Dean's Report
Today marks the creation of a new research centre at MGSE with the merger of the Assessment Research Centre (ARC) and the Centre for Program Evaluation (CPE). Following a review in 2021 of CPE, in accordance with the University’s Centres and Institutes for Research and Research Training Policy, it was recommended that combining the evaluation and assessment streams of work would build synergistic capacity for scholarship and impact in these areas, and the disciplines that underpin them. This new centre will build on the strengths of both centres under the leadership of its Director, Professor Sandra Milligan and Deputy Directors Associate Professors Amy Gullickson and Suzanne Rice. A new name for the centre is still to be approved. All projects and programs will continue as planned for the remainder of 2022 while a business case for the new centre is developed.
Under the guidance of Chief Investigator Professor Janet Clinton, the Teacher Effectiveness Hub (TATE), the Teacher Capability Assessment Took (TCAT) and Assessment for Graduate Teaching (AfGT), and associated staff, will move to the new Teacher Education academic group. Associate Professor John Quach, and staff associated with his projects, will move to the Learning Interventions academic group. Both Janet and John will continue to collaborate with their colleagues in the new centre.
While there is always some adjustment with changes of this nature, I am confident that this new Centre is going to provide great career opportunities for its staff and produce substantial benefits for MGSE, the University and the national and international education sectors.
COVID-19 updates
I would like to acknowledge that, while life has returned to something resembling normality, we all continue to deal with the realities of living through the pandemic with many staff and their families contracting COVID-19. Please take care of yourselves and your families and take the time to rest and recover if you are unwell. There is special Pandemic Leave available for staff and the University’s COVID website continues to provide updated advice and resources.
The latest update explains that while some changes were made to vaccination requirements in the Government’s Pandemic Orders, the existing two-dose or three-dose vaccination mandates still apply for workers: the University’s COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements Policy continues to apply to all campus attendees (staff, students, contractors and visitors). Household close contacts no longer need to quarantine if they follow additional precautions as outlined in the Victorian Government’s Checklist for COVID contacts. However, household close contacts are encouraged wherever possible to work and study from home if they can.
Events at MGSE
It has been a busy month at MGSE with Professor Yong Zhao visiting and presenting our second Dean’s lecture for the year. It was a wonderful occasion, and his lecture is available to view for those who were unable to attend. We held three MGSE graduation ceremonies early in April and our graduating students, who have weathered two challenging years, were out in full force and ready to celebrate. We also said our formal farewell to our former HR Manager, Paula McAllister at University House last week which was a fitting tribute to a staff member who contributed so much to MGSE.
On Monday 9 May we will relaunch our MGSE Talks series, which are forums that aim to provide staff with the opportunity to find out more about their colleagues’ work and other important news from MGSE. First up this year we will hear from Professor Larissa Mclean Davies on the new Teacher Education academic group, from Professor Lindsay Oades, Associate Dean International, on his recent trip to India on behalf of MGSE to build collaboration and opportunities and from a student panel on their experiences of starting their studies at MGSE. I look forward to seeing you there at 12 noon in Theatre Q230.
Lastly, my thanks to Professor Janet Clinton for acting as Dean last week when I took some leave.
Jim