Knowledge Transfer
Knowledge Transfer recognises the two-way flow and uptake of ideas between the University of Melbourne and the broader community.
The role of universities is changing. They are no longer exclusive knowledge habitats, they are access points. In this climate, it is imperative that they develop strong bilateral relationships with government, business and the community and become increasingly visible, relevant and accessible to society's changing needs.
To meet this challenge, the University has implemented its Growing Esteem strategy which identifies three core elements within its Triple Helix metaphor. The University's traditional academic tasks of research as well as teaching and learning have been expanded to include the third strand of Knowledge Transfer. This strand recognises the full range of benefits which a world-renowned University generates when it works in partnership with business, government and community to address issues of local, national and global significance. In all cases, the University's contribution will be characterised by its reputation for excellence and quality.
The University of Melbourne's Knowledge Transfer is designed to build a stronger, more resilient relationship with the community and is underpinned by three principles.
They are:
- That they generate intellectual capital in ways that mutually benefit the University and the external partners with which it engages.
- They are linked within the University's teaching and research activities.
- That Knowledge Transfer activities are characterised by their responsiveness and relevance to international, social, economic, environmental and cultural issues.
Knowledge Transfer Activities by The School of Philosophy, Anthropology and Social Inquiry
Development Studies hosted a prestigious range of public seminars offered by special guests including Bruce Jenks (Assistant Secretary-General of the Bureau for Resources and Strategic Partnerships, UNDP), Ursula Rakova (founder of an NGO in Bouganville), Hina Jilani (on Human Rights Defenders).
The high profile public seminars are in addition to the regular seminar series in Development Studies. The regular seminar series are qualitatively different in that they provide a channel for KT and networking with local development organizations on a continuing basis. The department continues to maintain active links with major development organizations, particularly World Vision, Oxfam, and the Australian Red Cross.
This involves the facilitating of student internships as well as 'KT and Partnerships' planning in anticipation of the MoUs that are being developed between World Vision and the University, and the Australian Red Cross and the University. One of our Honours students, mentored by Vicki Schubert, received the Dream Large Knowledge Transfer Grant for her 'Never Again Rwanda' project that is attracting enormous interest from students across the University.
Also, once again, a successful Careers Day Conference was held with 65 students and representatives from 14 organisations from across government (DSE), non-government (Oxfam, World Vision, Australian Red Cross, Save the Children, International Women's Devt Agency), and private (Cardno-Acil) sectors. A long established on-line Working Paper Series in Development Studies is dedicated to the provision of publicly accessible research and is known to attract a wide readership from both government and non-government sectors.
The Social Justice Initiative directed by Jeremy Moss has established a strong public profile and has well exceeded its targets.
It hosted a number of seminars including one in conjunction with the Human Rights Forum (Dialogue on Reconciliation) at the State Library (140 attendees), as well as a talk by Future Generation Professor of Anthropology and Social Theory, Ghassan Hage (on Addressing Humiliation), and this public series continues. Staff in all sections of the School have provided public lectures over the past year, and many have commented in the media (including Adrian Walsh on 'the morality of usury' in the Australian Financial Review, P Singer on 'putting practice into ethics' in the New York Sun and on the 'rights of animals' in Newsweek and other offerings in many syndicated articles distributed worldwide; Andy Dawson on radio ABC and BBC on Kosovan Independence; Janet McCalman on ABC radio national re bushfires, economic depression and climate change; Graham Priest on Asian Philosophy, Tony Coady on morality and political violence, and Matt Carter on minds and machines, all on ABC national radio; Tamara Kohn on German TV (ARD) on body suspensions in Melbourne; Hans Baer on climate change.
In February this year (2009) the SJI contributed to the Values and Public Policy: Fairness, Diversity and Social Change Conference in association with the Centre for Public Policy at UoM with key high-profile speakers including Professor Martha Nussbaum (U. of Chicago), Prof Raymond Gaita (ACU), Julian Burnside QC, Prof. Jonathan Wolff (Univ. College London) and Profs Bob Goodin, Hilary Charlesworth and Jon Altman (all ANU). Over 120 people attended. In May this year, Monica Minnegal and Peter Dwyer participated in a CSIRO sponsored workshop in Queensland, on the theme of 'Social Science Research in Fisheries'. Their formal contribution was titled 'Managing Fishermen & Managing Managers: A Role for Anthropology. Research from the Anthropology Program at The University of Melbourne'.
In 2005 Michael Arnold co-founded the Australian Chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Society for the Social Implications of Technology. IEEE SSIT has around 2000 members worldwide and maintains a website, newsletter, and regular public lectures around issues of interest to both engineering and non-engineering audiences. IEEE SSIT is currently engaged in sponsoring a conference entitled Advanced Electrotechnology for Remote Areas, to be held in Melbourne in November 2009, and in hosting a major event, the International Symposium on Technology and Society (ISTAS2010) to be held in Wollongong next year.
A number of ARC Linkage Grants are underway in PASI, including "An Integrity System for Victoria Police" (Andrew Alexandra CI); "Disability, Welfare and Work" (Jeremy Moss CI), "Health, Freedom and Independent Contracting" (Jeremy Moss CI with Konexion). Consultancies include Andrew Alexandra's work for the Safety Institute Australia (SIA) in conjunction with Global Ergonomics (developing a Complaint/Peer Review system); Tony Coady's work with the Australian Stem Cell Centre that also led to staff seminars and public talks; Steven Curry's longitudinal evaluation of the mental health impacts of participation in community arts on behalf of the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation (in a multi-disciplinary team from UoM and the Brotherhood of St Lawrence). The MSCP continues its continental Philosophy outreach supported by the School, and Steve Curry (CAPPE) his talks at the NGV. Though considerably smaller in 2009 than in 2008 CAPPE intends to maintain its strength in KT. SJI continues its work, eg the State Library of Victoria has agreed to jointly host a series of seminars on social justice in 2009 that clearly demonstrates the public impact of research on social justice at the University.