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CEO Update - March 2012 Future scanning, also known as environmental scanning is a methodology that allows organisations to respond more quickly to rising policy issues with increased intelligence. A future scan provides a detailed understanding of the factors surrounding the external environment and direction of an issue. Scanning the policy horizon of Australia is a vital component of informing future policymaking and public debate across the nation. At our Australian Public Policy Congress next week, we’ll be hearing from the Strategy and Delivery Division of Prime Minister and Cabinet on what they see as the key future policy issues on the upcoming national policy agenda. We’ll be gathering leaders from academia, industry and government to discuss and present future scenarios within the areas of ICT’s and digital hubs, the social and economic impacts of resource intensive industries in Australia, education and employment and health and ageing. Great political leaders possess the ability to predict future challenges. As a base requirement political leaders must have access to the best of our countries intellectual capital in order for us to continue to initiate and implement policy consistent with identified national and international trends. Our National Congress in Canberra represents the commitment of the Eidos Network to pooling our resources and knowledge, as opposed to dividing it within competing institutions and organisations. __________________________________________________________________________________
CEO Update - February 2012
The recent political leadership spill between Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd has dominated national headlines this week. The factional in-fight, which came to a head in Monday’s leadership ballot and decisive victory for Julia Gillard has been acknowledged on both sides of the political fence as ugly, a distraction from the real issues and a disappointment to the Australian public. This newsletter contains notification of an upcoming Eidos Institute Fundraiser seeking to generate contribution and support of the work of the Eidos Institute in encouraging and facilitating evidence based debate. People are hungry for new ideas and debate. We need to start looking around corners. Governments need to start thinking beyond the next election cycle. __________________________________________________________________________________
CEO Update - January 2012 Prime Minister Julia Gillard last week launched two satellites which will provide broadband coverage to remote Australians, a move which highlighted the increased policy focus on the roll out of the NBN and its impact on building the ‘new economy of the future’. The ‘new economy’ catch phrase is widely tipped to dominate the policy agenda of the government in a range of key areas of development in 2012. The area of ICT and Digital Inclusion is similarly firmly on the agenda of the Eidos Institute Network for the year ahead. At our International Public Policy Congress in South Africa last week, the impact of internet-enabled communication technologies against socio-economic indicators in Australia and South Africa was discussed by a working group which included delegates from leading South African universities, the South African Department of Communications, Australian Eidos network member universities Swinburne University of Technology and Queensland University of Technology, global industry groups such as CISCO and representatives from neighboring African countries Kenya and Rwanda. To read more about the outcomes of this meeting, click here to download an Eidos release covering the current status of this project. Closer to home, as the regional rollout of the NBN continues to raise questions relating to spatial justice, with remote and regional groups advocating for priority service becoming increasingly vocal, past and current research occurring within the Eidos Network is contributing to the debate
This month we’ll be profiling the work of the Eidos Network in the area of ICT, Digital Inclusion and National Broadband Network policy initiatives’. Our discussions will cumulate in our ICT and Digital Hubs roundtable at our Australian National Research Congress, occurring at Old Parliament House in Canberra March 20th. http://researchbank.swinburne.edu.au/vital/access/manager/Repository/swin:16555?expert=creator%3A%22Rennie%2CEllie%22&f0=creator%3A%22Crouch%2C+Andrew%22 http://eprints.qut.edu.au/46636/ __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - December 2011 Eidos Institute has had a busy and eventful 2011. We welcomed new members The University of Queensland Business School and our first international member South African University the University of Pretoria. We were pleased to be a supporting partner in two successful Australian Research Council funded research projects – Queensland University of Technology’s Social Media in Times of Crisis: Learning from Recent Natural Disasters to Improve Future Strategies and Swinburne University of Technology – The Access and Use of Informal Research Publications. As a network, we hosted a range of successful events, national conferences and policy roundtable discussions. As part of our extended campaign to raise awareness of the importance of creating independent platforms for political debate and discourse, we listened to recently retired Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Terry Moran tell over 300 guests that despite holding a number of benefits in the form of economic and policy reforms, contemporary federalism remained flawed. We sat and watched while Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda made his case for constitutional amendment and were privileged to hear Michael Kirby’s views on the successes and failures of CHOGM. This year also saw the official launch of Eidos Institutes Australian Policy Resource Facility, a representative body providing a gateway for industry and government into Eidos’ research and university networks. We are pleased to announce that Eidos through the APRF have formed a partnership with the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Strategy Division (for more details on this unique initiative, read on below). Eidos has been to South Africa and back for an International Public Policy Congress, the second edition of which is to be hosted in Cape Town, February 2012. We were one of six Brisbane companies named a Leader in Innovation’ in this year’s Brisbane Innovation Scorecard. In a speech I delivered last month at the University of Queensland School of Human Movement graduation dinner, I noted that it is always through recognition of common humanity, at whatever level of process, that large-scale change can be achieved. In this my final update of 2011, I would like to thank each and every member of the Eidos network who has engaged with us over the course of this year – in whatever form. We look forward to continuing to work with our member universities to further our collective goal of creating a platform and context for evidence-based policy debate. Merry Christmas and best wishes for a safe and happy 2012. