Shining the Light on Australia's Brightest: 25 Years of the Australian Technology Network of Univers
Shining the Light On Australia’s Brightest 25 years of the Australian Technology
Network of Universities
BY ANGEL CALDERON
Published by the Australian Technology Network of Universities 124 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000, Australia https://www.atn.edu.au/
First published in 2024
Text Angel Calderon Design and typography TM8
DOI https://doi.org/10.25439/rmt.26548534.v1
A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of Australia
ISBN 978-0-646-70078-6 (hardback)
ISBN 978-0-646-70131-8 (digital)
Foreword
Reflections
Preamble
Introduction
Chapter 1 – In The Beginning
• Dawkins Reforms
• Formalising The Alliance
• Agreed Objectives
Chapter 2 – Measuring Its Impact
• Diversity And Inclusion In Academia
• Research Realignment
• Research Impact
• Champions Of Sustainability
• Credit Transfer
• Annual Forums
• Industry Connected
• International Activity
Chapter 3 – Stewardship
• Visionary Leaders
• The Secretariat And Directorate
• Working Groups
• Institutional Movements
Parting Thoughts
• Timelines
• ATN Universities Leadership Over The Years: Chairs And Executive Directors
References
Acknowledgements
About The Author Contents
Foreword
BY PROF THE HON MARGARET GARDNER AC GOVERNOR OF VICTORIA
It is a privilege to provide the opening words to Angel Calderon’s book ‘Shining the light on Australia’s brightest: 25 years of the Australian Technology Network of Universities’, detailing the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) and its contributions to Australia’s higher education landscape.
For 25 years, the Australian Technology Network of Universities has led the way in formulating a modern and distinctive higher education experience for students and advocating for the contribution of these universities.
The ATN was one of the first subgroups of Australian universities formed in the late 1990s from the five large Institutes of Technology – one in every mainland State capital.
The ATN was also an alliance that had an early and strong engagement with international education.
Over the 25 years of its existence, the ATN pioneered new joint programs to support equity and inclusion, sustainability and research impact. It also worked with other subgroups, such as the Go8, on research policy and was a consistent and active advocate for a diverse and strong higher education sector.
By placing greater emphasis on industry skills, innovation and technology, the Network’s approach has proven to be timely in a fast-paced world and maintained elements of the distinctive features of the Institutes of Technology from which they were formed.
With changing global and domestic contexts, and funding constraints, universities are faced with increasingly difficult decisions.
As such, a focus on forward thinking and ensuring quality and innovation is crucial not only for the benefit of students but also for maintaining Australia’s performance as a world-class leader in education.
The shared interests and priorities that led to ATN’s formation continue to inform its role in the sector today – one that is influential, with nearly a quarter of domestic and international students now attending an ATN member university.
Shining the light on Australia’s brightest: 25 years of the Australian Technology Network of Universities details the rise of Australian technology universities, and how they continue to shape our educational landscape.
This book is an interesting survey of the responses of a critical group of Australia’s universities through a major and formative period in the sector.
Reflections
BY PROF HARLENE HAYNE CNZM ATN UNIVERSITIES CHAIR CURTIN UNIVERSITY VICE-CHANCELLOR
Curtin has benefitted enormously from being part of the ATN since 1999. With our shared values and purpose, we are all stronger for working together. Arriving new to Curtin, Australia, and the sector’s unique university funding model in the middle of 2021, the generous advice and support from my ATN colleagues was very much welcomed.
ATN’s collegiate approach has helped us all navigate through some of the most challenging times the sector has faced, none more so than now, in the year of our 25th Anniversary. We are fully engaged in the sector’s response to the Federal Government’s significant reform agenda shaped by the Australian Universities Accord Report, as well as the legislative changes to international education.
ATN’s clearly defined point of difference is built upon strong core values and trusted collaboration, which is reflected in the strength of our advocacy and sectoral leadership, both individually and as a group. Many of the recommended directions that the Accord Report proposed for the sector were consistent with positions the ATN has long held. ATN members have always understood that equity is not simply about building aspiration for prospective university students to access higher education – it’s about breaking down the barriers to higher education for those who wish to pursue it, and going further by asking ourselves how we can best support those students to succeed. We want our students to have a memorable university experience and can go on to make a significant contribution to society.
As we work through the significant reforms facing our sector, I often turn to the words of our University’s namesake the Hon. John Curtin for fortitude, because his words speak directly to the importance of autonomy for our universities:
And above all, the University must be a citadel for freedom—for intellectual, social, and moral freedom. No matter what handcuffs or prisons other institutions may find necessary, the seat of learning must be the bulwark for liberty. What may be expedient for the State may well be a menace to mankind.
(The Hon. John Curtin, The West Australian, The Views of Labour, 16 April 1932)
I acknowledge the work of my ATN predecessors who, over these past 25 years, have courageously led the ATN to become a powerful advocate for the sector and the communities we serve, and who have provided us with a strong platform with which to face this coming decade of change.
I’ve been enormously proud to be Chair of the ATN, a group of extraordinary universities, led by such wise and accomplished colleagues, in such an exceptional time for the sector.
Preamble
This is the story of how the Australian Technology Network of Universities was established, its journey, the role of its visionary leaders, and successes over the past 25 years of advocacy. Several key moments in the timeline need to be noted, recognised and, therefore, placed in print.
In November 2023, on the eve of the 25th anniversary, Frank Coletta sent me an email, enquiring if I was available and interested in writing a story on the ATN group. As someone who has been employed in Australia’s higher education for the past 35 years, I had no hesitation, this piqued my interest, so I told him yes that same day. I usually write commentary pieces which draw insights from history, past performance, and provide a view towards the future.
The story that is now published emerged from a couple of conversations with Frank and Luke Sheehy (now at the helm of Universities Australia) and is largely drawn from material which I retrieved in December 2023, using the Factiva database. I retrieved newspaper stories about ATN and developments in higher education published in Australia’s mainstream media between 1996 and early December 2023. During the holiday period, I read all those stories and then I sat down and wrote most of this story in the summer months of 2024.
I also conducted extensive web searches of information about ATN and group advocacy in Australia’s higher education. Truth be told, the public evidence is, at best, patchy, partly because websites tend to be updated and information that is deemed outdated is removed. To deepen our understanding of the changing environment of Australia’s higher education, preserving the evidence of activity is crucial.
Over the years, I have been exploring the proliferation of university networks and the extent to which universities seek to establish and belong to networks. Being a member of an alliance is a key means to influence public policy through lobbying, advocacy on policy matters, and the provision of expertise. In Australia’s context, there are four national networks, all of which emerged during a period of turbulence within the national umbrella organisation. Each of those networks was established to influence public policy and derive outcomes to the benefits of their members.
Over the past 25 years, Australia’s higher education has undergone significant policy reviews and the ATN has worked to ensure the best possible outcomes for all.
I hope that the perspectives presented in this story will contribute to the development of policy and inform debate as well as improve practices regarding Australia’s higher education.
Introduction
Strategic alliances, such as those enjoyed by the world-class universities linked through the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN), have long played a pivotal role in the development of Australia’s world-class higher education system.
A unified national system, introduced as part of the Dawkins reforms in the late 1980s, led to the amalgamation of institutions from 73 higher education institutions (including 19 universities) in 1987 to 38 universities in 1991, including several universities of technology in multiple states. These reforms were influenced by neo-liberal forces that prevailed at that time and resulted in governments adopting market-driven approaches to solving problems they confronted.
The unified national system only lasted until university amalgamation was done and dusted by the mid-1990s. Due to market-driven competition, tensions between university leaders for increased share of government resources led to some divisions within the higher education sector and eroded trust in the national organisation of institutions.
These developments brought about the rise of institutional alliances in Australia, which is uncommon among high income economies.
Formal institutional alliances such as that of ATN have contributed to:
• democratising research endeavours and research training in Australia
• broadening access to STEM (particularly engineering) disciplines
• boosting tertiary education access, participation and attainment rates particularly among those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Without the formalisation of the ATN Universities grouping, it is likely that the older universities would have maintained a disproportionately higher share of resources for research endeavours, and grants for specific purposes.
And so, in 2024, ATN celebrates 25 years of sustained advocacy.
Its public service, advocacy, and joint initiatives over this time have contributed to making Australia’s higher education outperform leading high-income countries in critical measures of global knowledge production and research impact, environmental and societal impact, and global rankings.
