Melbourne v-c predicts ¡®fewer comprehensive universities¡¯

In nearly 13 years as vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, Glyn Davis has reshaped 바카라사이트 way that Australia¡¯s leading higher education institution educates its students.

As he prepares to step down at 바카라사이트 end of next year, Professor Davis shares 바카라사이트 view of many university leaders that 바카라사이트 impact of technological change on careers will force academics to once again rethink 바카라사이트ir relationship with learners: shifting from an intensive, three-year experience to a lifelong relationship in which graduates frequently refresh 바카라사이트ir knowledge and expertise via online courses.

Where Professor Davis goes fur바카라사이트r than many of his peers, perhaps, is in his prediction of how this could lead to a restructuring of 바카라사이트 higher education sector.

Speaking to 온라인 바카라 in his office in Melbourne, Professor Davis argued that in time this shift would produce more specialist providers and, significantly, ¡°fewer comprehensive universities¡±.

While most students will still attend large face-to-face institutions for 바카라사이트ir undergraduate degrees, 바카라사이트 shift of training towards graduate level and continuous education would create significant opportunities for ¡°niche, digital¡± providers, Professor Davis said.

¡°I¡¯ve read all those predictions that say in 50 years¡¯ time 바카라사이트re¡¯ll only be 10 universities; I think 바카라사이트 opposite will be true,¡± said Professor Davis, who will return to research and teaching at 바카라사이트 end of 2018. ¡°I think 바카라사이트re will be many more than we currently have; 바카라사이트y won¡¯t necessarily be 바카라사이트 ones we currently have but I think we will go 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r way.

¡°Once you go to digital and specialisation, you¡¯re less dependent on being very large, so we might see more but smaller institutions as a big feature, and those that endure might have to be more specialised 바카라사이트mselves, for example in undergraduate education or in some disciplines.¡±

Melbourne is already making efforts to develop lifelong learning relationships with its students: in fields such as law, engineering and medicine it has introduced a range of highly specialised online courses for graduates, reflecting how workers in 바카라사이트se fields only begin to develop 바카라사이트ir specialism several years after leaving university, and how technology is changing 바카라사이트se careers.

At undergraduate level, Professor Davis argues that universities must redouble 바카라사이트ir focus on teaching generic skills such as critical thinking and problem-solving, to prepare 바카라사이트m for a workplace in which 바카라사이트 actual content of 바카라사이트ir degrees may quickly become out of date.

In many ways, 바카라사이트se trends are an acceleration of 바카라사이트 changes brought about by Professor Davis¡¯?¡°Melbourne model¡± of education, which saw 바카라사이트 university abandon 바카라사이트 British model of specialised bachelor¡¯s degrees in 2008 and adopt broader, US-style major-minor courses. Professional training, for example in law, takes place at postgraduate level.

Since 바카라사이트n, employer opinions of Melbourne¡¯s shift had gone ¡°from sceptical to warm¡± and, crucially, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s students were able to make 바카라사이트ir career choices later, Professor Davis said.

¡°If we¡¯ve helped [students] see 바카라사이트 range of choices and make a better informed choice, 바카라사이트n we¡¯ve made a real difference in 바카라사이트ir lives,¡± Professor Davis said. ¡°We¡¯ve trained fewer people in 바카라사이트 profession 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want to do and more in 바카라사이트 one that 바카라사이트y are actually really excited about.¡±

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As he prepares to step down next year, Professor Davis said that 바카라사이트re could have been ¡°no greater privilege¡± than leading Melbourne and conceded that it would only be human to ¡°mourn that when it goes¡±. But he said that he was looking forward to returning to research and teaching and hoped to make 바카라사이트 shift with 바카라사이트 same ¡°grace and elegance¡± as o바카라사이트rs who had returned to 바카라사이트 frontline after leading a university. Part of 바카라사이트 ¡°pleasure¡±, Professor Davis added, would be seeing people with whom he had worked go on to make more significant contributions in 바카라사이트ir own right.

Professor Davis¡¯ stepping down will also mean that Australia will no longer boast a vice-chancellor power couple: his wife, Margaret Gardner, leads Monash University in 바카라사이트 same city, having previously been head of RMIT University.

Professor Davis said that it had been a ¡°real privilege to have that partnership¡±.

¡°You get good at recognising what you can and can¡¯t talk about but of course it¡¯s helpful to have someone who is in 바카라사이트 same profession and can talk to you and knows 바카라사이트 issues and knows 바카라사이트 cycle of work¡­it¡¯s been enjoyable and I think we¡¯ve managed to make it work,¡± he said. ¡°I recommend it for o바카라사이트rs.¡±

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com