Dr Jo Chaffer proposes that universities in Australia rethink their approach amid declining enrolment, increased competition and budget pressures. The solution lies in leveraging universities' unique strengths – high-quality education, research, and generational stability – through collaborative leadership focused on their core purpose.
Dr Jo Chaffer, key global associate at Advance HE, recently wrote an opinion piece for Campus Review, a key media outlet for the higher education sector in Australia, on reframing the challenge of university business.
This short summary of the article provides the main points of her argument and offers some solutions on leadership. The original article was published in Campus Review on 4 November 2024.
Dr Chaffer suggests Australian universities fundamentally rethink their approach amid significant challenges facing the higher education sector. The three main issues are:
- demographic and demand declines: universities are facing a drop-off in student enrolments due to demographic shifts.
- increased competition:universities now face stiff competition not just from each other, but also from faster, more responsive, and cheaper alternative providers.
- declining funding:universities are grappling with ongoing reductions in government funding and resources.
There are two core themes to address these challenges.
Custodianship
University leadership may wish to consider adopting a ‘custodianship for this moment in time’ mindset. This means keeping the core purpose and unique value of higher education at the centre, rather than getting caught up in the “busyness of business.”
The three key attributes that make universities unique and valuable are:
- producing consistently high-quality educational ‘products’
- generating new knowledge and understanding through research
- providing stability and longevity across generations
Universities are likely to benefit from leveraging and reconfiguring these core strengths to create new offerings alongside traditional degree programs.
Collaborative custodianship
Custodianship is too big for any one leader. It requires pluralities of perspectives and robust dialogue, drawing on diverse voices both within and outside the university.
Specific recommendations include:
- engaging university councils more strategically in setting direction, rather than just approving executive decisions
- creating additional advisory bodies to bring in perspectives from the broader communities universities serve
- establishing ‘change academies’ – temporary cross-functional teams tasked with tackling specific challenges.
There is a need for a more holistic, data-driven understanding of what’s really happening across the institution, beyond just focusing on rankings and metrics.
Finally, Dr Chaffer recommends universities move beyond relying on ‘luck’ and instead commit to being the ‘best we can’ for current and future generations. This will require a fundamental rethink, drawing on the unique strengths and purpose of higher education.
Fiona Whittenbury, Advance HE Head of Partnerships (Australasia) said, “Advance HE now works with over 37 members across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
“We help to support challenges faced by the sector in response to consultation with the sector globally. In 2024-25 our Global Member Benefit Themes that focus on critical areas in HE are:
- Governing and Leading Transformation
- Securing Student Outcomes
- Designing Education for the Future
- Protecting Inclusion in Times of Change.
“Each project area delivers targeted support for Advance HE members through various formats including events, reports, publications and podcasts.”
To read Jo’s opinion piece in full, subscribe toCampus Review
Dr Jo Chaffer is an Advance HE key global associate. She is a practitioner working with higher education leadership and strategy globally for over a decade. She is also part of a research group at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