ATN is recognised for being prepared to deliver significant innovations in the delivery of education. ATN has become a trusted partner of industry by working collaboratively with them to address labour skill shortages and helping to solve a range of current and emerging needs.
These successes reflect the vision of ATN’s founding leaders, those who have led member institutions, as well as the work done by those who have led and formed part of the directorate.
Chapter 1: In The Beginning
Over the past 50 years, various educational policy reforms have resulted in the current institutional settings and peer affiliation among Australian universities. The emergence of institutional alliances in Australian higher education can be seen through the lens of influencing policy. This ability to influence policy has been paramount for the ongoing viability of institutions; this has proved to be significantly easier to jointly achieve by institutions with similar visions, rather than independently or as national collective.
The ATN group was initially established as an informal alliance in 1993 by five institutes of technology: Curtin University of Technology, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), University of South Australia (UniSA), and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).
These institutions had gained university status between 1987 and 1992, following the Dawkins higher education reforms.
QUT left the alliance in 2018; however, Deakin University soon joined the ranks in 2020 and The University of Newcastle quickly followed in 2021.
Institutional alliances are formed to pursue common goals and achieve strategic objectives such as influencing government policy
At the beginning, it was an informal arrangement between the founding institutions to discuss common issues to them and undertake benchmarking. Further, the origin of this group can, in fact, be traced back to the 1970s, when Australia had a binary system of higher education (universities and colleges of advanced education - CAEs).
In May 1975, the chiefs of the largest institutes of technology formed an institutional block – the Directors of Central Institutes of Technology (DOCIT). These institutions were mostly in the central business district of their respective state capital and were distinct enough from the other CAEs1.
A key objective for DOCIT was to formalise this distinction and become universities of technology. The DOCIT group was ultimately dissolved in 1983. Despite that, the directors for the five central largest institutes of technology continued to meet informally, creating the foundations for what would come to fruition before the end of the millennium.
1 According to the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Education and Training in 1979, these institutions were the New South Wales Institute of Technology, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, the Caulfield Institute of Technology, Swinburne College of Technology, the Queensland Institute of Technology, the South Australian Institute of Technology, the Western Australian Institute of Technology, and the Canberra College of Advanced Education.
At first there were five. The original group of Vice-Chancellors - Tony Blake (UTS), Lance Twomey (Curtin), Denise Bradley (UniSA), David Beanland (RMIT) and Dennis Gibson (QUT) pictured when the Australian Technology Network of Universities was formally announced in 1999. Image provided by Newspix
Dawkins Reforms
Over the period between 1983 and 1992, there were significant changes to the composition of the Australian higher education system. These were primarily caused by the Dawkins reforms, instigated by the federal government.
The main argument for such reforms was that Australia needed to be more competitive internationally. The Dawkins reforms brought the demise of the binary system of higher education, replacing it with a unitarian system.
This caused several institutional mergers, going from 73 higher education institutions, including 19 universities, in 1987, to 38 institutions in 1991. This also was the period where the largest central institutes of technology were finally granted university status. This recognition kicked off a period of intense competition among old and new universities for a greater share of resources, along with the rapid acceleration of research endeavours and research training.
Formalising The Alliance
The formalisation of the technological universities alliance came at a critical time in the development of Australia’s unified national system. Because of the increased competition for resources and the ongoing marketisation of higher education, there were tensions among university leaders over the policy direction of Australia’s peak university body.
A group of institutions threatened to split from the main peak national umbrella body of universities. Unfortunately, these tensions impacted the ability of the national umbrella body to advocate on behalf of all member universities. This led to the formalisation of alliances and the peak bodies we know today, including ATN.
There are currently four such alliances of universities in a system of 42 universities: ATN, established in 1999; the Group of Eight, which was also established in 1999; Innovative Research Universities, established in 2003; and the Regional Universities Network, which was formed in 2011.
There was another alliance of institutions, the New Generation Universities, established in 2002, but it was disbanded in 2007.
ATN, as we know it today, formally came into effect on the 11th February 1999 in Melbourne when the five vicechancellors of Australia’s leading technological universities signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU). The MOU outlined two key objectives: each institution within the ATN seeks to compete effectively in a globally based education market while continuing to meet the needs of its local community.
The five vice-chancellors of the ATN universities recognised the importance of formalising a network arrangement in the pursuit of extended market reach for the delivery of educational programs and for those programs to meet the needs of the communities in which they served and operated. They also recognised the importance of having continued public support for member institutions.
The MOU outlined two objectives: each institution within the ATN seeks to compete effectively in a globally based education market while continuing to meet the needs of its local community.
Agreed Objectives
The ATN MOU listed 15 objectives across five categories (general, educational programs, research and development, consultancy and resource planning and development).
There were:
Four general objectives, which included:
• Building a greater share market domestically
• Developing new markets internationally for the universities of technology
• Sharing costs where similar developments are occurring in areas including administration, student support, online delivery and courses
• Seeking affiliation with similar institutions overseas.
Three educational program objectives, which included:
• Facilitating student mobility nationally by providing credit transfer across programs of ATN members
• Sharing development in courseware, especially in flexible learning materials and course reviews
• Cross teaching where numbers and specialisations warrant.
The implication of the above principles include:
The agreed objectives of the ATN continue to underpin the advocacy work which continues to this day.
• Establishing administrative arrangements which facilitated joint marketing and services, and
• Jointly developing courseware to improve quality and/or reduce costs of existing domestic provision or as agreed internationally.
Three research and development objectives, which included:
• Pursuing a joint approach to developing research in newly emerging discipline areas
• Investigating whether complimentary research strengths can be identified with a view to pursuing collaborative research grants with government and with industry
• Providing mutual support for the quality assurance of research within the ATN.
Two consultancy objectives, which included:
• Pursuing jointly national and consultancy activities
• Developing operational arrangements to support service to clients with consistent and high quality of processes.
One objective focused on resource planning and development with the intent to address issues such joint strategic planning and staff exchanges.
Some examples of achievements aligned with these objectives are:
• The ATN Frontiers and Designing Your Future programs
• Student exchanges and research partnerships with universities in Brazil
• International collaboration with the alliance of technological universities in Germany (TU9), the UK’s University Alliance and building of relationships across the US and China
• A credit transfer agreement put in place since 2002; and,
• The first trial in Australia to demonstrate that research impact can be credibly defined, validated and assessed.
Chapter 2:
Measuring Its Impact
ATN has become a potent lobbying and a political force for Australia’s tertiary education sector, respected for its policy clout and consistent, collegial approach aimed at a stronger sector.
A review of Australian media coverage of ATN activities over the past 25 years, indicate that ATN has:
Delivered activity within the spirit of its MOU
• Gained recognition and appreciation from government for advocacy in critical areas of national priority
• Become a trusted partner of industry by actively partnering with them to address labour skill shortages and helping to solve a range of current and emerging needs, and
• Fostered an ethos of collaboration which continues to go from strength to strength until this day.
ATN’s achievements can be divided into the following categories:
• Diversity and inclusion in academia through its stated focus on equity
• The realignment of national research endeavours
• Research innovation, collaboration, and impact
• Academic mobility and integration
• Sustainability
• International activity
The following are key achievements of the ATN over the past 25 years of advocacy in Australian higher education:
ATN Universities members have long been leaders in applied research. The group has argued over the years that research impact can, and should, be credibly defined, validated and assessed.
Diversity And Inclusion In Academia
One of the early initiatives pioneered by ATN was the Women’s Executive Development Program (Wexdev), which was launched in February 1997. At the time, just 14% of women were part of the Profiate across Australian universities; when the program ended in 2014, this proportion had increased to 30%. When Wexdev began, The Australian newspaper reported that female academics were to receive senior placements and internships with corporations such as Westpac, NEC, and BHP. At the same time, ATN developed a graduate certificate of business (managing for diversity), a course designed for people who manage a diverse workforce.
At the time when email discussion lists were important platforms for interaction among groups of people with common interest, ATN established a list of 450 senior women as a part of a strategy to build stronger networking between senior university women and those aspiring to senior positions. It also sought to encourage information sharing and facilitate discussion of crucial issues.
ATN has additionally been very active in championing fairness, inclusion, student diversity and equality of access, rather than focusing on maintaining institutional elite status, which was characteristic of the system in the 1960s.
