THURSDAY 8 JULY

11.15 AM – WORKSHOP SESSION

PRESENTERS: PROFESSORS SUE JOHNSTON AND RICHARD JOHNSTONE, AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES TEACHING COMMITTEE; ELIZABETH MCDONALD, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND TRAINING; AND PLANNING DIRECTOR, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LEARNING AND TEACHING IN HIGHER EDUCATION (NAME OF APPOINTEE TO BE ADVISED)

Note: these sessions are interactive workshops, not paper presentations.

National Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education: The Next Steps

Professors Sue Johnston and Richard Johnstone, Australian Universities Teaching Committee; Elizabeth McDonald, Director, Teaching and Learning Unit, Higher Education Group, Department of Education, Science and Training; and Planning Director, National Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (name of appointee to be advised)

This workshop will provide an opportunity for detailed interaction concerning the establishment of the National Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education (NILTHE). By the time of the Forum, we will be at a significant point in the development of the Institute. The initial rounds of consultation with the sector will have been completed, and on the basis of that consultation detailed advice is being prepared for the Minister. Expressions of interest have been sought for the temporary position of Planning Director, and a decision on that appointment will be made shortly. The Planning Director will oversee the next stage of implementation, culminating in the full operation of the Institute at the beginning of 2006, by which time a substantive Director will be in place.

Discussion at the Forum will be structured in such a way as to assist the Planning Director and the Australian Universities Teaching Committee (AUTC) to identify priorities for the next stage of implementation, and specifically to focus on the question of which program areas the Institute should support in its initial stages of operation, in the light both of current sector priorities and of emerging issues in learning and teaching.

Specific topics will include:

• Priorities for programs
  
• Infrastructure requirements
  
• Forecasting capacity
  
• International positioning of the Institute.

The outcomes of the workshop will be summarised and provided to the Planning Director and the AUTC (and, in due course, to the Board of NILTHE) for consideration in the planning and establishment process.