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Challenge and survival for academic development units

Graham Webb
Director, Centre for Higher Education
Monash University


This paper outlines some of the major challenges that are and will be faced by Academic Development Units (ADUs) over the next few years. A brief introduction describes major forces that are shaping the external and internal environment within which ADUs exist and makes the point that ADUs must adapt to the new environment. A number of key areas are then identified as critical to the survival and success of ADUs. These are: organisational structure; relationship with senior management; relationship with operational management; role in organisational development; role in policy development; role in quality assurance and improvement; relationship with other support areas; strategic use of resources; internal restructuring; internal technology uptake; professionalisation and accreditation; will and energy.

The paper ends with a consideration of values, the tradition of academic development and the trauma of new challenges and unfamiliar demands.

Contact person: Professor Graham Webb. Email: graham.webb@adm.monash.edu.au
Voice: +61(0)3 9905 6888 Fax: +61(0)3 99056802

Please cite as: Webb, G. (2000). Challenge and survival for academic development units. In Flexible Learning for a Flexible Society, Proceedings of ASET-HERDSA 2000 Conference. Toowoomba, Qld, 2-5 July. ASET and HERDSA. http://cleo.murdoch.edu.au/gen/aset/confs/aset-herdsa2000/abstracts/webb-abs.html


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Created 17 June 2000. Last revised: 17 June 2000. HTML: Roger Atkinson [atkinson@cleo.murdoch.edu.au]
This URL: http://cleo.murdoch.edu.au/gen/aset/confs/aset-herdsa2000/abstracts/webb-abs.html