ATN established a list of 450 senior women as a part of a strategy to build stronger networking between senior university women and those aspiring to senior positions
ATN submissions to the major policy reviews (West in 1998, Nelson in 2002, Bradley in 2008, Kemp-Norton in 2014 and the Universities Accord in 2023) also strongly advocated for improved equitable access to education.
When the report of the West committee’s review of higher education financing and policy was released, Prof Denise Bradley (vice-chancellor of UniSA and ATN chair in 1997) challenged the West committee’s review for doubletalk on student commitment to broadening participation, arguing that the West review produced a basis for action to further erode opportunities for disadvantaged groups and stratify the higher education sector. On behalf of ATN, Bradley argued that Australia needed differentiation of institutional mission and approach within the higher education sector. This approach - advocating for inclusion, diversity and differentiation - has been a key emphasis of the ATN ever since.
And so, in 2007, Prof Bradley led the review on higher education. This review was strong on social inclusion, setting participation targets around attainment of a university degree and participation of low socioeconomic status students. They were ambitious targets, yet to be realised, and were a keen focus of attention in the Accord review process during the past two years.
Research Realignment
The realignment of Australia’s research endeavours to meet national objectives is another significant development brought about by the Dawkins reforms.
The process of institutional amalgamations under the unified national system meant that there were more eligible institutions to do research. Under the old binary system, the bulk of research activities were mainly undertaken in the universities. Competition for research funds existed but it was limited.
The National Report on Australia’s Higher Education Sector notes that in 1988 the pre-1987 CAEs, which included the institutes of technology, accounted for a little less than 5% of total research funds. The research and development activity which occurred among the institutes of technology had significant links with local business and industry, and the nature of this R&D activity was mainly applied in orientation.
For the new universities to attract government funding for research meant that pre-1987 universities were to lose a proportion of its recurrent grant. This funding would go to a competitive pool for redistribution across the system, managed by the Australian Research Council (ARC). This ‘clawback’ mechanism was opposed by several agencies and many of the older universities, with claims that this would contribute to a rundown on the quality of research endeavours, including institutional research infrastructure. At the end many of the older institutions were better off after the competitive process was introduced.
As part of the educational profile process, which underpinned the funding agreement between the Commonwealth and every university, institutions had to submit a research management plan. Each institution had to outline in their research plan the range and scale of their research activity, what their objectives, priorities, strategies, area of specialisations were, and consider the allocation of funds for research within their own institution. Newer universities were expected to concentrate their research efforts on applied research and have a focus on collaborative research with industry. Newer universities were not going to follow the path of the established universities’ focus on pure and basis research.
For the five original ATN institutions, the journey of research development began in earnest once they were granted university status. In the spirit of sharing their development journey, the five original ATN institutions undertook their first benchmark exercise on their research activities in 1993.
One key concern for new universities, and made by the ATN chair Prof David Beanland in 1999, was that they were expected to develop research with little or no funding base. It was also noted that, in the years following the mergers, there was declining Commonwealth funding which eroded the ability for academics to undertake research. From the onset, the ATN institutions advocated for the need to shift the balance of Australia’s research activity to applied research.
ATN institutions also argued against concentration of research, which was advocated by some older institutions as a way of protectionism or to prevent the proliferation of research endeavours in a wider range of institutions and disciplines.
ATN also supported the introduction “of collaborative grants, collaborative research centres and Australian industry postgraduate research awards”. Beanland’s view was that these “have helped to redress the balance in recent years and have demonstrated that outcome-focused research is at least equivalently challenging academically, is appropriate for masters and PhD programs and can lead to significant economic outcomes”.
ATN institutions are recognised for their connections to industry and collaborative ways of working with industry partners, civil society and government to address Australia’s skills shortage as well as solving societal, economic and environmental challenges.
They have focused on outcome-oriented research to boost the innovation cycle and bolster both domestic and international competitiveness and effectiveness of research endeavours.
Research Impact
In 2006, when the federal government proposed a research impact assessment as part of the Research Quality Framework, there were mixed responses from universities.
ATN supported and argued that research impact can be credibly defined, validated and assessed. It also argued that the inclusion of both quality and impact measures in the Research Quality Framework (RQF) offered Australian universities a unique opportunity to position and shine globally as leaders in this area. Research-intensive universities were against the idea and often ridiculed that it would lead to a deterioration to the quality of research activity. Even the Labor Party (then in opposition) was against the idea of adopting measures of research impact. In 2007, the new Rudd Government scrapped the pilot RQF exercise that included an attempt to measure impact, arguing that it was flawed and open to rorting.
In 2008, again, ATN called for the Rudd Government’s research performance exercise to adopt indicators that measure researchers’ impact on reducing death and disease, and improving safety, trade, gross domestic product, and quality of life. Then, in 2011, the ATN made a new push to establish a measure of research impact which was supported by the Go8.
In 2012, ATN and the Go8 undertook a trial using case studies to measure research impact. Then, in December 2015, as part of its National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA), the Government announced the development of an Engagement and Impact (EI) assessment. This led to examine how universities are translating their research into economic, environmental, social, cultural and other benefits.
About RMIT
RMIT is an international university of technology, design and enterprise with more than 90,000 students and over 11,000 staff globally. We empower people and communities to adapt and thrive across generations, with education, research and civic engagement that are applied, inclusive and impactful. Postgraduate, undergraduate, vocational education, foundation studies and online programs offer students a variety of workrelevant pathways.
Our three substantial campuses in Melbourne are located in the City, Brunswick and Bundoora, along with other Victorian locations. We also have two campuses (Saigon South and Hanoi) and an English language centre in Vietnam and a research and innovation hub in Spain. In addition, programs are offered through partners in Singapore, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India and China, with research and industry partnerships across the globe.
We continue to consolidate our international reputation and currently rank equal 123rd in the QS World University Rankings and appear in the 251-300 band of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. Strong industry connections, forged over 137 years, remain integral to RMIT’s leadership in education, applied and innovative research, and to the development of our graduates as skilled global citizens. This is why our alumni community is known for being highly employable and ready to adapt in complex times.
Alongside industry-relevance, creativity and inclusivity are hallmarks of an RMIT education. Our diverse global community of more than 500,000 graduates live, work and contribute in more than 150 countries around the world. Recognising that education is lifelong, many also return throughout their careers to refresh and update their skills or change career direction altogether.
As a collective and as individuals, we commit to respectful ways of working and understanding that acknowledge the experiences, history and knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We actively strengthen relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples for the benefit of all Australians and the communities in which RMIT operates.
The first national assessment was undertaken in 2018 as part of the Engagement and Impact Assessment. It was through the persistence of ATN that Australia adopted use of impact measures. As a result, Australia maintains a global leadership in its ability to assess overall quality of research as well as its pathway for impact.
Measuring university impact and how universities aim to address social, economic and environmental issues is now a major endeavour for all universities globally.
Champions Of Sustainability
On the 31st of January 2008, the vice-chancellors of the original ATN institutions signed a declaration of commitment to local, national and global sustainability.
The ATN declaration came at a time when universities were at an early stage of embedding sustainability principles into their systems and operational practice. ATN institutions pledged to play leading roles in demonstrating their capability in implementing effective and efficient sustainable practices in teaching research and operations.
The six principles and guiding actions which underpinned the 2008 ATN commitments were:
1) Promoting learning and teaching which addresses sustainability issues and principles. Promoting the integration of the social, economic, cultural, political, and environmental pillars of sustainability as core considerations of academic programs so that our graduates are informed, active, and responsible in matters of sustainability.
2) Promoting and creating opportunities for social outreach and community engagement, promoting the relevance of sustainability to all aspects of our lives in a process of lifelong learning. Education in sustainability assists the community to make decisions and take action that reflects concern for the pillars of sustainability in all aspects of their lives.
3) Integrating sustainability principles into the decision making, management, and operation of university business. The establishment and application of sustainability goals, strategies and performance outcomes to our operations ensures an organisationally consistent commitment to sustainability.
4) Fostering a culture of continuous improvement in sustainability practices across the ATN universities. Establishing processes that transparently monitor and review sustainability issues providing a basis from which to improve.
5) Creating university communities that can proudly declare they actively contribute to a sustainable workplace. Staff who have the tools, education, and support to achieve each university’s sustainability objectives and targets.
6) Collaborating with each other, industry, and government, locally and globally to further research in sustainability Discovery and applied research contribute to nation building, providing solutions to national and global priorities.
ATN universities are progressing their efforts to reducing their environmental footprint, become carbon neutral, embedding the sustainable development goals in the curriculum, and producing research outcomes contribute to solving those social, economic, and environmental challenges.
