Lumen Summer 2013 - Flipbook - Page 4
story by Kate Husband
Q&A
A new Strategic Plan and the strengthening of alumni and development
activities are two of the key priorities of the University’s new Vice-Chancellor
and President, Warren Bebbington. In this Q&A, Professor Bebbington
speaks about his vision for the University.
Q: You have travelled and worked in
many places, what impresses you most
about Adelaide?
A: Adelaide is one of the finest university
towns anywhere in the world: peaceful,
unpolluted, easy to navigate, filled with
cafes and shops, 15 minutes from a
superb beach, with the Hills and wineries
not much further. The University is in a
unique location, surrounded by the State’s
cultural institutions, flanked by the CBD
and the river: it is a truly unique setting.
I am looking forward to festival time
in March and seeing the city, and the
University, come to life with concerts,
exhibitions and events; but of course, as a
Wagner-fan, I am dismayed to be arriving
just as The Ring leaves for Melbourne.
Q: As a graduate of the University of
Melbourne, Queens College and City
University of New York, how important
have those alumni connections been in
your career?
A: The professional network you make as
a student in a first-rate university is I think
one of the greatest benefits of attending,
and the number of times I have had
cause to connect with fellow alumni over
the years is substantial. And American
universities keep in touch with their alumni
constantly, so I am always very well
informed about what my peers and old
professors are up to, even 25 years after
leaving.
Q: You led external affairs and built
their development and alumni units into
a leading Advancement Office at the
University of Melbourne. What are the
similarities and differences in Adelaide?
2 Lumen | Summer 2013
A: Adelaide and Melbourne are both
old, traditional universities intent on
transforming themselves to face new
circumstances, and in that sense they are
very kindred: I feel very much at home
here. But Adelaide’s development and
alumni programs are where we were at
Melbourne seven years ago: the alumni
program is developing well, but there is
a great deal of potential for support from
alumni that has yet to be tapped here.
I believe we could double our present
income from donors, for example.
Q: How do you plan to strengthen the
alumni and development activities?
A: With the 140th Anniversary of the
University coming in 2014, it is a splendid
time to be thinking about launching a
major fundraising campaign. There is
much in our new Strategic Plan that will
excite our alumni and supporters into
assisting us with the resources we will
need.
Q: With alumni represented across the
globe, how can a university connect with
international graduates?
A: Technology is critical: and our Alumni
online community is growing steadily. But
we also need alumni in other countries
to step forward and help us with
recruitment by explaining to prospective
students what life here is like; to help
with welcoming new graduates back
to their home country; and then assist
these new graduates to connect with
their professions and seek out rewarding
careers.
Q: In a cyber-era, where many
relationships are sustained by social
media, how relevant is face-to-face
networking?
A: Not even the most advanced
technology-driven system will ever
replace the intrinsic value of face-toface communication at a university, or in
business. It is the same with teaching:
we will increasingly use online delivery to
enrich our student experience, but this will
not replace face-to-face contact with staff.
Q: How do you see the University
interacting with the business community
in the future?
A: We need to develop a “front door” for
business—a place they can easily find
and direct their questions and requests
through, otherwise the University is a
very confusing place. But we also need
many, many more internship opportunities
in business for our students, and I am
always happy to hear from an employer
interested in providing internships for our
students.
Q: What is the single biggest challenge
facing the University today?
Our biggest challenge is to find practical
ways of realising our new vision of
“small group discovery” as central
to the curriculum—practical ways to
ensure that every student in every year
of every course can experience smallgroup classes in which individual skills
of research are learned. In a climate of
shrinking resources and huge numbers,
this will not be easy.
Q: In 10 years from now I would expect
the University of Adelaide to...
A: Quite simply - to be known as the
most distinctive of Australian universities,
set in the most civilised of cities.
