Mission accomplished

Professor Richard Larkins retires as vice-chancellor of Monash University at the end of June. Here he reflects on six years at the helm of Australia's largest university.

What a privilege! That is my abiding reflection on my time as vice-chancellor of this great institution. Before I took up my position at Monash University in 2003, I had a reasonable concept that Monash University was a quality institution that had achieved an incredible amount since it admitted its first students in 1961 - coincidentally the same year as I started as a medical student at the University of Melbourne.

I liked the concept of its multicampus structure that allowed it to engage with local communities and to provide opportunities to regional and rural students in a way that was unique among the Group of Eight universities. I also felt at that time that it may have lost its way a little in the previous decade - perhaps distracted from its key missions of quality education and research by its heroic attempts to establish campuses in Malaysia and South Africa and centres in Italy and the United Kingdom.

When asked during my first three months whether there were differences between Monash University and the University of Melbourne, I would reply that on the surface there were differences, but underneath they were pretty similar. As I became more familiar with Monash, my response changed to the converse - on the surface, there are some similarities, but underneath they are quite different. This is not to say that one is better than the other - having travelled the world and visited many universities and met many university presidents, I can say with confidence that they are both great institutions. But Monash, one hundred years younger and determined to strike out in a different way, has created something very special.

Heroic maybe, and the Yes Minister connotation of "courageous" springs to mind, but the international strategy of Monash University has positioned it uniquely. Although it has been hugely demanding, the University's international campuses have allowed Monash to achieve a degree of engagement in South East Asia and on the African continent that is not possible through collaboration and partnerships alone. We are only now delivering the full benefit from this in terms of educational exchange and through an international perspective and node for many of our major research themes. It has raised the profile of Monash internationally in a way that is envied around the world.

Over the last six years, we have consolidated the campuses in Malaysia and South Africa, both of which are thriving. Recognising the huge effort required to establish a full campus from scratch and to build it to a level expected of Monash University, but not wanting to lose the initiative gained by our international activities, a new approach has been implemented with the "Asian tigers", India and China.

In India, we are establishing a purpose-built, state-of-the-art, research academy/institute with the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IITB)which will concentrate on providing research training opportunities for the brightest Indian graduates to obtain jointly-badged and supervised PhDs from Monash and IITB and on providing high quality basic and industry-related research in six major themes.

In China, in addition to intensive student exchange and research partnerships with a number of leading universities, a special and intense relationship has been built with the blessing of the Chinese government with Sichuan University. Eight faculties are involved and the partnership involves student exchange, joint PhD programs, research partnerships and capacity building.

All of the University's campuses are thriving. The health science, education and wellness focus of Peninsula with the new courses in physiotherapy and occupational therapy has re-energised that beautiful campus. The graduate entry medical course at Gippsland together with its new engineering course and its increased research activity has turned this campus into a model regional university - energetic, fully engaged with its local community, delivering research relevant to local needs and providing opportunities for rural and regional students to gain qualifications from one of the best universities in the world. Berwick is very popular with international students and has a strong business focus relevant to the local community. The selective-entry high school to be opened at the campus in 2010 will increase its appeal to Australian students.

All institutions depend on their people. I have been very fortunate to have an amazing group of senior colleagues at Monash. But of course, it is the staff at every level who have contributed to the University's amazing success in recent years.

Caulfield is now an equal partner with Clayton and the planned move of the Law School to Caulfield will further energise it. Parkville, with its new building and the Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, is reaching new levels of research excellence. Clayton has developed its partnership with CSIRO and the Australian Synchrotron and has developed many world-class-research platforms that will ensure it becomes the centre of the leading innovation precinct in the country. The specialist Science High School to open on this campus will provide a centre of excellence that will improve the quality of science education throughout the State.

The Monash Passport is emphasising the breadth of opportunities available in the 21st century and that Monash is uniquely placed to deliver. The improvement in the evaluation by students of their educational experience in recent years has been remarkable.

All institutions depend on their people. I have been very fortunate to have an amazing group of senior colleagues at Monash. But of course, it is the staff at every level who have contributed to the University's amazing success in recent years. Monash also attracts wonderful students, both Australian and international, and has been very well served by its student leaders. Australia and the world will be in good hands under their guidance in the years to come.

Thank you to the Council, my senior colleagues, all the staff and the students for giving me the opportunity to lead this exciting university for the past six years.