Summary

As Australia’s newest university, Avondale University’s leadership faced the substantial task of growing its research capacity to meet Australian university standards. Partnering with Research Strategies Australia, Avondale University implemented a strategy to build its research capacity, resulting in improved research coordination, broadened funding opportunities, and a leadership team with the skills and confidence to drive the design and implementation of the university’s future research programs. This collaboration has helped position Avondale as an emerging research player in the Australian higher education sector.

Background

Founded over 125 years ago by the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Avondale University has a long history of providing holistic education to prepare graduates for teaching, business, and biblical studies careers. Over the decades, Avondale has expanded its offerings, partnering with various international universities to offer graduate and undergraduate programs. With its rich history and success in delivering education, there was still considerable work to be done to transition from a university college to a fully-fledged university with world-class research capabilities.

“The aspiration to become a university was very appealing for me to see if we could actually add real differentiation in the higher education sector.” - Professor Kerri-Lee Krause.

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The challenge

In July 2021, Avondale University was granted "Australian University" provider category status by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). This new status required Avondale to meet TEQSA’s rigorous requirements for undertaking 'world standard research'. Several challenges emerged:  

• Lack of Baseline Data: Unlike other universities, Avondale had never participated in benchmarking exercises and had no baseline data to demonstrate their research capabilities.

"We had no baseline data, and we needed that, and we couldn't suddenly participate in benchmarking exercises, so we needed an expert who understood the metrics," Professor Kerri-Lee Krause.

• Research Tracking: They lacked the infrastructure to systematically track how others cited and used their research.
• Expanding the Research Team: They needed to expand their research team and build their postgraduate research program.
• Research Funding: Securing research funding was a new and critical area for them.
• Staffing Challenges: They required a way to ensure they had the right staff with the right skills.

The new Vice Chancellor of Avondale University, Professor Kerri-Lee Krause, sought out Research Strategies Australia to help them overcome these challenges and build a world-class research capacity.

"We signed Tim up to help us to make that leap from University College to University and to set the groundwork in place to measure research performance over a 10-year period."  - Professor Kerri-Lee Krause, Vice Chancellor of Avondale University.

The Solution

From the outset, Research Strategies Australia employed their deep co-design principles to address Avondale's challenges. The aim was to design appropriate solutions, while also focusing on knowledge transfer and coaching the Avondale research leadership team. The key steps involved:

1. Strategic Refinement: Refining Avondale’s strategy and operating plan, focusing on their strengths in holistic education, theology, and contemporary areas like health and wellbeing, and humanities.  

"Research Strategies Australia helped us realise it's pretty useless us trying to emulate the big universities but to see that we're a unique institution." - Professor Maria Northcote, Former Director of the Centre for Advancement of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

2. Staffing Strategy: Developing a staffing strategy and implementing management systems to support it.
3. Professional Development: Building confidence among professional and academic staff with ongoing coaching.
4. Research Coordination: Guiding the choice of technology and introducing research administrative systems to improve the coordination of research publications and funding.
5. External Contacts: Providing connections with companies and individuals to support their research goals.

“Every now and again Tim will offer a solution, and we think, 'Oh gosh, we could do that', and sometimes the solution is not as difficult as we may have thought it was.” - Professor Maria Northcote, Former Director of the Centre for Advancement of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning at Avondale University.

Results

Research Strategies Australia has provided ongoing support and professional development to Avondale's leadership team over three and a half years. While the partnership continues, the legacy of Research Strategies Australia's work with Avondale University's leadership team is already evident in:

1. Baseline Data on Research Performance: Baseline data emphasises evidence and allows for tracking future growth.

“They have given us a baseline set of data that we can now use to build on. We didn't have that before so that will stand us in good stead.” - Professor Kerri-Lee Krause

2. Operational Systems: Integrated IT systems now underpin daily research operations.

“It's like the engine that runs the car. You don't always think about it. You don't always see it, but IT systems are now integrated into our day-to-day operations.” – Professor Kerri-Lee Krause

3. Positive Leadership: Professional leadership and senior researchers are confident in their capabilities and have a unified sense of direction.

“Tim has given confidence to a group of people who have been doing a phenomenal job and just didn't know it.” - Professor Kerri-Lee Krause

4. Actionable Plans: Strategies that will continue to drive planning for the next five to ten years.

“The reports and plans that they have left are not just reports that sit on a shelf. They actually drive planning for the next five- and 10-year period. That's very powerful.” – Professor Kerri-Lee Krause

In the last three years, Avondale University has:

• Expanded the Research Team: Avondale expanded its research team by successfully recruiting senior researchers, including Professor Brett Mitchell (AM), an internationally recognised researcher in infection prevention and control.
• Created New Funding Opportunities: Avondale has become eligible for Table B funding, creating new opportunities for which they have successfully competed.
• Improved Research Coordination: Substantially improved coordination and tracking of research.

Avondale University is now successfully winning Category 1 government research funding and taking advantage of other research opportunities with industry partners, positioning itself as a unique institution in the higher education sector.

The outcome

The strategic partnership between Avondale University and Research Strategies Australia has helped transform Avondale's research capabilities, setting them on a path to becoming a world-class research institution. The collaboration has laid the foundations for meeting university research standards. It has also instilled confidence and capability within the university's staff, supporting a team that will continue to grow and thrive.

“It's been an outstanding partnership. It's been such a collaborative and team effort and the Avondale team own it. They live it. That’s what I'm most proud of." -Professor Kerri-Lee Krause, Vice Chancellor of Avondale University

If you want to elevate your institution's research capabilities, consider partnering with experts who understand the intricacies of the higher education sector.  

To learn more about how Research Strategies Australia can help your organisation, book a time to talk with us.