ACU

ACU Bulletin - Strategies for Success: Introduction

Professor John Tarrant - Secretary General of the ACU

Our survey of the big issues facing universities in the Commonwealth has now been published. One of the driving forces of change shaping many of these issues has been the rapid growth of higher education and, related to this, the increasing diversity of higher education providers. Some of the responses to our survey drew attention to this diversity and suggested that the ACU should
encourage interaction between similar institutions.This reflects a growing trend for institutions to gravitate towards groups and networks formed around common interests, such as networks of universities which see themselves
as research intensive.

Some groupings are national, often represented by national university associations; others are regional, such as the Association of African Universities and the Association of Pacific Rim Universities. For some universities this helps their international branding, for others these interest groups provide opportunities to share problems and solutions. For many it is about making their voices more effectively heard.

The ACU must be conscious of these groups and provide services of a distinct nature. Our charter envisaged an inclusive organisation with a wide range of institutions coming together around a common commitment to the development of higher education. For some of our operations, benchmarking for example, a careful selection (or self-selection) of likeminded institutions is an appropriate
strategy. I believe, however, that the ACU must also look for signs and areas of convergence – where issues are common, or becoming common, as the world of higher education changes.

While divergence is being driven by the rapid expansion of higher education throughout the Commonwealth, there is clear convergence around a common set of problems and concerns. What higher education institutions do and how they do it are also showing signs of convergence, driven by changing student expectations and changing government policy, often enabled and prompted by innovations in technology.

The Bulletin is the ACU's magazine for its members, keeping you informed about all our activities as well as other developments in higher education throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. Articles cover current issues in international higher education, as well as the broad range of the ACU’s work. To find out more and to view a sample issue, please visit our website.