Meeting 3/99 of the Deans Discussion Group was held between 4.00 pm and 9.35 pm on Tuesday, 15 June 1999 in the Monash City Office, Level 11, 30 Collins Street, Melbourne.

Professor D A Robinson, Vice-Chancellor and President, Presiding

Professor P LeP Darvall, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development)

Professor John Maloney, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Public Affairs)

Mr P B Wade, General Manager

Professor J K Redmond, Dean, Faculty of Art and Design

Professor T Threadgold, Acting Dean, Faculty of Arts

Professor J A Rickard, Dean, Faculty of Business & Economics

Professor J Rosenberg, Dean, Faculty of Information Technology

Professor R T White, Dean, Faculty of Education

Professor M L Brisk, Dean, Faculty of Engineering

Professor S Parker, Dean, Faculty of Law

Professor N Saunders, Dean, Faculty of Medicine

Professor C B Chapman, Dean, Faculty of Pharmacy

Professor R W Davies, Dean, Faculty of Science

Professor Homer Le Grand, incoming Dean, Faculty of Arts

Mr P Siggins, Manager, University Secretariat

Members noted that Professor Lindsay would not be present. In opening the meeting the Vice-Chancellor welcomed Professor Homer Le Grand, incoming Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

The notes of Deans Discussion Group meeting 2/99 held 4^th May were received.

A copy of memorandum to Deans from the Vice-Chancellor dated 9 June 1999, including appendices on the issue of major strategic alliances, was circulated.

In opening discussion the Vice-Chancellor reminded the Group that Monash: Leading the Way will reach Council for adoption on 28^th June 1999. Within Leading the Way are references to relationships with other institutions and the importance of those links in establishing the University's global presence. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss those relationships, identifying the kinds of institutions with which Monash might seek to establish relationships and/or agreements and locate a process by which institutions of primary importance across the University might be identified.

In his opening remarks the Vice-Chancellor advised that an Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding between Monash and King's College, London had been signed and this had been enthusiastically endorsed by the most recent meeting of Resources and Finance Committee of Council for transmission to Council. While the Agreement with King's was an exemplary document, it raised the issues of strategic alliances generally - how was the London agreement to be progressed? What initiatives should next be acted upon having successfully executed the London agreement?

The Vice-Chancellor indicated he would ask each Dean to briefly identify their Faculty's strongest international relationship/s. In this context, Professor Maloney provided an overview of the different international relationships that comprised the University's international interaction.

Members noted that the Vice-Chancellor had supplied a set of Guiding Principles for entering into partnerships with other institutions and noted his advice that these Guidelines grew out of an LTOP working party and they might be further developed/refined.

Discussion then focussed on the Agreement with King's College. The Vice-Chancellor explained the rationale for the agreement and the specific advantages for both King's College and Monash.

The Vice-Chancellor emphasized that:

• King's College is a quality organisation of high standing;

• King's College has existing relationships with Monash;

• Monash will be allocated space at the College and will contribute 70,000 pounds sterling per annum over the ten-year period of the agreement. The scaling back of monetary support for the Potsdam and Georgetown Universities will fund this contribution;

• King's College had been looking for a quality world partner and this arrangement would be exclusive to Monash University;

• Australia is the third choice for students behind the UK and USA. The alliance with King's College had the potential to improve Monash's attractiveness;

• The Agreement with King's would assist Monash in delivering programs in Western Europe and North America as part of the Monash globalization plans;

• Wide support for the Agreement had been received from different bodies, including Academic Board.

Discussion then focussed on Monash programs at King's. Professor Maloney indicated that phase one of the program envisaged Monash students attending at King's for a semester. There was comment on double badged degrees and the Vice-Chancellor noted that in Western Europe the Erasmus program and its successors had made available double and even treble badged degrees.

The Vice-Chancellor commented that Monash programs run from King's would not be in competition with King's programs but would complement their offerings. There was potential for cooperation and sharing of expertise.

In further discussion there was general consensus that double badging of programs with King's would be generally supported by Monash faculties. However, such arrangements would, of course, depend upon attracting sufficient student demand.

Other issues covered in this discussion included:

• the role of Associate Deans, International in these developments;

• opportunities for staff accommodation in London;

• the need to support the King's initiative with a sturdy business plan;

• developments in relation to both Florance and Ulm.

The Discussion Group welcomed enthusiastically the Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding with King's College, London.

Deans then reported individually on their international links; the west coast of the USA, Japan, UK, eastern Europe, India and Hong Kong were mentioned as particularly significant amidst a range of global links.

In later discussion it was agreed that Deans would forward to the Vice-Chancellor a listing of their faculties most significant international links/agreements.

At the invitation of the Vice-Chancellor, the General Manager, Mr Wade, briefed the Group on developments in Southern Africa. Discussion was broad and covered issues including marketing the Monash image in Southern Africa, the state of the Southern African education system, risk management and due diligence matters in relation to a potential site and the preferred modes of teaching and learning in Southern Africa. In this context there was discussion of the broad strategy for Monash establishing its global presence and participating in international competition.

Following discussion of Southern African developments the group focussed on the University's relationships with Hong Kong universities. It was noted that in November the graduation ceremony to be held in Hong Kong would provide an opportunity the Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor to progress discussions with one of the three major Hong Kong institutions.

At the conclusion of the evening discussion returned to the King's Agreement and the Vice-Chancellor indicated that if Council approved the Agreement he would correspond with King's about the possibility of some Deans visiting King's for further discussions.

It was agreed that the agenda for the Council meeting would include notation to the effect that the Committee of Deans welcomed enthusiastically the King's Agreement.

It was also agreed that the question of redundant administrative processes may be addressed at the 6^th July meeting of the Committee of Deans.

The meeting closed at 9.35pm.

The next ordinary meeting of the Committee of Deans will be held at 2.15 pm on Tuesday, 6^th July 1999 in the Sir George Lush Room.

The next meeting of the Deans Discussion Group will be held at 4.00 pm on Tuesday, 27th July 1999 in the City Office.