In doing so, all university processes and operations are underpinned by their commitment to sustainability. Therefore, it is not surprising that three ATN universities are ranked in the top 50 in the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact Ranking. In the 2024 QS Sustainability Rankings, five are ranked in the top 100 and another one in the top 150.
Credit Transfer
In February 2000 in Sydney, a year on from the creation of the group, the ATN universities struck a deal to allow students block credit transfer between member institutions. The agreement guarantees advanced entry, subject to related courses offered, and saves students from having to apply for advanced standing on an individual subject basis.
This cutting-edge agreement facilitated movement between institutions and even between cities. In practice, it means that a student from any member institution majoring, for example, in civil engineering, can go to Melbourne or Sydney to do a unit on construction engineering or building services engineering.
The ATN credit transfer agreement fills a gap in Australia, as there is not another system in place that enables the automatic recognition of prior learning, making it the responsibility of every institution to develop their own credit transfer arrangements.
About Curtin University
Curtin University bears the name of Australia’s 14th Prime Minister, the Hon. John Curtin, who led this country through the perils of WWII. Throughout his life, John Curtin was highly committed to social justice, equity and fairness; his view on the purpose of a university reflects those deep values.
Above all things, the university must have a soul. In it, the divine spirit of service, and sacrifice for service, must pervade all of its works. (The Hon John Curtin, Former Prime Minister of Australia, 1931)
At Curtin, we recognise that not everyone has had the same advantages and opportunities. We also know the power of our teaching and research to solve the social and economic problems facing our community, Australia and the rest of the world. We recognise that the best measure of our success is the ability to make a difference — a difference to our people and our planet through our partnerships.
As the largest university in Western Australia (WA), Curtin contributes significantly to the nation’s critical workforce. We graduate the largest number of health professionals in WA across the widest range of health disciplines, and one of the largest cohorts of teachers in Australia.
Students come from around the world to study mining at the WA School of Mines, drawn by our number two ranking in the world for Mineral and Mining Engineering.
We are renowned for producing career-ready graduates, topping the nation for employer satisfaction in the last two Employer Satisfaction Surveys. This ranking underscores that Curtin
graduates have the skills and qualifications employers value, want and need.
Curtin is committed to providing the knowledge, the skills, the new industries and the workforce we need for a healthy and prosperous future. We make this commitment not only to Western Australia, but also to the global communities around the Indian Ocean Rim where we have campuses — Singapore, Dubai, Mauritius and Malaysia.
The University has built a reputation around innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, being at the forefront of many highprofile research projects and our strengths in critical minerals, the clean energy transition, national resilience and security, radioastronomy and agriculture are entering new and exciting phases of growth.
Annual Forums
The Melbourne meeting of February 1999 was also the beginning of the annual conference/summit held by ATN. One of the first tasks discussed at the inaugural conference was to investigate whether research strengths could be identified with a view to pursue collaborative research grants from government and industry.
The ATN conference continues to occur on an annual basis and has often rotated among member institutions, and in 2024 to mark the 25th anniversary, it was the ATN25 National Symposium Curriculum Innovation connecting delegates and member university representatives from across Australia on a virtual platform and broadcast to a large online audience from the Canberra studios of our long-time partners Newcast.
Industry Connected
ATN has long been committed to working with industry to address the changing nature of the Australian workforce through skill development, reskilling, and upskilling.
One of its early successes was working in collaboration with industry to create a graduate certificate in business, as well as designing courseware for boosting business and management skills, particularly for local and offshore online delivery.
ATN has placed particular emphasis on applied research and sought to engage more actively with industry to create a better balance between the research that universities do and the research of industry needs. ATN developed an industrial PhD and established industry doctoral training centres, which provided placement opportunities for doctoral students to work with companies.
In the early 2000s, ATN established the Learning Employment Aptitude Program (LEAP), which was designed to enhance graduate capabilities and further enhance their employment prospects. This program is now known as ATN Frontiers, which is designed to support HDR students across the network to better understand the future, and to best prepare for it.
Moreover, ATN conducted a joint pilot of research impact studies with the Go8, conducting 162 case studies. 70 per cent of these were from non-academic organisations. This pilot was the precursor to the Engagement and Impact Assessment, first undertaken by the Australian Research Council in 2018.
In 2011, ATN proposed a paid student internship program in which students could spend a full term – or four months – doing paid work in a relevant business or industry. The ATN proposal required contribution from industry and government to facilitate this process and offer tax credits to companies for taking on interns.
Over the years, ATN has worked with employer and business organisations (e.g., Business Council of Australia and the Australia Industry Group) to address skills development and provide solutions to skill shortages in areas and regions where needed.
International Activity
The ATN grouping has also established a significant global footprint over the past 25 years, particularly with other technology-minded networks and institutions.
In 2000, the ATN’s women development program was also implemented in South Africa universities and technikons, thanks to funding provided by AusAID and IDP Education. Later, ATN institutions collaborated further on a mentoring and conflict resolution program in South Africa as well as sharing expertise on quality assurance and improvement processes.
In 2010, ATN signed a research collaboration agreement with the German Academic Service. Under the agreement, researchers from both countries were able to obtain their travel and living expenses when conducting research collaboration. This was a precursor to a partnership with another network based in Germany in the years ahead, the TU9 German Universities of Technology.
ATN was also part of a placement program for students and scholars during the 2012 Brazil- Australia strategic parentship agreement. This took place during the Brazilian program Science without Borders.
ATN has also hosted a range of international visits and exchanges. This included TU9’s long- awaited (planning had been impacted by the global pandemic) knowledge exchange and tour of Australian campuses visit in 2023, the hosting University Alliance in April in the 25th anniversary year for a leadership program, AusTrade’s Australia India Business Exchange (AIBX) 2022, and ATN-Vietnam Leadership Dialogue 2021.
About Deakin University
Home to over 300,000 high-achieving graduates, Deakin has always been ahead of the curve. We have a proud history of innovation in education and research, made possible by the people, ideas and events of our almost 50-year history.
Deakin was established as Victoria’s fourth university. It was the result of many years of debate and lobbying, and a desire to increase students’ access to education. The antecedent institutions that laid the foundation for Deakin date back as far as 1887, but it was not until the 1970s that these institutions took new shapes that began the shift toward the Deakin we see today.
For the past 40 years, we’ve been perfecting distance and online learning. Championed by Deakin’s first Vice-Chancellor, Deakin quickly developed an international reputation as a creative and innovative distance education provider. From the urban heartbeat of Melbourne Burwood and picturesque bay views of Geelong Waterfront to the sprawling and lush green surrounds of Geelong Waurn Ponds and Warrnambool – our commitment to sustainability is reflected in every Deakin campus.
Our sustainability practices are connected to our respect for the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which our campuses reside and the waterways that run alongside them. Thinking global, acting local – our trailblazing campuses in West Java, Indonesia and GIFT City, India are leading the way for higher education on an international scale. Deakin partnered with
Lancaster University, to bring a world-first Australia-UK international joint campus to Bandung, West Java.
In early 2024, Deakin also became the first overseas university to open a branch campus in India. The international teaching campus is located in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), a central business district in Gujarat. And, in another significant milestone, 2024 marks Deakin’s celebration of a 30-year relationship with India.
Another significant area of impact comes through advances in research, which have been a hallmark of Deakin’s success in recent years, with impressive growth in quality, impact and income. Our researchers are making a positive impact on the lives and wellbeing of communities in Australia and around the world.
Chapter 3: Stewardship
Visionary
Leaders
An alliance can only succeed to the extent to which there is a vision and a commitment to make it reality, and this has been a cornerstone of the ATN group of universities since day one.
The original MOU was signed by five vice-chancellors in 1999:
• Prof Lance Twomey (Curtin’s vice-chancellor from 1997 to 2006)
• Prof Denise Bradley (UniSA’s vice-chancellor from 1997 to 2007)
• Prof Anthony John Dyson Blake (UTS’ vice-chancellor from 1996 to 2002)
• Prof David Beanland (RMIT’s principal from 1989 and vice-chancellor from 1992 to 2000)
• Prof Dennis Gibson (QUT’s vice-chancellor from 1988 to 2003).
Later, Prof Bradley would go on to lead the 2008 review of higher education and produced the report which led to the demand driven system and equity targets for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
After departing QUT, Prof Dennis Gibson become Chancellor at RMIT.
