For more than a century, Australian university science has made game-changing discoveries and achieved extraordinary impact on our environment, our health and our quality of life and work. Concurrently, university science has trained and nurtured generations of scientists and scientific minds that society needs to rapidly adapt to the growing global challenges of the 21st Century.

University science is the only sector that gives graduates the broad knowledge and specialist skills needed to create and work in innovative industries, and keep us ahead of our changing world. By bringing university science together as a sector across the 40+ institutions where science learning and research happens, the Australian Council of Deans of Science can uniquely provide a cohesive vision of university science — its legacy, continued impact and vision for the future. We are ambitious in our goals of delivering a renewed vision of universities science teaching and learning, research translation, and
celebrating and elevating the profile of Australian university science.

A summary of the ACDS Strategic Plan is provided below, including a summary of 2024 projects and initiatives.

Specifically, our goals are:

To drive improvements in university science teaching and learning, pedagogy, curriculum design, and scholarship of teaching and learning.
To advocate for sustainable research excellence and research translation, for the benefit of industry and the community, and to enhance Australia’s sovereign capability.
To advance the development of the next generation of global science leaders, through professional development and industry engagement.
To elevate the profile of Australian university science and the influence and effectiveness of the ACDS through high quality communication with key stakeholders and end users, and positive engagement between Science Deans.

Science provides the key to understanding the physical and living world. As well as the fundamental knowledge provided by science, its application is central to our ability to live in the modern world, to provide resources, to grow our economy, and to care for our community, our health and our environment. We hope you will join us on our journey to deliver the best quality Australian science capability and workforce.

Professor Melissa Brown,
President, ACDS

ACDS 2021-2025 Strategic Plan

The ACDS delivers benefits to university science by:

LEADING IMPROVEMENTS IN UNIVERSITY SCIENCE TEACHING AND LEARNING

The Australian Council of Deans of Science has a long and proud history of supporting university science educators and academic leaders through the ACDS Teaching and Learning Centre. The Centre provides opportunities to debate significant national issues and lead the development of strategies to influence policy, achieve higher education standards and develop communities of practice that enhance teaching and learning, and share as well as showcase teaching scholarship.

Ongoing focus areas include Work Integrated Learning, Year 12 prerequisites, the role of education-focussed academics, threshold learning outcomes and incorporating Indigenous knowledge into Science curricula.

DRIVING SUSTAINABLE RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRANSLATION AND ADVANCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF GLOBAL SCIENCE LEADERS

The ACDS National Research Network is a collective of research organisational leaders in Australia’s science faculties and schools. The network stimulates the generation and exchange of ideas on enhancing, managing and sustaining a culture of science research excellence and impact in universities, for the benefit of industry and the community, and to enhance Australia’s sovereign capability. It informs national consensus and national policy positions that in turn help Science Deans maintain and expand the quality and influence of University Science research in Australia. The ACDS also leads initiatives that boost industry engagement and career prospects for, and development of, early career scientists.

ELEVATING THE PROFILE OF AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY SCIENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ACDS

In order to influence and drive change in university science teaching and research, it is critical that the ACDS is recognised as an authoritative and trusted organisation that listens, acts and achieves outcomes for the sector. This is achieved in part by reputation, but also through effective communication with key stakeholders and end users, and positive engagement between Science Deans.

Areas of focus include (but are not limited to) a strong presence in print, online and social media, regular meetings with Chief Scientists, and strong engagement with Science and Technology Australia. A strong sense of inclusion and value by the Deans and Associate Deans is also essential and is achieved through forums and mentoring programs.

HOW THE ACDS IS DELIVERING ON STRATEGIC GOALS AND ACTIONS

Summary of 2025 priority projects and initiatives

Leading improvements in University Science teaching and learning

Goal	Approach
Enable science education pathways Project lead: Susan Howitt	The ACDS has always been concerned about the STEM pipeline. This initiative addresses an ongoing concern raised by Deans of Science regarding the removal of maths and science prerequisites for science degrees and the view that this is leading to high school students dropping high level maths and science courses. This has an impact for university teaching and learning as well as recruitment decisions and long-term implications for diversity in STEM. In 2025 the ACDS will explore where the Council can have impact in influencing decision making that influences Year 11 and 12 student preparedness; teaching and learning that supports students from diverse backgrounds and other strategies to ensure a healthy STEM pipeline of students and scientists of the future.
Develop strategies to leverage and manage the impact of global changes in education Project lead: Susan Howitt	The education landscape is changing rapidly with multiple social and technological changes impacting both learning outcomes and pedagogy. Teaching in this environment is challenging, and it is time-consuming for academics to develop new approaches. There has been support for greater (online) interaction between the ACDS T&L Centre and our members and supporters during the year to leverage the learning and exchange at both ACSME and the T&L forum. In 2025 the ACDS will run various online activities throughout the year. Some will be targeted at specific groups such as Associate Deans or ECAs to foster development of like-minded communities while others, such as the Assessment Community of Practice, will be open.
Integrate First Nations Science into curricula Project lead: Susan Howitt	It is important that First Nations Science is integrated into curricula and ACDS is committed to supporting academic staff to do this in ways that are respectful and inclusive. ACDS funded a grant in 2024 with the aim of developing a framework to assist curriculum development. The framework (A Guide for Curriculum Development First Nations Australians’ Science) was launched in late 2024 and has been published on the ACDS website. In 2025 the ACDS will support a roadshow of face-to-face workshops in capital cities to explain the framework and also to identify existing best practice strategies already in operation at member universities. Key outputs will also include the sharing of best practice identified as part of the roadshow activities and a review of the uptake and value of the Framework.

