While the strategic goals of the University focus on the core functions of education, research and community engagement, the success of the University in achieving these goals will depend on the quality of our staff, our students and our operational excellence.
World-class staff
The staff of UWA, both academic and professional, are the key resource on which the reputation of the University is based. To sustain and improve our standing requires continuous improvement in the quality and performance of our staff. This, in turn, requires ever-higher standards for staff recruitment, the fostering of a high performance work environment, and the ongoing development and performance management of our human resources.
Maximising the quality of the staff requires drawing on the largest pool of talent. This requires an active approach to encouraging and fostering diversity in all its aspects, so that positions at UWA have the widest possible appeal, and the University can attract and retain staff of the highest quality.
- UWA will attract and retain high-quality staff, who will be recognised for the quality of their academic and professional work.
- Our researchers will be recognised as international leaders in their disciplines.
- Our teachers will be recognised for their contribution to a world-class student experience.
- Our professional staff will manage an efficient and effective organisation, to international benchmark standards of service and operations.
- We will actively develop and manage staff, to assist them in achieving their career objectives, and improving the performance of UWA.
- Our staff will be recruited from around the world in line with the highest international standards.
- We will foster and maintain a diverse workforce, in a work environment which values and supports diversity in all dimensions. In particular, we will increase the representation of female academics at levels D and E.
- Our staff will engage actively with their peers and the wider community, locally, nationally and internationally.
Measures of success
- Increase in staff distinctions (Fellows, Laureates, awards and prizes).
- Increase in teaching awards (OLT and other).
- Increase in the percentage of female academics at levels D and E.
- Increase in the percentage of internationally qualified staff.
Students with outstanding potential
As with staff, the quality of the student body at UWA is both evidence of the reputation that the University has achieved, but also a key input into the University’s future reputation, as these students contribute to the academic life of UWA, and achieve success in their subsequent careers.
Additionally, UWA was founded with an explicit objective to provide “special encouragement and assistance” to “those who may be hindered in the acquisition of sound knowledge and useful learning by lack of opportunity or means”. This requires the University to look beyond prior achievement to identify unrealised potential.
To attract the students of the highest potential requires UWA to broaden its recruitment of students to tap into markets beyond WA, and, in admitting greater diversity to the University, provide an outstanding student experience that is broad, inclusive, supportive and values diversity.
Ultimately, our graduates are our most valued output, and our mutually-beneficial engagement with them is of ongoing importance.
- UWA will be the destination of choice for students of the highest potential.
- The great majority of the highest achieving WA school leavers will come to UWA, and we will increasingly attract greater numbers of high quality interstate and international students.
- We will identify, encourage and provide pathways for students of high potential but limited means and opportunity, including programs for indigenous and low SES students.
- Our higher degree research students will be high-quality students attracted from around the world.
- UWA graduates will be highly valued by employers for their graduate attributes and quality of their education.
- Our graduates will be globally mobile and will distinguish themselves in employment and further study anywhere in the world.
- Our alumni will be lifelong ambassadors and supporters of their University.
Measures of success
- Increase in our median ATAR scores (median) for undergraduate entry.
- Increase in our share of top quality school leavers.
- Increase in the number of international and interstate enrolments.
- Increase in the percentage of students from low SES, rural and isolated, and Indigenous backgrounds.
- Increase in our graduate outcome measures (maintain our five star rating in the Good Universities Guide).
Operational excellence
A world-class university will only sustain excellence in its core functions of research, education and community engagement if it also achieves excellence in the management of its human, financial and physical resources, its governance and its culture.
The fostering of a culture of high performance and continuous improvement sustains this objective of operational excellence, and we will invest in the development of systems and processes to further this objective.
The challenges of university funding arrangements require a commitment to strong financial management, both to identify and pursue opportunities to grow University revenue, and to manage expenditure within agreed budgets. This will enable us to generate the financial returns for investment in our future infrastructure and capabilities.
- UWA will be acknowledged for strong governance, leadership, management and a commitment to continuous improvement referenced to international standards.
- We will be recognised for our ability to innovate.
- We will demonstrate a performance culture that embodies the values of transparency, collegiality, merit, equity and accountability.
- We will increase and diversify our resource base and manage our resources commensurate with a world-class university.
- We will operate in a responsible, sustainable manner by international best practice standards.
- We will provide high quality services to our students and other stakeholders with a strong service culture.
Measures of success
- Improvement against a variety of high-level financial and physical indicators (e.g. dollars per EFTSL, operating surpluses).
- Improvement against a set of HR indicators (e.g. completion rates of PDR/PAR).
- Improvement against staff and student satisfaction survey indicators (e.g. Working Life Survey).