It all started here

I like to think that we inspired Julia Gillard… A month ago, in Mackay, when the now PM graciously opened our new Technology and Information Resources Centre we encouraged her to seize the moment and be what she wanted to be….

The sudden shift in leadership, of course, reminds me of how things can quite literally change overnight… I expect, however, little will differ in policy on the higher education front. Chatter is that Steven Smith – the current Foreign Minister and former Shadow Minister for Education and Training in the last years of the Howard Government – could take over the Education portfolio. We’ll know for sure, I expect in the coming days…

Despite, or perhaps in spite of these and other unknowns, I’m resolved that CQUniversity determine its own future; that we seize the moment, as it were, and go where we want to go and be what we want to be. Clearly – after talking to people all over the uni for the last 10 months and people outside the organisation who have an interest in our development – all of us we want to be of more service to our communities and have more mutually beneficial relationships with individuals and organisations in the places in which we live and work.

I was in Gladstone twice this week interviewing candidates for the Dean of Engineering & Built Environment and the PVC Research/Head of Campus positions, both of whom will be posted in Gladstone. Clearly these two positions are largely about increasing our level of services to industry and building more robust research capability within the organisation. From my estimation, these appointments and all Deans of Schools and Heads of Campus across CQUni have the most crucial leadership and engagement roles in our organisation. Deans and HOCs if you’re reading this blog -- no pressure at all…

I continue to believe that one of the best ways to service our communities and have more mutually beneficial relationships with individuals and organisations is to expand down the Dual Sector path. I’ve spoken again this week with many government officials and representatives, central Queensland industry and community stakeholder, members of the media and university colleagues… There’s seems to be momentum developing and a consensus forming that Dual Sector operations here would be enormously beneficial to Central Queenslanders. It’s reassuring to me that we’re getting support from many corners…

For now, we’ll continue down this path and I’ll keep you posted on our progress. Stay tuned. As we know, thing can develop overnight….

Scott