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Teaching-Research Nexus Benchmarking Project: The University of Sydney and
Monash University, September 2004
- Terminology, definition and policy
- Strategic Planning
- Planning Documents
- Courses
- Graduate attributes
- Staffing profile
- Performance management
- Rewards
- Recruitment, probation and promotion
- Organisational and staff development
- Internal and external communications
- Bringing the teacher’s research findings into the classroom
- Research, curriculum development and internationalisation
- Building students’ research and inquiry capabilities
- Utilizing and building a community of scholars
- Exploring the context of research
- Teaching research methods
- Researching teaching
- Teaching leading to research
A benchmarking partnership was established between Monash University and the
University of Sydney and a Memorandum of Understanding was formalised early in 2004.
The aim of the Benchmarking project was to analyse methods of implementing the
teaching-research nexus, and compare performance in nominated areas. In order to
accomplish this, a six stage process was developed involving:
- establishing the partnership;
- setting the framework (areas of comparison and matrix);
- securing a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions;
- applying the framework;
- benchmarking, self evaluating; and
- generating recommendations.
Comparisons between Sydney and Monash were made through a matrix developed to
self-rate in terms of low, medium or high level achievement in a range of areas. On the
basis of the self assessments, recommendations for each institution were then made. The
report has two parts with the framework for the areas of analysis taken from a discussion
paper prepared by Prof Graham Webb (Centre for Higher Education Quality, 2003). The
first part examines eleven key areas of comparison at the institutional level as developed in
the CHEQ 2003 discussion paper, as follows:
- terminology, definition and policy;
- strategic planning;
- planning documents;
- courses;
- graduate attributes;
- staffing profile;
- performance management; and
- rewards.
At the faculty level the project concentrated on comparing mechanisms that exist in
each institution to investigate and enhance the nexus. The dimensions considered were
again taken from the Centre for Higher Education discussion paper (2003) as follows:
- bringing the teacher’s research findings into the classroom;
- research, curriculum development and internationalisation;
- building students’ research and inquiry capabilities;
- utilizing and building a community of scholars;
- exploring the context of research;
- teaching research methods;
- researching teaching; and
- teaching leading to research.
At the institutional level, both Monash University and the University of Sydney have
coordinated discussions on the teaching-research nexus taking place and have agreed
terminologies. Monash has adopted the term ‘teaching-research nexus’, whereas the
University of Sydney refers to ‘research-led teaching’. While the terms differ, the aims and
objectives are similar. The University of Sydney has an institutional definition in place, and
Monash has also recently adopted an institutional statement and definition.
The teaching-research nexus is clearly identified in strategic plans in both universities, but
both could benefit from a more integrated approach. The nexus is also reflected in Learning
and Teaching Plans, but does not necessarily cascade into all plans.
There was some variation between the two universities with regard to processes for the
teaching-research nexus in terms of course approval, monitoring and review. Nonetheless,
both universities place high importance on graduate attributes and the identification of
research skills. To that end systematic mapping and development of research skills
progressively through the curriculum is evident in some faculties within both institutions.
Each university has a high proportion of teaching staff that are research active, but
recognition of a link between teaching and research in performance management
documentation could be further developed. The existence of awards systems that require
demonstration of teaching-research nexus is another area where there is similarity.
However, neither Sydney nor Monash have strategies in place for demonstration of the
teaching-research nexus in recruitment, probation and promotion practices, and they vary in
the extent to which it is mentioned in documentation. Both universities provide staff
development opportunities in terms of teaching-research nexus, but again there is some
variation in the extent to which it is a priority.
Both universities make reference to the nexus in external communications and could
enhance this area through frequent and systematic reference to teaching-research nexus in
external communication.
At the faculty level there are also many areas of similarity in the self-assessment,
together with some differences. There is a slight difference in terms of practices and mechanisms to
improve the extent to which teachers bring research into the classroom. While both
universities demonstrate that research ideas are incorporated in student activities, Sydney
has systematic faculty mechanisms to improve and evaluate practice. Both universities
have faculty policy and incentives for curriculum development to be informed by
internationally based disciplinary and pedagogical research, with systematic faculty
encouragement and incentives in some faculties.
There are strategies to build students’ research and inquiry capabilities in faculties in both
universities. In a few faculties these capabilities are taught and monitored as an integral
part of a systematic approach to the development of the generic attributes of graduates.
Faculties in both universities have strategies in place to encourage students and staff to
participate in a variety of scholarly communities. It is not always clear, however, to what
extent undergraduate and postgraduate students participate with staff in such communities.
Both Sydney and Monash have strategies aimed at encouraging students and staff to
engage in discussions about the nature of the disciplinary area, the nature of research and
what it means to study the subject. Strategies to encourage students to participate in such
discussions could be enhanced in both universities. Monash and Sydney are comparable in
terms of approach to the teaching of research skills across the undergraduate curriculum,
and in some faculties this is monitored on a regular basis. In both universities research on
teaching is carried out, and in both institutions some faculties have an integrated and
systematic program of research on teaching, which is used to inform curriculum
developments. However, the universities differ in terms of strategies to encourage and
reward disciplinary research projects that result from teaching and both could encourage
faculties to further develop this area.