Among the other vice-chancellors who chaired the ATN group and have continued to deliver substantive impact in the wider society are:
• Prof Peter Coaldrake AO (QUT vice-chancellor from 2003 to 2017) led the review into the Higher Education Provider Category Standards in 2018 and has been the Chief Commissioner for the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).
• Prof Margaret Gardner AC (RMIT vice-chancellor from 2005 to 2014) would go on to become the 30th Governor of Victoria.
• There are currently several sitting vice-chancellors who have their academic roots founded across the ATN.
The Secretariat And The Directorate
At the third ATN conference in 2001, the ATN institutions discussed plans to set up a permanent Secretariat (which is now referred to as the Directorate) to co-ordinate its activities. In response to the Go8 setting up a secretariat in Canberra in 2000 to boost their lobbying and policy power, ATN agreed to do the same.
It also follows that the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs advised in 2000 that in future when it was seeking sector representation on committees, it would approach groups such as the Go8 and ATN as well as the Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee (AVCC, now Universities Australia).
In September 2003, Vicki Thomson was appointed director of ATN. Previously, she was communications director with the AVCC. As the inaugural director of the secretariat, Thomson had responsibility to set up quarters in Canberra. During her tenure, which lasted until 2014, the HE sector continued to experiment with change and the advocacy work was critical to the many successes ATN can be proud of.
The University of South Australia (UniSA) is a place for unstoppable people. We’re one of the world’s best young universities, recognised internationally for educational excellence, industry engagement and a strong commitment to social equity.
UniSA is South Australia’s leading university for student satisfaction, teaching quality and graduate skills, and we are one of Australia’s leading universities for graduate employability.
Established in 1991, we’re a modern institution that draws on a legacy of more than a century of education innovation. Our antecedent institutions include the South Australian School of Art (founded in 1856), the first of several Teacher Training Colleges (formed in 1876), and the School of Mines and Industries (established in 1889). Like UniSA today, our forerunners were known for educational excellence, industry connection, adaptability, and a deep commitment to meeting the needs of the community.
UniSA prepares tomorrow’s professionals through degrees that are designed in partnership with industry, combining innovative teaching, real-world experience, and modern, flexible study options. Our curriculum provides students with the skills they need to grasp the opportunities of today – and ensures they have the ingenuity and resilience they need to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
The experiences and knowledge that UniSA provide our graduates draw from our collaborations with more than 2500 companies worldwide. Our researchers partner with end-users to shape the questions we ask, producing world-class research
with real impact and social relevance. And we extend that spirit of collaboration and engagement to the wider community – our mission is to make knowledge accessible to everyone.
UniSA is home to Australia’s first future-oriented museum, MOD., one of the nation’s leading art galleries, the Samstag Museum of Art, and the nationally renowned public outreach institution, the Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Centre. At UniSA, excellence, equity and enterprise co-exist. We’re proud of our achievements, and we’re focused on our important work delivering outstanding education, impactful research, and serving our communities.
Now, UniSA is entering a new phase. We’re joining with the University of Adelaide to create a transformational new futurefocused university, Adelaide University, which will ‘open its doors’ in January 2026, the first new major Australian university in a generation.
About UniSA
Julie Hare wrote in The Australian newspaper that “Ms. Thomson knows what she’s talking about”. As a director of ATN, “she has walked the talk in the corridors of power to convince the wary and unconvinced on nuances of higher education both profound and arcane.” Thomson went on to become the Go8’s CEO.
Renee Hindmarsh began as the Executive Director in November 2014. Hindmarsh had a proven record in advocacy, communications and public policy, having worked with many prominent Liberal politicians. At the time of her appointment, she was completing her doctoral dissertation on foreign investment in China. During her tenure which lasted for four years and four months, ATN’s advocacy work in the corridors of Canberra continued. ATN was recognised as the exemplar of industry collaboration in the National Innovation and Science Agenda in 2015. Another of Renee proud achievement was the establishment of network-wide partnerships for students with industry, including the Commonwealth Bank and Cisco.
She was appointed Deputy Chief Executive at Universities Australia in October 2023.
Alec Webb acted as Executive Director for five months in 2019 from February to June. During this interim period, Webb led the group through the 2019 Federal election and oversaw the coming together of the ATN solar car project. Webb was appointed as Executive Director of the Regional Universities Network in July 2021.
In June 2019, Luke Sheehy began as Executive Director. Sheehy was also a parliamentary adviser and international education adviser to Labor politicians. During his tenure, Australian universities experimented during the pandemic and its consequences but also worked through the Accord review submissions process. On 19 December 2023, Sheehy was announced as Universities Australia’s new CEO. His appointment was widely reported in Australia’s media as the modern university prepared for a range of changes following the Accord process and mounting scrutiny on public universities.
Frank Coletta, who joined ATN in September 2022 as the manager of Media and Communications, then moved into the Director of Public Affairs portfolio, was appointed Interim Executive Director between January and June 2024 and oversaw the group’s response to the Universities Accord Final Report and 2024 Federal Budget.
Ant Bagshaw began as Executive Director in June 2024, having previously worked in various higher education positions – in universities, media and consulting – across the UK and Australia.
Footprint
The ATN universities footprint is significant across Australia and around the world:
Students
• More than 300,000 students studied at an ATN university in 2022
68,000 were enrolled in postgraduate programs
228,000 were enrolled in undergraduate programs.
• Almost 69,000 students completed a higher education qualification in 2022.
• 3% received a postgraduate by research qualification.
Revenue and staff
• $6.1 billion in total revenue in 2022, including controlled entities.
• Over 30,000 people employed as academic, professional, and general staff.
Social equity
• As of 2022, over 43% of senior leadership positions were held by women.
• Among domestic commencing students in 2022, 17.7% were from low socio-economic background status, 13.9% were from regional and remote regions, and 2.2% were First Nations.
• Attainment rate for students from low socio-economic background status stood at 13.1% in 2022.
Alumni impact
• Strong relationships within their local, regional, and global communities, with over 1.6 million followers in LinkedIn.
• Over the 25-year period (2003-2022), there were more than 1.19 million university award completions.
Research output and quality
• Published more than 25,400 scholarly outputs in 2023, compared to under 2,000 in 1996.
• More than 2.27 million citations received between 2018 to 2023.
• 71.6% of ATN researchers’ outputs were published in Quartile 1 journals.
Research and development
• $695 million of income for research purposes in 2022
$486 million were in Cat 2-4 (industry, international, philanthropic, not-for-profit, CRC and non-major grant public sector income).
• Annual investment of $1.8 billion for research and development in 2022, compared to $100m in 2001.
• More than 310 active patent families held in 2022, 50 patent applications were filed and received over 280 invention disclosures.
Working Groups
There have been working groups established to provide support and guidance on a range of projects and initiatives which the ATN has undertaken over the past quarter century. One of the early groups established was focused on shaping the women in leadership program. Working groups have been established on time-limited projects such as a Commercialisation Group regarding intellectual property principles. There is a policy group, drawing on expertise from across the member universities, which acts as a consultative point on matters of policy and support for the numerous submissions which are prepared year on year.
Under the Governance arrangements, ATN has, over the years, established several other collaborative groups for the benefit of its member institutions including the Deputy Vice- Chancellors Academic, Deputy Vice-Chancellors Research, Deputy Vice-Chancellors International, Planning Group, Research Directors and Graduate School Deans.
About UTS
Founded in 1988, the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has quickly grown in stature to be regarded among the top 100 universities in the world by international rankings agencies QS (88th globally) and US News (85th).
Regularly cited as Australia’s best young university, UTS gained university status through the merger of a number of pre-existing technical, design and teaching colleges.
UTS research is known for its high-quality and impact as measured by international citations and is often developed and applied in collaboration with industry partners. Areas of research strength include civil engineering, robotics and artificial intelligence; sustainability and future cities; health, data sciences and biomedicine; agritech; and applied economics.
UTS’ innovative learning and teaching approach integrates the best of online and face-to-face experiences. Students benefit from an immersive career-focused education, coupled with strong links to industry. The university currently enrols approximately 47,000 students annually, in over 130 undergraduate and 210 postgraduate courses across traditional and emerging disciplines such as architecture, built environment, business, communication, design, education, engineering, information technology, international studies, law, midwifery, nursing, pharmacy and science.
