It is very exciting to join Flinders University in the role of Pro Vice Chancellor (Learning and Teaching Innovation)!  For me it is both a home coming and a new journey. It is a homecoming in that am a Flinders Alumni and previous staff member and a new journey in that much has changed in the intervening years in terms of the University and indeed the sector.

 

I look forward to working with the University community to realise the goals set out in Making a Difference: The 2025 Agenda.  I believe the experience and insights that I gained as Director of Learning and Teaching at Charles Darwin University (CDU) will be relevant to the work at Flinders University particularly in relation to increasing online offerings.  As many of you would know approximately 70% of CDU’s higher education load is delivered online across almost every discipline.  This brings a range of challenges particularly in terms of developing processes and services to support a positive student experience.  At the same time, there are opportunities to explore innovative ways to address such challenges and extend the capability of Flinders beyond what is currently available in the sector.

 

I look forward to leading the Centre for Innovation in Learning and Teaching on this journey as we support academic and professional staff to seek out and realise innovative solutions to these challenges for the benefit our students.

 

Professor Deborah West