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S O U T H E R N C RO S S U N I V E R S I T Y: S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S A N D T O U R I S M

School of Business and Tourism

Strategy 2020

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S O U T H E R N C RO S S U N I V E R S I T Y: S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S A N D T O U R I S M S O U T H E R N C RO S S U N I V E R S I T Y: S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S A N D T O U R I S M

This Strategic Plan outlines one of the most extensive and consultative strategic planning processes ever to be undertaken by a business school at Southern Cross University. Through the enthusiastic contributions of our students, staff, industry advisory boards, and the wider communities we serve, we offer a four-year plan that is aligned to the University’s Strategic Plan 2016 – 2020. It has been designed to meet the needs of our diverse constituencies and better prepares the School to address the challenges that currently face the educational sector and the practice of business and management.

Through our engaged research and transformative learning experiences, we have been enriching the lives of our students, alumni, and community for over 20 years. The implementation of this plan will see the School of Business and Tourism at Southern Cross University emerge as a leading regional school in the scholarship of business, tourism and information technology.We acknowledge that this is dynamic document and, as such, recognise the need to be adaptable given the rapidly changing educational landscape.Under the direction of our new Vice Chancellor, Professor Adam Shoemaker, the University is initiating a number of new research centres and academic programs, and the School of Business and Tourism will continue to play a critical role in driving the success of Southern Cross University.As a living document, this Strategic Plan will provide clear direction to ensure that we meet our stated objectives.

Professor Elizabeth RobertsDean and Foundation Head of SchoolSchool of Business and TourismSouthern Cross University

“This Strategic Plan outlines one of the most extensive and consultative strategic planning processes ever to be undertaken by a business school at Southern Cross University.”

Welcome from the

Dean



OUR MISSION.Our mission is to advance quality learning and research that leads to globally relevant, socially responsible practices informed by stakeholder engagement.

{

{

University Values

School of Business & Tourism Values

CollegialityOpenness and RespectCollaboration and Trust

IntegrityHonesty and Ethical BehaviourDrive and AccountabilityFoster

collegiality within a safe and harmonious learning environment.

Support freedom and

independence of thought, speech and expression.

Continually develop a culture of quality and excellence.

Be transparent in our actions and accountable for

our decisions and performance.

Always apply the principles of fairness and equity.{{



Over the next four years, the School of Business and Tourism will meet the challenges of changing social and economic environments. The School will support its diverse communities by responding to current and future needs through highly-quality blended learning, research excellence, and collaborative engagement.

The Southern Cross School of Business and Tourism has a responsibility to meet the needs of the communities we serve through scholarly activities and engagement. By 2020, we will emerge as a leading Australian regional business, tourism and information technology school in alignment with the University’s strategic directions.

Student and Graduate SuccessWe will provide an innovative, student-centred blended learning environment that is responsive to student’s individual needs. Our

relevant and challenging curriculum will be facilitated by engaging academic mentors who inspire open, critical, and reflexive learning. Our graduates will demonstrate a high degree of self-awareness, knowledge, and technical expertise.They will be motivated, adaptable and make a meaningful contribution to business and society.

Culture of Research ExcellenceWe will develop and promote our emerging and existing research strengths by building upon the resilient and sustainable nature of our local regional communities to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world. Through collaborative partnerships, we will focus on applied scholarship, the creation of new knowledge, and the refinement of policies and processes to advance the practice of business, tourism and information technology. Our academic and professional staff

are critical in driving this strategic agenda.

Business Engagement and Impact We will support and consolidate our existing relationships. We will establish effective, collaborative, and mutually-beneficial relationships focused on results that produce sustainable outcomes. We will support and foster innovation and are committed to sharing our expertise, networks, and technologies with a broad array of internal and external stakeholders.

These strategic priorities are developed in recognition of the people who continue to strive for excellence on behalf our School. We will foster a culture that supports dynamic engagement with these communities. There will be a strong focus on developing the capability of our people to fulfil their own potential and meet the needs of our diverse stakeholders.

