a course that embraces continuous improvement, and we are keen to continue that and to work closely with other universities."

The Australian Government's Workplace Productivity Program aims to review or reform the efficiency of universities, including financial arrangements and operational management.

For comment: Dr Sue Gould on 02 4921 7363.