2014 School of ICT OPERATIONAL PLAN Strategic goals, key planning challenges and opportunities

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1 2014 School of ICT OPERATIONAL PLAN Strategic goals, key planning challenges and opportunities The School of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) wishes to position itself as the most influential IT teaching and research grouping in Queensland and also the Country. Its vision includes the provision and delivery of the most sought after innovative research-informed programs, which are industry focused and prepare students for direct entry into IT-oriented businesses and companies as well as opening up opportunities for continued studies and research training. The School wishes to build upon its ERA 4 rating in Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, which is the best in the State, out-performing all Queensland Universities, to elevate its position to a rating of 5, whilst concurrently building its strengths in areas such as Bioinformatics/Computational Biology and Health Informatics (this aligns with the Group s strategic goal #2). The School of ICT s goal in relation to Learning & Teaching aligns well with Griffith Sciences strategic goal #1, specifically attracting and retaining students in its programs. This will be achieved by enhancing existing programs, offering new innovative programs (on-line Bachelor of IT), addressing program quality issues at the course-level through considered improvements where required, as well as undertaking measures for increasing student engagement and retention. Finally, the School will devote considerable attention to building its reputation by enhancing its industry interface, outreach and engagement (including High Schools) as well as its reach into the community and at the international level.

2 Students Student - Key Scale: Griffith will be a university of a size sufficient to support a comprehensive range of programs across a network of differentiated campuses Student Enrolments i. Continue to monitor ICT s program profile and undertake curriculum review as part of AQF compliance. Major changes in ICT undergraduate programs to be progressively implemented. Support the introduction of ICT s Griffith Online program the BIT on-line. DHoS ICT (L&T) Participation: To attract able students from diverse backgrounds to study at Griffith Low Socioeconomic Participation (commencing) i. Extend engagement with schools from low SES Brisbane-Gold Coast corridor suburbs and regional QLD areas through the use of Griffith InfoTech and Griffith InfoSys programs. i. DHoS ICT (A) International Student Load i. Identify opportunities for targeted student recruitment through articulations, exchange programs and offshore marketing activities. i. DHoS ICT (A) Retention: To improve student retention Bachelors Degree Retention i. Ensure ongoing effective functioning of the Student Success and Retention teams within the School of ICT to identify and support at risk students. Develop and implement Academic Advisor system to enhance student engagement and sense of belonging by identifying and integrating disconnected students Retention to be improved to Staircase Level 2. DHoS ICT (L&T) Student satisfaction: To improve satisfaction with their university experience

3 CEQ Overall Satisfaction Index Graduate Success i. Implement ongoing mentoring and professional development of academic and sessional staff to improve the consistency and quality of teaching practices. Encourage the uptake of innovative and flexible modes of delivery. i iv. Support implementation of capstone courses to ensure students have high quality experience at the end of their degree program. Implement the Griffith Experience to give graduates broad range of skills. Provide opportunities for student feedback and participations in University and school governance e.g. via school consultative committees. CEQ Overall Satisfaction to be maintained at Staircase Level 2. i. Implement Griffith Experience in all programs by i Schools work with Industry Advisory Boards to access ongoing guidance to ensure School of ICT programs are closely aligned with industry needs and expectations. Implement Career Readiness experiences through integration of industry certification within ICT programs. Aim to reduce courses with SEC scores less than 3.5 to 10%. DHoS ICT (L&T) i DHoS ICT (L&T) iv. DHoS ICT (L&T) DHoS ICT (L&T) i DHoS ICT (L&T) Students Student - Key CEQ Good Teaching Scale Teaching quality: To improve teaching quality i. Ongoing mentoring and professional development of academic and sessional staff to improve the consistency and quality of teaching practices. Use the annual performance review and mentorship to promote the need for teaching effectiveness, and the value of a positive learning experience. CEQ Good Teaching Scale to be improved to Staircase Level 2. DHoS ICT (L&T) Teaching modality: To increase Griffith s online delivery Uptake of on-line programs i. Support the introduction of ICT s Griffith Online program the BIT On-line, for commencement in 2015.

