Background
Advanced information and communication technologies are fundamentally transforming the process of creating, synthesising and disseminating knowledge. Researchers no longer need to be co-located with the research instrument they are using, nor humanities scholars with the works they are studying. Yet this has not slowed the ever-increasing volume of printed publications, and scholars continue to place high value on having ready access to original source materials.
Growing Esteem signals the University’s intention to remain a leading education provider in the 21st Century. Central to the Growing Esteem Strategy is the Melbourne Model, the most significant curriculum reform in the University’s 154 year history. As well, Growing Esteem reaffirms our place as a leading research-oriented institution and acknowledges the importance of collaboration and community engagement via Knowledge Transfer activities.
Growing Esteem provides the logical foundation for a re-conceptualisation of the University’s information strategy and plans for the next decade.
What do these changes mean for our libraries? For our teaching and learning spaces? For our research infrastructure? For our information and communication systems and infrastructure?
These questions are not asked in a vacuum. There is a wealth of background material upon which to build our scholarly information strategy:
- the excellent work developing the Library of the Future Vision
- earlier documents such as the Sheehan report and the Fisher report
- and key University documents such as the Nine Principles Guiding Teaching and Learning at the University of Melbourne: the framework for a first-class teaching and learning environment and the Cultural Strategi cPlan 2007-2009
The Commission will seek input from the University community, external experts and other stakeholders about business needs, community and client expectations, constraints and opportunities.
More information:
- Download a one-page summary statement (PDF 20 kb) outlining the scope and purpose of the Information Futures Commission