The university’s inner-city campus was transformed through a $1.5 billion investment, which delivered four award-winning buildings, including internationally-renowned architect Frank Gehry’s first Australian venture. Imbued with collaborative spaces and technological capabilities, the distinctive campus is a physical embodiment of UTS’ progressive traits.
The university’s vision is to be a leading public university of technology recognised for its global impact. Its purpose is to advance knowledge and learning through research-inspired teaching, research with impact and partnerships with industry, the professions and community. As a public purpose institution, UTS is committed to supporting positive social change within and beyond its campus. This commitment is reflected by a diverse set of institution wide social justice initiatives that have only expanded in scope and impact since UTS was established.
As the world and future of work changes, UTS continues to build an enviable reputation for a fusion of innovation, creativity and technology; precisely the characteristics that make UTS and its graduates sought after by global industry. Recent market research confirms that NSW leaders in business, the professions and government believe UTS has the most industry-focused approach of all Sydney metropolitan universities.
Institutional Movements
Over the past 25 years there has been some movement in the membership of the alliance.
One of the original group of universities, QUT, departed ATN in November 2018 to pursue its policy objectives independently of any affiliation.
At the time, QUT’s Vice-chancellor Prof Margaret Sheil said in a press release that QUT’s strategic direction had “evolved significantly” since it joined ATN, “and today we find ourselves on a trajectory we feel best able to pursue in our own right.”
Not long after, Deakin University in Victoria linked with ATN (May 2020) and took full member status in December 2020.
In a statement to media, the university declared that “Deakin shares ATN’s proud commitment to equity and social justice. We collectively take pride in our role as anchor institutions in our communities and contributors to civil society. We are driven to provide meaningful opportunities for all Australians, regardless of their background or circumstances.”
And under the leadership of Prof Alex Zelinsky AO, The University of Newcastle joined the network in November 2021, which was preceded by a period in which Newcastle made joint policy submissions with ATN.
About The University of Newcastle
The University of Newcastle, Australia is a world-class university with a strong focus on student experience, excellence in teaching, and research. We are a university of and for our regions - The University of Newcastle has delivered superior education and world-class research since 1965.
By working with our industry, community and government partners, we translate new knowledge into innovations that make a real difference – to our communities, our economy and our planet. Our vision is to be a world-leading university for our regions, with our main campus based in the bustling Newcastle suburb of Callaghan. We also have our university representation on the NSW Centre Coast, in Sydney and in Singapore.
We are committed to delivering an exceptional student experience, preparing graduates for life, and serving our regions by taking research that matters to the world and bringing our global expertise home.
We are proud of our record in Indigenous higher education, innovation and engagement, which has been driven by relationships with the Indigenous community and through the work of the Wollotuka Institute.
Since 1983, the Wollotuka Institute has operated as a support centre for Indigenous students studying at The University of Newcastle with unparalleled leadership who champion an academically enriching and culturally affirming education.
Our world-leading researchers translate new knowledge into innovations that make a real difference.
The University of Newcastle continues to build its global reputation for being one of the world’s most prestigious universities. We are ranked in the:
• Top 200 ranked university in the world
• 12 subjects ranked in the top 200 in the world
• Top 8 in Australia for research ‘well above world standard’
• 95% of our research is ‘at’ or ‘above world standard’.
We are dedicated to the core values of equity, excellence, engagement and sustainability. The University of Newcastle is a globally recognised education institution committed to solving the world’s greatest problems.
Key Achievements
ATN can count numerous significant achievements over the past 25 years of advocacy, including having:
• Pioneered initiatives to promote women to positions of power in academia.
• Championed initiatives on fairness, inclusion, student diversity, and equality of access and outcomes, rather than seeking to maintain elite institutional status.
• Led the push for democratising research endeavours in Australia (argued for the need to shift the balance of Australia’s research activity to applied research and argued against concentration of research).
• Convinced government and universities of the value of adopting impact assessment measures for evaluating research performance as part of Australia’s Research Quality Framework.
• Advocated for raising quality standards and evidence-driven decision making across the sector.
• Actively worked with industry partners, civil society, and the government to address Australia’s skills shortage.
• Actively committed to making sustainability a focus in teaching and learning, research endeavours, operations, services, and outreach to local, regional and global communities.
How it all began. The launch of the ATN Universities group headlined in The Australian newspaper with Denise Bradley (UniSA) flanked by her colleagues Dennis Gibson (QUT), David Beanland (RMIT), Tony Blake (UTS) and Lance Twomey (Curtin University). Image provided by Newspix
When it started. The MOU signed by the five original members of the ATN Universities group on the 11th of February 1999.
There was alignment and collaboration from the very outset with the network getting ahead of the game to explore possibilities around online delivery of technology-related education and training. Image provided by Newspix
The UTS Tower (Building 1) was built in the 1970s, the same era in which the chiefs of the largest institutes of technology began the process towards what we now know as the ATN Universities group, an institutional block called the Directors of Central Institutes of Technology (DOCIT).
Among the earliest agreed objectives of the original alliance was to pioneer and lead initiatives to promote women into leadership positions, and ATN Universities has been privileged to have some of the very best at the forefront of higher education across the years. (1) Prof Denise Bradley AC, pictured during her time as UniSA Vice-Chancellor and (2) with former President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela. Denise is considered one of the most influential leaders in Australian education ranks and was a fierce advocate for the vital role of education in transforming lives both as UniSA’s VC for a decade and as Chair of the ATN group. (3) The 30th Governor of Victoria, Prof Margaret Gardner AC (far left at an RMIT Graduation Ceremony) was Vice-Chancellor of RMIT for more than 10 years, during which time she was also our Chair and (4) Vicki Thomson led ATN Universities for more than a decade from 2003, as the original Executive Director, before moving on to lead the Group of Eight.
In February 2000 the academic boards of ATN members came to an agreement, allowing students block credit transfer between their institutions, allowing movement between their universities and cities. Image provided by Newspix
On the 31st of January 2008, the vice-chancellors of the original ATN institutions signed a declaration of commitment to local, national and global sustainability. The declaration came at a time when universities were at an early stage of embedding sustainability principles into their systems and operational practice.
In 2005 ATN Universities Chair Prof Denise Bradley announced the innovative group of institutions would collaborate on a research project into public health to “demonstrate the value of the relevant and applied research conducted by the universities”. Image provided by Newspix.
With Australian universities encouraged to be more competitive globally, the ATN group began a campaign of international collaboration including a 2013 MOU struck with the University Alliance in the UK and which culminated in a visit by our partners as part of a Future Leaders program in our 25th year celebrations.
As the world grappled with a global pandemic, there was upheaval across higher education in Australia. During this period, Deakin University (in 2020) and The University of Newcastle (2021) would join the ranks of original ATN members Curtin, RMIT, UniSA and UTS.
Curtin University, October 2023. ATN Chair 2023-24 Prof Harlene Hayne leads fellow Vice-Chancellors Alec Cameron, Iain Martin, David Lloyd and Andrew Parfitt along with ATN directorate staff on a tour of the campus following a Strategy Day on site.
Each year ATN Universities hosts a summit focusing on pertinent issues around Higher Education. Here (1) MC Helen Kapalos introduces guests during the Future Learning Summit of 2023 at Deakin Burwood while (2) then ED Luke Sheehy takes the stage with higher education policy and research gurus Mark Warburton and Andrew Norton.
After two years of intensive preparation work designing, testing and collaborating across Australia, the Australian Technology Network of Universities (ATN) team made it to Darwin on 13 October, 2019 for the start of the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge. The ATN Solar Car was affectionately known as ‘Priscilla’.
Highlights of recent years for ATN Universities have been the energetic exchange of ideas and interactive workshops at our campuses during the visits of international partners the TU9 German Universities of Technology in 2023 (1 and 2) at Deakin and UTS, and (3 and 4) the University Alliance from the UK in 2024 at Newcastle (being officially welcomed above by Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky AO) and Curtin.
(5) The ACSES Equity Targets panel at the WSU Bankstown campus in 2024 had a distinct ATN flavour with former EDs, including Renee Hindmarsh (now Universities Australia Deputy Chief Executive), Frank Coletta (ATN Deputy Executive Director) and Alec Webb (now Regional Universities Network Executive Director) joining Innovative Research Universities Executive Director, Paul Harris, The Group of Eight’s Deputy Chief Executive, Matt Brown and moderator Marcia Devlin AM (CEO Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership and former Deakin University Academic Board member). Image courtesy of Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success. (6) Dr Ant Bagshaw joined ATN Universities as Executive Director in June 2024 – Image courtesy of Eden Connell.
