Research and Innovation Portfolio

Positioning for Growth: Research support services for academic staff and HDR studentsAlignment of Research Support Services Project

22 February 2012

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Research & Innovation Plan 2011-2015

Our Vision – “RMIT research and research training is global, partnered, embedded in the urban environment and making an impact on the world”

RMIT has committed to significantly growing the scale and quality of research and research training over the next five years.

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Project summary to date

• Project launch – Sept 2011

• Collection of information – Sept/Oct

– Feedback from staff

– Information regarding roles and responsibilities

– Feedback from stakeholders

• Communication to staff and stakeholders - Sept/Nov

– Website

– Newsletters, Emails & Articles

• Development of ideas – Oct/Nov

– Working Group meetings

– Steering Committee meetings

• Decision making – Jan/Feb 2012

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FeedbackStaff and stakeholder consultation and feedback identified the following:

Issues•lack of clarity relating to process•Processes too complicated or layered•unsure where they can get assistance•inequity between what is support is provided•academic leadership•management of research

Positives•dedicated staff•initiatives eg HDR Conference & travel funds, workshops•support for writing funding applications•increased awareness of ethics approval requirements

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Intended outcomes of this project

Objectives

• To provide high quality, streamlined and efficient research support to staff and HDR students.

• To provide a high quality research services structure to professional staff.

Outcomes

Define and implement:

• standard business processes for research support services

• research support service level standards; and

• clear and standardised research support staffing structure.

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Key decisions

Research and research training related administrative processes owned by Research Office and SGR

Research Office to:•identify best practice administrative business processes for research services support•clearly define, document and communicate central processes and service levels•Resource appropriately

SGR to:•identify best practice administrative business processes for research training support•Clearly define, document and implement processes and service levels in conjunction with Colleges and Schools•Resource appropriately

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Key decisions

Colleges will:

•articulate their administrative support processes and service levels in response to the central processes

•support the research leadership of Colleges Deputy PVCs (R&) through an administrative team

HR will:

•support the implementation of consistent accountabilities and classification where staff are undertaking similar functions.

Research Office, SGR and Colleges together will:

•implement a new Management Committee

•strengthen/develop new informal networks

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What does this mean?

• Lots of work identifying good practice, documenting and communicating business processes

• Meeting with your colleagues to discuss and resolve shared issues

• Review of Team structures

• Review and update of position descriptions to ensure consistency and match to role requirements

• Potential for a small number of changes in reporting line

• Support for professional development

Any changes to staffing will be made in accordance to HR policy

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Timelines

DATE PROCESS

DATE PROCESS

Sept 2011 Project launch with staff

Sept – Nov Service and process review Consultation with stakeholders

Late Nov Proposed structure and service levels presented to Steering Committee

Feb 2012 Communicate changes to staff

Feb–June Document Research Office business processes and review staffing structure

Feb-Dec Document SGR business processes and review staffing structure

June-Dec Document College Research Office business process

Feb-Dec HR to review and update PD’s

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Project governance

Steering Committee

DVC R&I and Vice-President, Daine Alcorn (chair)

College Deputy PVCs R&I , Brian Corbitt, Denise Meredyth, Irena Cosic (Felicity Roddick)

Dean SGR, Denise Cuthbert

Executive Director – RO, Lois Fitz-Gerald

Project Working Group

Executive Director – RO, Lois Fitz-Gerald (chair)

Director Research Support and Performance Adela McMurray

College Senior Managers Research Tania Tambiah, Lorraine Bridger, Caroline Northwood

Senior Manager, SGR, Susanne Tzamouranis

Senior Advisor - Planning June Anderson

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Resources

For information about the Project go to:

http://www.rmit.edu.au/staff/research/

For more information about change processes go to:

Managing Major Change Policy

http://www.rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=9v5vj529y1691