| Macquarie University | |
|---|---|
| Motto | And gladly teche from the general Prologue to The Canterbury Tales, Geoffrey Chaucer c.1400 |
| Established | 1964 |
| Type | Public |
| Endowment | A$850m (31 December 2010)[1] |
| Chancellor | The Hon. Michael Egan |
| Provost | Judyth Sachs |
| Vice-Chancellor | Steven Schwartz |
| Admin. staff | 2,468 (2010)[2] |
| Students | 37,132 (2010)[2] |
| Undergraduates | 25,292 (2010) |
| Postgraduates | 11,840 (2010) |
| Location | North Ryde/Macquarie Park Sydney, NSW, Australia |
| Campus | Urban, Parkland |
| Named After | Lachlan Macquarie |
| Colours | Green, Gold & White |
| Website | www.mq.edu.au |
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney. Macquarie’s 126 hectare, park-like campus belies its setting within the high-technology corridor of Sydney’s Northern suburbs.
The university comprises four faculties, enrolling approximately 37,000 students and having 2,468 (full-time equivalent) academic and professional staff, making it the fourth largest University in Sydney.[3] At present, the university offers 87 undergraduate courses and 124 different postgraduate courses to students.[4][5] The university is governed by a 17-member Council.[6]
Macquarie University also has the largest student exchange programme in Australia.[7] The Academic Ranking of World Universities listed Macquarie as 7th among Australian Universities in its 2009 rankings.[8] The university is also ranked among the national top five recipients of relative research income.[9]
Also affiliated with the university are several research centres, schools and institutes including the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, the Institute of Human Cognition and Brain Science, the Macquarie University Research Park and the Macquarie University Hospital.
Macquarie University's linguistics department developed the Macquarie Dictionary, the copyright on which it still owns.
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The idea of founding a third university in Sydney was flagged in the early 1960s when the New South Wales Government formed a committee of enquiry into higher education to deal with a perceived emergency in university enrolments in New South Wales. During this enquiry, the Senate of the University of Sydney put in a submission which highlighted ‘the immediate need to establish a third university in the metropolitan area’.[10] After much debate a future campus location was selected in what was then a semi-rural part of North Ryde, and it was decided that the future university be named after Lachlan Macquarie, an important early governor of the colony of New South Wales.
Macquarie University was formally established in 1964 with the passage of the Macquarie University Act 1964 by the New South Wales parliament. The university was designed in the Brutalist style and developed by the renowned town planner Walter Abraham who also oversaw the next 20 years of planning and development for the university. A committee appointed to advise the state government on the establishment of the new university at North Ryde nominated Abraham as the architect-planner. The fledgling Macquarie University Council decided that planning for the campus would be done within the university, rather than by consultants, and this led to the establishment of the architect-planners office.[11]
The university first opened to students on 6 March 1967 with more students than anticipated. The Australian Universities Commission had allowed for 510 effective full-time students (EFTS) but Macquarie had 956 enrolments and 622 EFTS.[12] Between 1968 and 1969, enrolment at Macquarie increased dramatically with an extra 1200 EFTS, with 100 new academic staff employed. 1969 also saw the establishment of the Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM).
Macquarie grew during the seventies and eighties with rapid expansion in courses offered, student numbers and development of the site. In 1972, the university established the Macquarie Law School, the third law school in Sydney. In their book Liberality of Opportunity, Bruce Mansfield and Mark Hutchinson describe the founding of Macquarie University as ‘an act of faith and a great experiment’.[13] An additional topic considered in this book is the science reform movement of the late 1970s that resulted in the introduction of a named science degree, thus facilitating the subsequent inclusion of other named degrees in addition to the traditional BA.[14] An alternative, albeit complementary, view on this topic is given by the famous British-Australian physicist John Ward.[15] In 1990 the university absorbed the Institute of Early Childhood Studies of the Sydney College of Advanced Education, under the terms of the Higher Education (Amalgamation) Act 1989.
