ANU will chart a new course as it prepares to face upheaval at home and abroad, Vice-Chancellor Professor Brian Schmidt AC revealed in a major speech on Thursday.
The announcement, delivered to more than 1000 staff gathered in Llewellyn Hall, outlined the university's strategic direction for the future.
Features of the new plan included:
- Investing in five "globally significant research challenges"
- A talent-attraction scheme with a commitment to hiring at least 50 per cent women
- Changing the ANU admissions process to put less emphasis on ATAR results
- Creating a "policy incubator" to investigate public policy solutions deemed too risky for government
- Playing a leadership role in the reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians
Professor Schmidt also promised to strengthen the university's ties with business and not-for-profit organisations as a way to generate investment in a "flat" federal funding environment.
"We are in a time of potential global upheaval and we must, of course, vigorously uphold our vales," he said.
"What we do here is essential. We actively shape the world that coming generations will inherit."
"If we are going to fulfil our role as the national university, this university has to change and it has to look different five years from now than it does today.
"This does not mean people losing their jobs. It means us doing things differently. It means us shaping the university differently."
The Nobel Prize – winning physicist said the university was aiming to be "great", not just "good".
"We will invest new money in five globally significant research challenges and seek to provide solutions to national priorities," he said.
Nurturing diversity was also a priority in the plan.
"We will invest in recruiting, retaining and mentoring the best in the world," Professor Schmidt said.
"The ANU Futures Scheme will attract new world-leading early and mid-career researchers to ANU, at least 50 per cent of whom will be women.
"I am deeply committed to ensuring that women achieve the full promise of their careers – academic and professional – at ANU."
The university would also be changing its admissions process to place less of an emphasis on ATAR results.
"In 2018 we will begin changing our admissions so that ATAR is not the only consideration for entry to ANU."
Another theme stressed by Professor Schmidt in the speech was changing the university's culture of isolation.
"We want an environment that encourages and supports collaborations and collegiality," he said.
"We need to continue to work across disciplines to address the most pressing challenges facing our world and to break down the walls of isolation amongst units across the university."
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