Driving sustainable research excellence and research translation, and advancing the development of the next generation of global science leaders

Goal	Approach
Facilitate and Support Research Translation Project lead: John Bartlett	The University Science research translation space is currently patchy and disjointed, with little cross-fertilisation across universities of hard-won knowledge about how to approach this nation-building imperative. The ACDS through the Research Network seeks to support ADR’s in their role and to share examples of best practice. In 2025 the ACDS will assemble and distil approaches for successful science research translation, through desktop reviews, meetings with relevant Industry/Practice Professors and by leveraging the knowledge within existing Program such as “Australia’s Economic Accelerators”, Trailblazers, etc. A key ouput wlll be the development of discussion papers/opinion pieces on successful strategies for building productive partnerships with industry and other research partners.
Science ADR Career Development Project lead: John Bartlett	Australian University Science research is supported by a committed and talented group of individuals, our ADRs (including HDR, or equivalent), who are committed to providing leadership to researchers at all career stages within their Faculties/School. However, there is currently no uniform approach across our Institutions for training, mentoring or supporting these leaders. In 2025 the ACDS will work with the ADR Network to document the expertise required to fulfill the typical responsibilities of the role of the ADR with a particular focus on highlighting the leadership and generic skills. A key output will be the development of a position paper that advocates for recognition of the importance of the role of ADR

Elevating the profile of Australian university science

Goal	Approach
Improve Public Confidence in Science Project lead: Brian Yates	The ACDS is committed to promoting an authentic contemporary picture of Australian university science. Promoting confidence in science, and advocating support for university science is a high priority of the ACDS. In 2025 the Council will look to develop and share small impactful stories that are accessible and are targeted to particular audiences (general public; policy makers; industry etc). The stories will highlight the importance of valuing and supporting university science rather than just promoting existing outcomes in T&L/Research etc.)
Amplify the Voice of the ACDS Project leads: Brian Yates, Tony Willis.	Enhancing existing ACDS partnerships with key science organisations is important to leverage the influence of the combined voice with decision and/or policy makers. In 2025 the ACDS will look to partner with key science organisations to leverage our engagement with policy makers. A key output will be the development of guidelines for engaging more broadly with policy makers.
30 years of advocacy for university science by the ACDS Project leads: Brian Yates, Tony Willis. Supported by Glenda Key	In 2025 the ACDS is marks 30 yours of operation as a Council advocating for and supporting Australian University Science. This milestone is an opportunity to engage with industry, government, and the broader community to champion the value and importance of University Science. We will use this opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the ACDS, to acknowledge our members over the last 30 years, to reflect on the evolution of university science and consider the challenges for the future as we promote the role and importance of university science. Key outputs for 2025 will be a program of activities that reflect on the past achievements as well as look to the future of the ACDS and university science.
Develop the ACDS 2026–2030 Strategic Plan Project lead: Tony Willis.	The current five-year ACDS strategic plan ends in 2025. A new 5-year plan, ‘owned’ by the next Executive Committee and embraced by the wider ACDS membership must be finalised in 2025 for January 2026 implementation. This initiative will develop the next ACDS 5-year strategic plan through a structured and consultative process, including a facilitated Executive Committee workshop(s), engagement with the wider ACDS membership and, potentially, consultation with other potential stakeholders. Key activities include reviewing the vision, mission, and objectives/goals. The final plan will emphasise ACDS’s distinct role in the science and higher education landscape.
Supporting equity, diversity and inclusion in university science Responsibility: All Executive Committee members	Cultivating talent and promoting the full inclusion of staff and students from across the social spectrum is fundamental to advancing the scientific endeavour. The lack of diversity in university science (staff and students) represents a loss of talent. The ACDS is committed to the principles of EDI and seeks to share policies, practices and decision-making frameworks that redress issues of access, equity, diversity and inclusion for staff and students. The ACDS Equity, Diversity and Inclusion webpage includes quick links to further information including Government data sources and reports, frameworks, and strategies. Member universities are invited to contribute exemplars of their initiatives and strategies that formalise their commitment to EDI in university science and have broader application to other universities.