There have been only four Vice-Chancellors in the university’s forty-four year history. The first Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University was Alexander George Mitchell, who held the position until December 1975, when he was replaced by Edwin Webb, who served until 1986. Di Yerbury was appointed to the position in 1986, and was the first female Vice-Chancellor in Australia. Professor Yerbury held the position of Vice-Chancellor for just under 20 years, and was replaced by Professor Steven Schwartz at the beginning of 2006. Yerbury's departure was attended with much controversy, including a "bitter dispute" with Schwartz, disputed ownership of university artworks worth $13 million and Yerbury's salary package.[16][17] In August 2006, Professor Schwartz expressed concern about the actions of Yerbury in a letter to university auditors.[18] Yerbury strongly denied any wrongdoing and claimed the artworks were hers.[16][19][20]
During 2007, Macquarie University faced a restructuring of its student organisation after an audit raised questions about management of hundreds of thousands of dollars in funds by student organisations[21] At the centre of the investigation was Victor Ma, president of the Macquarie University Students' Council, who had previously been involved in a high-profile case of student election fixing at the University of Sydney.[22] The university Council resolved to immediately remove Ma from his position. Vice-Chancellor Schwartz cited an urgent need to reform Macquarie's main student bodies.[23] However, Ma strongly denied any wrongdoing and labelled the controversy a case of ‘character assassination’.[24] The Federal Court ordered on 23 May 2007 that Macquarie University Union Ltd be wound up.[25]
Following the dissolution of Macquarie University Union Ltd, the outgoing student organisation was replaced with a new wholly owned subsidiary company of the university, known as U@MQ Ltd. The new student organisation originally lacked a true student representative union; however, following a complete review and authorisation from the university Council, a new student union known as Macquarie University Students Association (MUSRA) was established in 2009.[26]
Within the first few hundred days of Schwartz's instatement as Vice-Chancellor, the 'Macquarie@50' strategic plan was launched, which positioned the university to enhance research, teaching, infrastructure and academic rankings by the university's 50th anniversary in 2014. Included in the university's plans for the future was the establishment of a sustainability office in order to more effectively manage environmental and social development at Macquarie. As part of this campaign, in 2009 Macquarie became the first Fair Trade accredited university in Australia.[27] The beginning of 2009 also saw the introduction of a new logo for the university which retained the Sirius Star, present on both the old logo and the university crest, but now 'embedded in a stylised lotus flower'.[28] In accordance with the university by-law, the crest continues to be used for formal purposes and is displayed on university testamurs. The by-law also prescribes the university's motto, taken from Chaucer: 'And gladly teche'.
The university introduced a new curriculum in January 2010 that was intended to broaden the knowledge of graduates and to include study in general education subjects. This also involves a dramatic reduction in the number of degrees available and placing them into a system of majors and minors within other existing degrees. This process is seen as a step towards the current trend whereby universities in Australia are reducing the amount of named degrees in order to simplify enrolment and to maintain the competitiveness of Australian degrees globally in accordance with the Bologna Accord. This national trend was initiated in Australia by the Melbourne Model. From january 2013, the university will become the first in Australia to align its degree system with the Bologna Accord.[29] The strucrure of the system is said to involve a three-year Bachelor degree, followed by a two-year Masters and a three-year PhD, with honours intergrated into the second year of the Masters degree to replace the undergraduate honours system.[30]
The university comprises thirty-five departments within four faculties.[31] These four faculties were formed at the start of 2009 from the consolidation of ten academic divisions, to enable a more organised and centralised approach to teaching and research:
The University Council is the governing authority of the university under the Macquarie University Act 1989.[32]
The Academic Senate is the primary academic body of the university. It has certain powers delegated to it by Council, such as the approving of examination results and the completion of requirements for the award of degrees. At the same time, it makes recommendations to the Council concerning all changes to degree rules, and all proposals for new awards. While the Academic Senate is an independent body, it is required to make recommendations to the university Council in relation to matters outside its delegated authority.[33]
Macquarie University's main campus is located about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) north-west of the Sydney CBD and is set on 126 hectares of rolling lawns and natural bushland. Located within the high-technology corridor of Sydney's north-west and in close proximity to Macquarie Park and its surrounding industries, Macquarie's location has been crucial in its development as a relatively research intensive university. The university is straddled between the suburbs of North Ryde and the later developed technology and industry focused Macquarie Park; however, the campus has its own postcode, 2109.
Prior to the development of the campus, most of the site was cultivated with peach orchards, market gardens and poultry farms.[34] The university’s first architect-planner was Walter Abraham, one of the first six administrators appointed to Macquarie University. [11] Abraham treasured Macquarie’s natural environment as one of the university’s invaluable assets. As the site adapted from its former rural use to a busy collegiate environment, he implemented carefully designed planting programs across the campus. Abraham established a grid design comprising lots of 300 square feet (28 m2) running north-south, with the aim of creating a compact academic core. The measure of 300 feet (91 m) was seen as one minute's walk, and grid design reflected the aim of having a maximum walk of 10 minutes between any two parts of the university. The main east-west walkway that runs from the research park through to the arts faculty buildings, was named Wally's Walk in recognition of Walter Abraham's contribution to the development of the university.[11]
Today, Macquarie University is served by the Macquarie University railway station, which opened in 2009, as well as a bus interchange within the campus that provides close to 800 bus services daily.[35] The M2 Motorway runs parallel to the northern boundary of the campus and is accessible to traffic from the university. Apart from its centres of learning, the campus features the Macquarie University Research Park, museums, art galleries, a sculpture park, an observatory, a sport and aquatic centre, a fauna park and also the private Macquarie University Hospital. Located to the north of the main campus area are the university sports grounds.
The university is currently undertaking a large infrastructure and capital works program that will see an investment of over $1 billion into new buildings and projects across the campus[36] and has set up an Office of Major Projects to oversee the new developments. The major projects include the development of a new university library, a Hearing Hub and the global headquarters of Cochlear Limited, redevelopment of the student services building and new student accommodation facilities. Macquarie is also seeking to develop the eastern perimeter of its campus along Herring Road and establish a new Station Precinct that will contain a number of multi-storey towers, basement car parking and a ground plane that will provide retail and landscaped connections to the university proper. It is anticipated that the Station Precinct will act as a new commercial front door to the campus.[37]
The library houses over 1.8 million items and uses the Library of Congress Classification System. The library features several collections including a Rare Book Collection, a Palaeontology Collection and the Brunner Collection of Egyptological materials. Macquarie University currently has two libraries. The old library in building C7A will be closed at the end of July 2011, and the new library in building C3C which is operating as a study space will be fully operational on 1 August 2011.
