Actions speak louder

"The great aim of education is not knowledge but action."

...said the English philosopher and sociologist, Herbert Spencer. Judging by the amount and rate of action generated by the staff and students of the University of Adelaide in 2011, I would say that we are fulfilling that aim in great earnest.

This year has been filled with exceptional results in teaching and research; achievements we have come to expect from our staff, students and alumni, and of which we can all be very proud.

From record-breaking funding for health and medical research to the launch of our purpose-built student learning space, Hub Central, the University has celebrated another year of significant accomplishment.

Of particular note, our inaugural Research Week and more recently, the Festival of Learning and Teaching, gave us a unique opportunity to reflect on what these fundamental pillars of our University really mean to us, as a higher education community, and more broadly to the general public.

Creating a renewed dialogue between staff and students, particularly relating to learning outcomes, and a student-centric experience, will provide a strong platform to guide our plans in the coming years.

Building on our links to the local community and working with industry and all levels of government, this year we have continued to unlock opportunities for partnerships that will benefit so many through research, learning and innovation. This ranges from our acoustics researchers investigating the causes of wind turbine noise, with the aim of making them quieter and solving 'wind turbine syndrome', to our dental students providing free oral health care to Adelaide's homeless people. Our individual and collective impact grows each year, addressing community need where it is needed most.

Quite unexpectedly, 2011 also revealed a profound sense of humanity and generosity at the University. If the aim of the education is ultimately action, then our student exchange, following the Christchurch earthquake with the University of Canterbury in semester one, has left an indelible impression of the power of extending an unconditional hand of assistance.

This simple yet far-reaching gesture transformed our University, reinforcing a truly organisation-wide capacity to act for a greater good. The legacy of this partnership will endure as current and future students and staff, from both sides of the Tasman, further the friendship that has been forged under the most tragic of circumstances.

Next year promises to bring new challenges for the University, and for the higher education sector as a whole. The removal of student caps, the introduction of new regulatory frameworks and changes to international education will impact us in different ways. Fortunately, we are well placed and prepared to respond to the uncertainties that the changes will invariably bring.

As another busy year draws to a close, I wish you and your family all the best for the festive season.

PROFESSOR JAMES A. McWHA
Vice-Chancellor and President