Among the vice-chancellors who chaired the ATN group and have continued to deliver substantive impact in the wider society was Prof Peter Coaldrake AO (QUT vice-chancellor from 2003 to 2017) who led the review into the Higher Education Provider Category Standards in 2018 and was the Chief Commissioner for the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).
The ATN group has always enjoyed close connection with its membership campuses and the political landscape over the years through its Hub and Spoke model, including the head office being based in Canberra before moving to Melbourne, dedicated office space in both Adelaide and Sydney, along with staff being hosted by universities’ teams for extended periods in Perth and Newcastle recently. The IT system has been hosted by both UniSA and RMIT. Pictured above are members of the 2013 RMIT Council at the Melbourne City Campus. Photograph from the RMIT University Library ‘RMIT Educational and Promotional Images’ Digital Collection - Photo: Margund Sallowsky
(Above and Below) Did you know? ATN’s overall research output and quality included the publication of more than 25,400 scholarly outputs in 2023, and achieved more than 2.27 million citations between 2018 to 2023.
Parting Thoughts
Idea of the Networked University
The idea of what the university is, how it is understood and defined in time and space as an institution, has not been immune to the vagaries of contemporary thinking. The contemporary university is depicted in many ways.
Universities of today are interconnected by shared visions and missions, by the nature of the disciplines that bond academics and institutions together in collaborative research, in pedagogical discourse and so forth. Universities are interconnected by the policies and programmes that governments, intergovernmental organisations and other strategic actors develop and pursue with agreed objectives.
Universities are interconnected in time and space through their interdisciplinary activity and multiple stakeholders to pursue common objectives. ATN is an example of what Manuel Castells calls the network society with its nodes across Australia’s states.
World-Leading Innovation
Over the years, the innovative ATN universities have never been afraid to push the envelope and try and do things differently in their course offerings.
A wide range of multidisciplinary degrees are available and have been developed to help prepare students for all aspects of an ever-changing workforce.
Among those unique offerings are RMIT’s aerospace engineering, aviation management and pilot training (pictured). UTS has also demonstrated stratospheric expertise to its graduates through a recent collaboration with Space Machines through the UTS Tech Lab. The University of Newcastle has long been renowned for its sector-leading preparatory program NUPrep and Curtin’s Centre for Aboriginal studies and Ways of Working Cultural Awareness Program (WOW) are widely acclaimed First Nations initiatives. At Deakin University students are advantaged by the leadership in sports education with world-class sporting facilities, connections to elite sporting bodies and the offer of integrated learning. And University of South Australia’s offering of the first course with a dedicated autism focus within an allied health program, has drawn great praise.
Across all our member universities there is something for everyone and opportunities which many students may not have previously considered, these are distinctive areas in which to thrive and succeed and best prepare for exciting careers ahead.
Australian University of Technology
What is not widely known is that, in 2002, the ATN group went as far as developing a concept with the objective to develop a model for the establishment of an Australian University of Technology to drive effective scale, quality and efficiencies to ensure sustainability of a credible, quality Australian technological higher education and research offering. The model was one possible strategic response envisaged by the ATN leaders to the emerging dynamics of the global education and research environment and the continued wave of higher education reforms by the federal government in response to these trends.
The concept proposed primary nodes (based on member institutions) with multiple secondary and virtual nodes to maintain state and regional foci of existing institutions. In the end, after more than 12 months of planning and discussions at ministerial level, the AUT didn’t get off the ground but demonstrated the alignment of members of a shared vision and commitment to pursue common goals. The intrinsic value of the ATN remains as strong as ever with increased inter- and intra-institutional collaboration and advocacy work in critical areas of national security.
In summary, following this review of the previous 25 years, attention should turn to what’s next?
Over the next 25 years what lies ahead in terms of institutional offerings and provision is unknown as there are many intervening factors at play (e.g., government policy, economic, social and geopolitical conditions). If Australia’s government policy will be determined by size, serving communities (both within state borders and beyond) and nodes of institutions, the alliance of the technological alliance provide a model of success and ongoing transformation.
The group of ATN universities have risen to be global leaders, are shining in their endeavours and will continue to do so as their overall societal impact continues to grow.
Timelines
2024
ATN provided submissions to Senate inquiry into the ARC amendment bill, Pre-Budget, Defence Trade Controls Amendment Bill, National Skills Passport consultation, Policy Review of the National Competitive Grants Program and Select Committee Inquiry into AI, the ESOS bill, Foreign Arrangements Review and consultations across ATEC, Managed Growth and Needs Based Funding
ATN universities delivered a joint response to Gender-based violence draft action plan
Panel appearances at the ACSES Student Equity Symposium, AFR Higher Education Summit, Times Higher Education Campus Live, Future Campus HE Fest
Annual Forum: ATN25 National SymposiumCurriculum Innovation (May)
ATN25 Workshop at The University of Newcastle (Aug)
The Student Experience (Domestic and International) and Lifelong Learning (Industry, Government and postsecondary education)
ATN submission into the Higher Education Support Amendment (Response to the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report)
ATN on Universities Accord Ministerial Reference Group
ATN submission to Senate inquiry into Jobs and Skills Australia Amendment Bill
ATN submission to joint parliamentary inquiry into migration, pathway to nation building
Newcastle joins ATN as a full member
2022
Annual Forum: ATN Conference: Pathways and Partnerships held in October 2022 in Canberra
ATN launched new online course ‘Designing your future’ to help people deal with change in their workplaces and achieve their career goals
ATN – IRU joint statement on skills shortage and committed to work with government to provide sufficient students in skill shortage aeras and in regions where skills are needed
ATN – Australian Industry Group statement on skills shortage
ATN and government partner to develop skills passport
2021
Annual Forum: ATN Solutions Summit
2021 – focus on the need to reset relationship to drive R&D
ATN submission to government’s review of university research commercialisation
ATN submission to IP agreements
ATN launched ATN Frontiers –our program to help students establish links with industry and include modules on entrepreneurship and data analytics
ATN moves head office from Canberra to Melbourne (Nov 8)
Newcastle joined ATN as an Associate Member
2020
Annual Forum: 2020 Conference on COVID19 Impact and Recovery which also focused a discussion on authentic assessment
ATN called for a review of funding rates and urged that indexation of funding be enshrined in legislation
ATN released “Skills for tomorrow’ strategy in partnership with TAFE Directors Australia, the Australian Industry Group and business strategy group AlphaBeta Deakin joined ATN
2018
ATN signs agreement for a collaboration to participate in the World’s Solar Challenge race in 2018 ATN report ‘Lifelong Skills: Equipping Australians for the Future of Work’.
ATN set up alliance with Excellence 9 League of Universities: Australia-Sino Engineering partnership QUT departed ATN in September
2016
Annual Forum: Conference at UniSA, Adelaide
ATN Intellectual Property agreement
ATN submission on consistency and transparency in student admissions
ATN a CBA partnership for industry in robotics and STEM capabilities
ATN set up an annual fund to improve learning and teaching
2019
ATN submissions to the Senate Inquiry into the New Skilled Regional Visas (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2019; Review of the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Review – Noonan Review; Review of the Higher Education Provider Category Standards –Coaldrake Review; Performance-based funding for the Commonwealth Grants Scheme; Consultation on the reallocation of Commonwealth supported places for enabling, sub-bachelor and postgraduate courses; National Regional, Rural and Remote Education Strategy – Napthine Review, and Review of senior secondary pathways into work, further education and training
2017
ATN Nous report on the value of PhDs to the Australian economy ATN and CSIRO agreement
2015
Annual forum in Melbourne – discussion on sustainability university finances
Concerns on full deregulation of university fees but is supported ATN project with Australian Industry Group in the types of unis research and what industry needs
2013
Annual Forum: Putting the U in Productivity and the continued discussion on research impact ATN is championing the impact agenda to encourage business engagement and complement the Excellence in Research for Australia assessment
ATN and UK University Alliance sign MOU
2011
ATN’s trial a doctorate in mathematics – students working with industry from the start
ATN launched Doctoral Training Centre for Industry in Mathematics
ATN advocated government for a paid student internship program
ATN – Go8 agreed on a trial of RQF impact measures
2014
ATN submission to Kemp Norton review
ATN engages Thomson Reuters to develop an index measuring universityindustry engagement
ATN submission to senate inquiry on asset recycling fund
ATN submission on review of CRCs
WEXDEV program closed – proportion of women in the Profiate grew to 30%
ATN publishes key myths of research impact assessment
2012
Annual Forum: Quality and standards in HE ATN and Go8 trial RQF impact measures – across 12 unis 162 cases studies of impact ATN – Brazil agreement on Science without Borders, under the Brazil-Australia strategic partnership agreement
2009
Annual Forum: 2009 Conference
“sus.tain.a.bil’i.ty” which also focused on R&D investment and role of business on it
ATN urges the government to ease restrictions on academic staff to help reduce staff shortages.
