Editorial

Welcome to the March 2017 edition of the AAIR Newsletter. First things first – We want to know what you think!

The AAIR newsletter survey is still open (closing March 29) and we encourage our members to take this short survey about the monthly newsletter and your information needs as a member.

Now that you have completed the survey, let’s talk about March.

This month Monica Chen (co-editor) provides a special coverage of the AAIR Regional Dinner meeting in Sydney with special guest Tony Nolan, Innovation Officer at the Australian Tax Office (ATO). As well, our ‘Five Quick Questions’ this month is with David Collings, Survey Manager for Edith Cowan University.

Of note this month, the Universities Australia Higher Education Conference (March 1–3) saw the official launch of the UA Indigenous Strategy 2017–2010 and included the Graduate Employability Forum. There was also significant media interest in the keynote address from former US Ambassador to Australia Jeff Bleich who discussed the plausible global impact of the current international political environment.

Prior to the Conference, current Universities Australia and University of Western Sydney VC Chair Barney Glover made an impassioned speech on the value of higher education at the National Press Club – edited extract here and full speech here.

Also in the issue, we draw your attention to a new report (funded by the Department of Education and Training) from La Trobe’s Centre for Higher Education Equity and Diversity Research: The re-recruitment of students who have withdrawn from Australian higher education. The report details significant findings relevant to how institutions collect and report on institutional data.

Happy reading!

Monica and Tracy

AAIR Newsletter Editors