Monash University to disseminate and embed its newly endorsed statement and
definition of the teaching-research nexus.
- Monash University to include reference to the teaching-research nexus in all
relevant policy
and to integrate institutional strategic planning of teaching, research and the
teaching-research nexus.
- The University of Sydney to include reference to the influence of teaching on
research in future research management plans.
- Monash University to continue to embed the nexus in all planning documents
including
faculty plans to reflect the commitment to strengthening of the nexus as identified in the
Learning and Teaching Plan and research plans.
- The University of Sydney to continue to embed research-led teaching in all
planning documents to ensure that both faculty and college plans reflect
commitment to encouraging research-led teaching.
- Monash University and the University of Sydney to develop and implement a
structure that links the committees or work on teaching, learning and research
within the university.
- Monash University to embed the nexus in unit and course approval and in
guidelines for review of academic areas and courses.
- The University of Sydney to implement policy on ensuring research on teaching
is demonstrably used in designing new curricula.
- Monash to continue to develop graduate attributes policy considering research
as an overarching graduate attribute, and to explore ways in which faculty
undergraduate and postgraduate course work, teaching and learning and education
committees can map the development of research skills progressively through the curriculum.
- The University of Sydney to continue to develop graduate attributes policy and
to implement faculty strategic plans based on it.
- Monash to begin routinely collecting data on teaching by level in the manner
described by the University of Sydney, and to monitor through course and
academic reviews.
- Monash to consider monitoring the proportion of higher degree research
supervisors who are active researchers through academic and research reviews, and the register of supervisors.
- Both universities to examine the relationship between senior staff teaching at
- junior levels and the extent to which this enhances the nexus.
- Both Universities to ensure a staffing profile that supports the nexus between
- teaching and research.
- Monash University to explore ways to recognise the nexus between teaching
and research in performance management engagement profiles.
- Monash University to consider including the teaching-research nexus in
performance management training for staff and supervisors and in documentation.
- The University of Sydney to give consideration to incorporating the relationship
between teaching and research in the performance management and review process when next it is revised.
- Both universities to consider ways in which the teaching-research nexus may
be applied at different levels of appointment and different staff classifications.
- Monash to consider inclusion of the nexus in award and grant application
criteria, documentation, training and reporting.
- The University of Sydney to continue to maintain the high level relationship
between research and teaching with regard to award and grant application
criteria, documentation, training and reporting.
- Monash to give consideration to ways in which recruitment, induction and
probation guidelines and practices can support the teaching-research nexus.
- Monash to re-examine current promotion criteria and guidelines, and revise so
as to reflect commitment to the teaching-research nexus.
- The University of Sydney to give consideration to ways in which promotions
recruitment and probation requirements can be amended to strengthen the relationship between research and teaching.
- Monash to explore ways in which organisational and staff development can
support the teaching-research nexus.
- The University of Sydney to continue to sustain strategic commitment to
enhancing research-led teaching.
- Both universities to ensure that internal and external publications and
communications report and celebrate the teaching-research nexus.
- The University of Sydney to continue to develop ways in which student learning
is organised so as to engage students in research projects and to evaluate
practice on an ongoing basis.
- Monash to explore the extent to which student learning is organised so as to
engage students in research projects and to consider systematic mechanisms
to improve and evaluate practice.
- The University of Sydney to continue to spread good practice in relation to
encouragement and incentives.
- Monash to continue to encourage curriculum development that is informed by
internationally based disciplinary and pedagogical research.
- The University of Sydney to continue to spread good practice in relation to
ensuring that research and inquiry capabilities are taught as an integral part of
a systematic approach to the development of generic attributes of graduates
and that these are monitored on a regular basis.
- Monash to continue to spread good practice in relation to ensuring that
research and inquiry capabilities are taught as an integral part of a systematic
approach to the development of generic attributes of graduates, and these are
monitored on a regular basis.
- Both universities to develop ways to ensure undergraduate and postgraduate
students have the opportunity to participate with staff in a variety of scholarly
communities.
- Both universities to develop strategies to encourage students and staff to
engage in discussions about the nature of the disciplinary area, the nature of
research and what it means to study the subject
- Both universities to continue to develop systematic and integrated approaches
to the teaching of research skills across the undergraduate curriculum and for
faculties to monitor this on a regular basis.
- The University of Sydney to continue to spread good practice in faculties in
relation to researching teaching.
- Monash to continue to identify exemplars of good practice in faculties and to
disseminate across the university.
- Both universities to encourage faculties to finds ways of recognising and
rewarding research projects that arise from aspects of teaching.
This benchmarking project has not considered the teaching-research nexus in
relation to overseas campuses or centres as such a study did not fall with the agreed
framework for the current study.
Dr Jennifer Weir Centre for Higher Education Quality, Monash University
Dr Angela Brew, Institute for Learning and Teaching, University of Sydney
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