2007
ATN annual forum focused on measures to assess quality of teaching and learning
ATN response to the Skill Build -Nation Build, Constructing Our Future
ATN launch of graduate certificate in research commercialisation
ATN paper on industry support for PhD students and address Australia’s brain
ATN proposed a national audit of infrastructure project – higher education endowment fund
2010
Annual forum in Melbourne discussed infrastructure funding gap. Hosted at RMIT with theme ‘Building Capacity with Quality’ ATN welcomes compact to allow institutional differentiation.
ATN called on expanding postgraduate training.
ATN signed a research collaboration and staff exchange agreement with the German Academic Service ‘Building Capacity with Quality’ conference 2010
2008
ATN signs agreement with 15 schools to identify and encourage more school-leavers to choose engineering as a career path.
ATN submission on ERA – focused the impact of university research added to key outcomes of ERA.
ATN submission to Cutler review and Bradley review ATN Graduate certificate in carbon management
2006
ATN forum focused on impact – the weight of tradition versus future potential and the trial RQF audit
ATN submission on securing Australia’s energy future
ATN project to pilot a national coordinated approach for energy education and energy R&D in Australia
2005
Annual forum focused on changing demands for international education
Keynote by Prof Graeme Hugo on changing demographics
ATN established Centre for Metabolic Fitness
ATN submission on the Research Quality Framework
ATN signs agreement with 19 Chinese universities (July) – International Strategic Technology Alliance
ATN research trail on RQF
ATN established a sustainability working group
2003
Early career researchers swap jobs program across ATN universities to bolster research strength
ATN institutions launched program to offer free places to refuges holding temporary visas
2001
ATN set up secretariat in Canberra
ATN authentication project to provide access to online teaching and learning resources
ATN library project on the role from support units to partners in the teaching and learning process
2004
Annual forum focused on federal government’s teaching, learning and research reforms
ATN Project on university perception (Crosby-Textor)
Launch of a joint research program to fund $2.5m in projects to boost collaboration
2002
Annual forum focused on issues of global sustainability, partnerships and innovation Project for indigenous studies online Project on Australian University of Technology concept
ATN submission to the Nelson review of HE – HE at the crossroads
Launch of Learning Employment Aptitude Program (LEAP)
1999
ATN vice-chancellors signed memorandum of understanding ATN inaugural conference
ATN project to identify complementary research strengths
ATN set up email discussion list of 450 senior women
ATN submission to nation’s science
1997
Women’s Executive Development Program launched Graduate business certificate launched ATN submission to West review
2000
ATN institutions struck deal to allow students block credit transfer
1998
ATN Graduate attributes project in partnership with Morgan and Banks
1996
ATN informal alliance begins
ATN Universities Leadership Over The Years: Chairs and Executive Directors
Prof Attila Brungs FTSE FRSN (UTS Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Attila Brungs FTSE FRSN (UTS Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Mr Luke Sheehy appointed Executive Director
Mr Alec Webb Interim Executive Director (February-June)
Prof Martin Bean CBE (RMIT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Martin Bean CBE (RMIT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof David Lloyd (UniSA Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof David Lloyd (UniSA Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Peter Coaldrake AO (QUT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Ms Rene Hindmarsh appointed Executive Director
Peter Coaldrake AO (QUT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Jeanette Hackett AM (Curtin Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Jeanette Hackett AM (Curtin Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Ross Milbourne AO (UTS Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Ross Milbourne AO (UTS Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Margaret Gardner AC (RMIT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Margaret Gardner AC (RMIT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Denise Bradley AC (UniSA Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Denise Bradley AC (UniSA Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Peter Coaldrake AO (QUT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
First ATN Executive Director appointed (Ms Vicki Thomson)
Prof Dennis Gibson AO Chair (became RMIT chancellor) / Prof Peter Coaldrake
Prof Lance Twomey AO (Curtin Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Lance Twomey AO (Curtin Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Denise Bradley AC (UniSA Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Denise Bradley AC (UniSA Vice-Chancellor) First Chair of formal ATN alliance
Prof Denise Bradley AC (UniSA Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof Dennis Gibson AO (QUT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
Prof David Beanland AO (RMIT Vice-Chancellor) Chair
References
Beanland, D. (2 June 1999). Innovation deserves a seat at the research table. The Australian. Calderon, A. (2021). “The Geopolitics of University Rankings: Not all Regions and University Networks Stand Equal.” In Research Handbook on University Rankings, edited by E. Hazelkorn, and G. Mihut, 382–398. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing.
Campus Morning Mail. (31 March 2015). ATN urges priority for industry linked research.
Campus Morning Mail. (2 October 2018). QUT leaves the ATN lobby.
Castells, M. (2006), ‘The network society: From knowledge to policy’, in M. Castells and G. Cardoso (eds), The Network Society: From Knowledge to Policy, Washington, DC: Johns Hopkins, pp. 3‒21.
Davey, I., Sharma, A., Glover, G., Rowley, S. Furlong, N. (8 June 2005). Research is not a contest. The Australian. Deakin University. (8 December 2020). Deakin joins ATN. Retrieved from: https://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/ news-and-media-releases/articles/deakin-joins-atn
Department of Education, Employment and Training [DEET]. (1993). National report on Australia’s higher education sector. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publishing Service.
Dodd, T. (29 May 2019). Institutions feel the wintry blast. The Australian.
Education Training and Employment. (1979). Report of the Committee of Inquiry into Education and Training, Chair: B. Williams. Canberra, AGPS.
Hare, J. (8 October 2014). ATN chief brings handy skills to the post. The Australian.
Hare, J. (14 January 2015). Expect change as reformer lands at Go8. The Australian
Healy, G. (17 February 1999). ATN five agree to agree. The Australian.
Illing, D. (9 February 2000). Technology deal wins credit. The Australian.
Illing, D. (15 February 2006). Besieged AVCC’s quest for relevance. The Australian.
Illing, D. (11 October 2006). Go8 angered by research impact model. The Australian.
Illing, D. (13 June 2007). Labor to jettison research impact. The Australian.
Peacock, T. (6 February 2002). Innovative pentangle. The Australian.
Rowbotham, J. (24 October 2012). Report assesses funding impact. The Australian.
Ross, J. (28 September 2018). QUT leaves Australian Technology Network. Times Higher Education.
Trounson, A. and Hare, J. (25 Julie 2012). Call to end `elitist attitude’. The Australian.
Vukasovic, M. and Stensaker, B. (2018). University alliances in the Europe of knowledge: positions, agendas and practices in policy processes. European Educational Research Journal, 17(3), 349–364.
Acknowledgements
A project such as this cannot succeed without support.
My thanks to Frank Coletta for his encouragement throughout and tireless, patient work as my editor. Thanks too to the broader team at the ATN Universities Directorate (especially to Ryan Hall and Alessia Zugaro in the Media Marketing and Comms unit) for their enthusiasm in undertaking many hours or research and assisting me to retrieve crucial background information, fact checking and meaningful engagement over the past year. Further, thanks to the member universities’ media, comms and PR teams for their support.
I am also extremely grateful to Sebastian Calderon, Lauren Dunstan and Karen Phelan for passing their expert eyes over my words by taking time out to read early drafts of this story.
About The Author
Angel Calderon is Director, Strategic Insights at RMIT University. Angel has worked in institutional research and planning over the past 35 years in several Australian universities. He has also worked as a journalist and foreign correspondent in several countries.
He is co-editor of a book on institutional research and planning in higher education published by Routledge. He has also co-authored another two volumes on higher education (Global Issues in Institutional Research, published by Wiley and Trends in Science Education for the Australian Council of Deans of Science). He has authored several reports, journal articles and book chapters on geopolitics of higher education, global rankings, sustainable development and university alliances.
Between 1998 and 2007, he was co-editor of the Journal of Institutional Research and co-editor of the Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management.