Meeting the educational

and professional needs

of the regional communities we serve.



Public Value Propositions.

This strategic plan highlights our public value propositions for learning, research and engagement. Each of these priorities will be supported by a number of key objectives that will direct resources to achieve the stated outcomes. The strategic objectives identified in this plan will be adequately resourced, expertly managed and rigorously evaluated. The aim is to strengthen the core competencies of The School of Business and Tourism and create value for our students, staff, and community.

STUDENT AND GRADUATE SUCCESS The ability of our students and graduates to enrich their communities will be the cornerstone of our success. Our students and graduates already make significant contributions to small business and the public and the not-for-profit sectors. We will strive to ensure that students and graduates reach their full potential as global citizens.

To meet this aim, we will continue to provide a student-centred learning experience that utilises the best technologies to transform our students’ knowledge and skills. We will ensure that our students complete our programs

with the ability to develop independent critical judgement, creativity, effective communication, social responsibility, and global awareness.

Continue to build quality blended learning experiences We will transition our world leading ‘distance education’ model to an innovative, fully blended learning experience. We will customise and adapt our significant knowledge and technology base to create an inspired blended online learning pedagogy for our students.

Support, develop and promote excellence in teaching We will support and reward

the teaching of quality blended learning by developing our people and recognising excellence. We will attract and retain the best academic staff to facilitate student learning and contribute to graduate success. We will provide opportunities for our academic staff to build on their strong teaching expertise, and to further develop their scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL).

Foster a ‘whole of course’ approach to assessment and learning outcomesA whole-of-course approach will ensure that all units are considered only as part of a degree program. We will use a diverse

range of assessment methods to foster the development our graduate attributes in a logical, developmental sequence. We will assure the learning of our graduates by instilling in them the skills and knowledge they need to add value to the community and have successful industry careers.

Continuous improvement of the quality learning experienceWe will evaluate and refine our teaching and learning through quality metrics and stakeholder feedback. Our policy and processes will support a culture of innovation that leads to continual improvement and ‘closes the loop’ on student feedback.

Revitalise our curriculum and course profileWe will engage our students, employers and organisations in curriculum that are relevant and future focused. Our globally relevant curriculum will be informed by the needs of our stakeholders and support the development of ethical and socially responsible graduates.



CULTURE OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCEThe advancement of theory and practice through research is fundamental to the student learning experience and the economic and social development of our communities. We will become known for a research culture of excellence.We will listen to and respond to the needs of our communities.

We will align our research capacity to current and emerging challenges and form collaborative working relationships that add value. We will disseminate our research so that our communities are aware of our capability in helping them to achieve their goals.

Support and reward high-quality researchThe School has built its research strengths in tourism, policy and management and aims to develop further emerging areas in information technology and pedagogy. The School will to contribute to further the research capacity of the University by developing research clusters that align to University research institutes.

Continue to build a culture of research excellenceWe highly value the intellectual contributions of our people and their ability to investigate and solve real world problems. We will support and develop the intellectual capabilities and contributions of our staff and students.

Attract and train high quality research candidatesThe School will develop its existing higher degree research programs designed to attract and train high-quality research candidates to fill positions in academia, government and industry. The work of higher degree research candidates will align with our targeted research strengths and supervisory capacity. HDR candidates will be supported throughout their training with the aim of preparing them to undertake fulfilling careers.

Connect and collaborate with a range of stakeholders to address contemporary research problemsWe will build productive partnerships with profit, not for profit, and government organisations with the aim of undertaking relevant applied research. We will partner with industry, government, and other academic institutions to increase our research income.

Promote and communicate the quality and strength of our researchThe quality of our students, our staff, and the research projects that we undertake will ‘stand out from the crowd’. We will ensure that key external stakeholders are aware of our research expertise and explore opportunities for regular and close collaboration.Collaborative research opportunities that have resulted from our three industry advisory boards clearly demonstrates our commitment to work to meet the research needs of our local communities.