Macquarie has been consistently ranked in the top 10 Universities in Australia and among the top 200 Universities in the world by various sources. The current Vice-Chancellor of the university, Steven Schwartz, has outlined that one of the aims for Macquarie is to remain in the top 200 in the world and be in the top eight within Australia by 2014. Macquarie University showed a significant drop in the 2007 THES - QS World University Rankings (From 2010 two separate rankings will be produced by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the QS World University Rankings). The university has recently declined consistently in these rankings: of the top 200 universities, after being placed 67th in 2005, it ranked equal 168th in 2007, 182nd in 2008 and 189th in 2009.[40]
The Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities in 2009 ranked Macquarie University as 7th in Australia (following University of Western Australia and UNSW), while the UK’s Times Higher Education Supplement World University Rankings published in October 2009 ranked Macquarie 9th in Australia (behind the University of Adelaide and the University of Western Australia).[41][42]
According to the Good Universities Guide to Australian universities, starting salaries for Macquarie graduates have been ranked as the highest in Australia for ten consecutive years (1998–2007) and in 2009, the university received 5 star ratings in six different performance categories including non-government earnings, staff qualifications and toughness of admissions. [43] Macquarie University teachers also have received numerous awards and citations from the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education since it was established in 2004.[44] The university positions itself as being research intensive, and therefore also ranked among the national top five recipients of relative research income.[45]
The Economist 2009 Full Time MBA rankings ranked the university's Graduate School of Management at 55th in the world, 4th in the Asia-Pacific region and 2nd in Australia following Melbourne University's Melbourne Business School.[46]
| 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| THES - QS World University Rankings (From 2010 two separate rankings will be produced, one by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the other by QS World University Rankings) | 211th[47] | 220th[48] | 189th[41] | 182nd[49] | 168th[50] | 82nd[51] | 67thth[52] | N/A | N/A |
| Academic Ranking of World Universities | TBA | 218th[53] | 217th[54] | 220th[55] | 224th[56] | 223rd[57] | 221st[58] | 324th[59] | 314th[60] |
The Macquarie University Library was opened in 1967 and contains over 1.8 million items. The library was built in various stages and expanded to accommodate the growth of the university. The New Macquarie University Library opened in 2011, accommodating more study spaces as well as a more innovative environmentally friendly and aware study space, such as using treated rainwater for the toilet water.
Located on the western side of the campus is the Macquarie University Sport and Aquatic Centre. Previously a sports hall facility, the complex was renovated and reopened in 2007 with the addition of the new gym and aquatic centre. It houses a 50 metre FINA-compliant outdoor pool and a 25 metre indoor pool. The complex also contains a state-of-the-art gymnasium and squash, badminton, basketball, volleyball and netball courts.[61]
The Macquarie University Research Park offers opportunities for collaboration with leading companies. It is a privately-funded Research and Development Park located on campus and is home to companies including Dow Corning, Goodman Fielder, Nortel Networks, OPSM and Siemens.[62]
The Macquarie University Observatory was originally constructed in 1978 as a research facility but, since 1997, has been accessible to the public through its Public Observing Program.[63]
The Macquarie University Hospital was completed and opened in 2010. It comprises 183 beds, 12 operating theatres, 2 cardiac and vascular angiography suites.[64] The hospital is co-located with the university's Australian School of Advanced Medicine.
The Cochlear Building located on the southern edge of the campus is the new global headquarters for Cochlear Limited, manufacturers of cochlear implants, combining their research, development, manufacturing, and distribution facilities into a single building.[65] As support for the Cochlear Building, the university has started construction of a Hearing Hub, a collection of facilities which will incorporate the Cochlear Building, university research facilities for language and cognitive sciences, audiology, and speech pathology, and other organisations related to hearing disorders.[66]
Macquarie University has two residential colleges on its campus, Dunmore Lang College and Robert Menzies College, both founded in 1972. In addition to these residential colleges is the Macquarie University Village which contains over 890 rooms inside multiple two storey townhouses and apartment block.
The Sydney Institute of Business and Technology (SIBT) operates on the Macquarie University campus, offering Foundation Studies (Pre-University) and University-level Diplomas. Upon successful completion of a SIBT Diploma, students enter the appropriate Bachelor Degree as a second year student.[69]
The Centre for Macquarie English (CME), formerly known as NCELTR (National Centre for English Language Teaching and Research), is the English-language centre that offers a range of specialised, direct entry English programmes that are approved by Macquarie University.[70]
Access Macquarie Limited (Access MQ) was established in 1989 as the commercial arm of the university. Access MQ facilitates and supports the commercial needs of industry, business and government organisations seeking to utilise the academic expertise of the broader University community.[71]
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