Yesterday I attended the Australian Institute of Company Directors Perth Directors Briefing, The Chancellors: Leading Workforce Readiness.
For the first time in WA’s history, all four public university Chancellors are women. Beyond the symbolism, this leadership shift is driving a strong emphasis on collaboration, industry connection, and the employability of graduates.
Sue Wilson facilitated a great discussion that reinforced how central our universities are to the state’s economy and productivity, from training the bulk of hashtag#STEM and health professionals to building industry partnerships and pioneering sustainability initiatives.
The conversation inevitably turned to structure. With the WA Government’s review (https://lnkd.in/gtZuihmc) considering whether four public universities are sustainable, the Chancellors challenged whether mergers would actually improve student outcomes or research competitiveness.
They pointed instead to purposeful collaboration, not structural disruption, as the way to grow international partnerships, commercialise research and strengthen workforce readiness.
This tension aligns with Professor John Quiggin’s recent report on Reforming University Governance in Australia(https://lnkd.in/gCibrTcT). He argues the sector is suffering from decades of “managerialism” and misplaced attempts to apply corporate logic to education.
Instead of treating universities as competing businesses, Quiggin calls for a national system that promotes co-operation over competition, guarantees access, and restores universities’ role as a public good.
Added to this is a bigger strategic question. As the pace of change accelerates, will larger, consolidated universities truly be more agile in responding to industry shifts, or will scale slow them down?
And, importantly, does making institutions bigger actually serve the state’s long-term interests, or is better governance the real lever for improvement?
What I took away most was the sector’s shared commitment to preparing graduates not just with technical skills, but with adaptability, problem-solving and critical thinking, clearly the qualities WA will need most in the decades ahead.