BUSINESS IMPACT AND ENGAGEMENTWe will strive to serve our community and constituents through engaged teaching and learning, research, and service. We will be responsive to the needs of those we serve by supporting their progress, and we will provide a wide range of services that lead to open and seamless exchanges of knowledge.

Identify and promote existing engagement activities and capabilitiesWe will continue to develop systems for measuring the extent and value of our existing networks. We will identify gaps in our engagement capability and develop policies and programs that will develop more productive relationships with stakeholders. We will actively promote our industry links so that the value embedded in those relationships has tangible and sustainable benefits.

Build the capability of our people to engage and collaborate more seamlessly with industry, government and the communityWe will continue to develop and support a culture where all students and staff actively engage with our local communities. We understand that not everyone has these skills. Our students and staff will be given opportunities to develop these skills through programs, mentoring and projects. We will build systems that support activities and allow time for relationships to develop and deepen.

Reach out to our communities by leveraging their knowledge and expertise to build our own capabilityWe will become even more closely aligned with our communities and we will work together for our mutual benefit. In effect, our local schools, businesses, government departments and community groups and agencies will become our place of business. We will provide the community with access to our expertise and in turn build the capability of others.

Building strategic partnerships that support the exchange of knowledgeWe will strengthen existing relationships and seek out new partners that will contribute to the sustainability of our School. Institutional, business, and community alliances will deliver efficient use of resources and effective achievement of goals. We will become a fundamental component of the innovation systems around us where knowledge, learning and action interact.

Develop innovative and targeted educational programs for business leadersWe will develop targeted programs for our business leaders that develop their skills and knowledge. These programs will be supported by relevant content, innovative learning that build leadership capability and advance the practice of business.



Operational Planning• School Directors will establish

operational plans for the achievement of all objectives through their committees and staff.

• Existing actions and new ideas will be evaluated and integrated into operational plans.

• Operations plans will outline all approved strategies and actions to be taken to achieve objectives.

• Plans will detail all human, financial and technological resource allocations.

• Strategies will clearly articulate expected outcomes in the form

of performance indicators.• Plans will establish timelines for

implementation and ongoing achievement.

Continuous Improvement• Operation plans will be modified

based on ongoing evaluation and refinement of strategies.

• School Directors and those responsible for strategies will utilise all available information to determine progress and make improvements.

• Those responsible for strategies will seek wider consultation on performance both internally and externally.

This document provides an overview of the objectives that support our three core competencies of research, teaching and learning, and engagement. In order to achieve our objectives, we will leverage our existing strengths and implement actions that will ensure the achievement of these outcomes. The objectives outlined in this plan will be supported by specific strategies. The following section outlines the key components of the School’s Strategic Execution process.

• Staff will have opportunities to offer feedback and suggestions on performance.

Accountability• Plans will identify those

accountable for implementation and achievement of strategies.

• The School will maintain a centralised reporting system in the form of a balanced scorecard.

• Reports will be provided to the School Directors to consult with their committees and staff.

• A monthly summary report will be provided to the School’s

Executive for discussion and comment.

• The academic staff and the School Executive will discuss specific progress at monthly staff meetings.

• The School Executive will report and discuss our progress at the Vice Chancellor Executive meetings and with key stakeholders.

Leadership• The School’s Strategic Plan

will provide a coherent link to the mission and goals of the University.

• Our strategy will be

implemented in alignment with our values in the spirit of integrity and collegiality.

• Those responsible will manage the strategic process and prioritise as needed.

• All staff will have a voice and their knowledge will be leveraged for the success of the strategic process.

Strategy Execution & Evaluation.

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S O U T H E R N C RO S S U N I V E R S I T Y: S C H O O L O F B U S I N E S S A N D T O U R I S M

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