4 Work-ready graduates: To prepare work-ready graduates with the capacity to play an influential role in the world Provision of quality WIL and/or Industry/Research projects i. By 2015, ensure all programs have high quality capstone project including research projects, WiL, industry placements, Industrial Affiliates Program. Graduate Success i. Implement Griffith Experience in all programs by i Graduate Success: To improve graduate success Schools work with Industry Advisory Boards to access ongoing guidance to ensure School of ICT programs are closely aligned with industry needs and expectations. Implement Career Readiness experiences through integration of industry certification within ICT programs. DHoS ICT (L&T) i DHoS ICT (L&T) Research - Key External Research Income Research and Research Training Research income: To increase research income i. Ensure the School of ICT research committee is used as a forum for strategic planning with IIIS and other stakeholders to maximise potential collaborations and the strategic use of centre seed funding to achieve critical mass around areas of excellence and support future grant applications. i iv. Identify top grant contenders, including likely DECRA and Fellowship applicants and support through teaching relief if possible, HDR scholarships, and high level mentorship to improve grant success. Aim to achieve Staircase Level 2 status for External Research income (2015). Conduct an ICT grant writing workshop, with a specific focus on NCG applications. Through Centre for Health Innovation, promote joint grant applications and translational research opportunities between the School of ICT and the Gold Coast University Hospital. Research publications: To increase the number and quality of research publications i. Chair, ICT Research Committee, HoS ICT and IIIS HoS ICT and ICT i HoS ICT and ICT iv. HoS ICT

5 Publication Points i. Ensure the School research committee is used as a forum for strategic planning with IIIS and other stakeholders to achieve critical mass around areas of excellence, leading to high quality research collaborations and increased publication outputs. Maintain Staircase Level 4 for Publication Points. Through strategies such as course rationalisation and ASP opportunities, free up time for leading researchers to publish high-quality work. i. Chair, ICT Research Committee, HoS ICT and IIIS HoS ICT and DHoS (L&T) HDR commencements and completions Research Active Research training: To increase the number of higher degree research (HDR) commencements and completions i. Develop and implement strategies to recruit high quality domestic HDR students e.g. vacation scholarships, UG research and industry placements, Honours programs. Organise workshops for HDR students to facilitate the development of realistic research plans and to execute them in a timely manner. Aim to achieve high end of Staircase Level 3 for HDR completions. Research intensity: To increase the proportion of staff who are research active i. Identify and target areas within the School of ICT in which a high proportion of staff are not research active and put in place specific strategies and support mechanisms to assist these areas. Mentor ICT staff through the ASRP process to develop research plans to ensure staff achieve research goals and research active status. i Rationalise low enrolment courses to free up ICT academics time for research. Research benefit: to support uptake of research outcomes through technology transfer and enterprise activities i. HoS, DHoS (A) and DHoS (L&T) DHoS (A), DHoS (L&T) and HoS i. HoS, DHoSs and IIIS HoS, DHoSs, IIIS i DHoS (L&T) and HoS Research Benefit Income i. Work collaboratively with Griffith Enterprise to identify opportunities for technology transfer and enterprise activities. Staff i. HoS, GE and IIIS Staff - Key

6 Staff recruitment, retention and succession planning Health & safety i. ICT to contribute to the Griffith Sciences workforce plan, which is aligned with strategic objectives. Ensure all vacancies are reviewed and new appointments align with Griffith Sciences research and learning and teaching priorities. i iv. ICT to ensure appropriate succession planning including for retirements and School Executive positions and use it as an opportunity to reposition schools and research activities. Ensure high performing staff are retained by rewarding and recognising performance through promotions, bonuses, awards as appropriate. Include performance and professional development expectations for learning and teaching and research as part of the ASRP process. i. Ensure ICT is a healthy and safe working environment. Ensure completions of mandatory health and safety training. i. HoS, DHoS (A), DHoS (L&T) and ICT HoS, DHoS (A), DHoS (L&T) and ICT i HoS, DHoS (A) and DHoS (L&T) iv. HoS, DHoSs and IIIS i. HoS, DHoS (A) and ICT OH&S Officers HoS, DHoS (A) and ICT OH&S Officers Sustainability Sustainability - Key Sustainability i. Highlight the Sir Samuel Griffith Centre as a key focus of sustainability research and practice. Reduce paper usage with move to online learning and by encouraging electronic meeting agendas. i. HoS and DHoSs HoS and DHoSs Engagement with the Asia-Pacific Region Asia-Pacific Region - Key Performance Indicators

7 Asia Pacific region engagement i. Focus on attracting high quality fee supported postgraduate students from China (CSC scholarships), India, Malaysia and elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region. Implement the Griffith Experience (including overseas placements) for undergraduate students. i. HoS and DHoSs HoS and DHoS (L&T)