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - September 2011 Since its establishment in 2005 as an independent, research driven think-tank the Eidos Institute has continued to evolve in order to work towards achieving its vision of functioning as a hub for new ideas, new research and new learning in education for social change and evidence-based policy alternatives. Eidos is currently entering an exciting new phase of development as we review expressions of interest for a new level of national university membership expansion. As key drivers of the Institute's research program and vision, Eidos Institute university members form part of a unique consortium of leading thinkers, innovators and drivers for social change the world over. A scheduled tour of Victoria and Western Australia will take place in the coming months as we visit prospective campuses and university delegates. Also this month, Eidos Institute officially welcomes newly appointed General Manager and Director, Strategic Partnerships Kerrin Anderson. As a long-standing Eidos Institute board member, Kerrin will be an extremely valuable addition to the Eidos operational staff, with nationally recognized expertise in structuring and establishing effective research and development joint ventures including CRC Sugar Industry Innovation through Biotechnology, CRC for Aboriginal Health, the Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health Queensland and the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute Ltd. Welcome Kerrin. Eidos is continuing its program of Conferences, ongoing scheduled discussions with industry partners and work with the Australian Policy Resource Facility in the coming weeks and months – please scan the below for opportunities to engage with our academics and current activities in support of our efforts to promote and include evidence-based research in the process of policy formulation. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - August 2011 As an independent think-tank with a diverse base spread across 51 campuses in regional and metropolitan Australia, Eidos is in the unique position of being able to tap into local intelligence and research activity upwards from the grassroots of some of the nation’s most rapidly developing regional areas. As the issue of regional development continues to dominate the political agenda in a number of broad policy areas, on the ground evidence-based research is becoming invaluable to the future direction of our nation. Central Queensland University, one of Eidos Institute’s flagship regional universities exemplifies the unique challenges and opportunities for growth and development confronting regional institutions across Australia. Eidos most recently worked with CQU on a National Conference held in Gladstone, exploring the social and community impacts of the resources boom. Eidos Institute is committed to using its regional research capacity and expertise to inform interaction between government, on-the-ground-research and policy formulation. A regional development National Conference with the University of Sunshine Coast is slated to discuss regional economics, innovation, planning and policy development on September 28th and the State Library of Queensland. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - June 2011 As an independent think-tank fueled by high quality research, Eidos Institute is committed to approaching questions of policy and politics from an academic perspective. At our recently held National Address, Eidos showcased and raised funds for research projects of national significance and scale geared towards answering some of the nation’s toughest and most pervasive economic and social policy challenges. As the end of the financial year approaches, Eidos is launching an appeal to raise funds for supporting, sustaining and promoting groundbreaking Australian research. If you are interested in directly funding serious policy research and contributing to a practical push towards answering some of the nations most pervasive policy questions and addressing key gaps in our analysis and knowledge of this process, please click here to donate to the Eidos Institute Gift Fund. Closing the disconnect between academics and public servants has never been more important to creating a sustainable medium-long term narrative for our future. Alternatively, I encourage you to engage with the upcoming Eidos event calendar not only to support and promote interactive policy dialogue and debate in Australia, but also to support the research which fuels it. With your support, Eidos Institute will continue to run as a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to linking academia and policy innovation with governmental policy and identified priorities. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - May 2011 Last week while in Canberra for our annual Congress, Eidos and a small group of gathered network guests were provided with the opportunity to listen to Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan’s Chief of Staff Jim Chalmers deliver a closed informal address. The themes and content of the speech have been echoed in a number of conversations occurring nation wide regarding the standard of public policy debate in Australia. At both a global and national level - see media frenzy surrounding the verification of Obama's birth certificate and the week long running video footage of Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan's breaking a glass (during budget week) - you and I miss out on serious translation of policy and politics. Eidos Institute continues to work to raise the standard of political debate within Australian politics. Our policy-focused event series has attracted over 5000 people who share the same view. Eidos welcomes you to join us in what we believe will be one of our most important policy discussions of 2011 - the upcoming national address by the Secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet Mr Terry Moran. Stay tuned to our info-cast, facebook and twitter for opportunities to comment and contribute to our cause. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - April 2011 Eidos Institute has had a busy lead up to the Easter break, with a number of projects confirmed and campus and onsite visits to Eidos regional and metropolitan campuses occurring in the past month. I recently had the opportunity to perform the task of Master of Ceremonies for an International Education Research Symposium run by LH Martin Institute. A summary of some of the issues arising for the day can be found in an opinion piece written for LH Martins newsletter, here. A major issue to emerge from the Symposium was the necessity of improved governmental relations by the higher education sector within key areas relating to the continual global relevance of Australian education on a rapidly shifting higher education landscape. The value of university partnerships as a collective lobbying force should not be underestimated. It is thus my pleasure to announce the joining of two new members to the Eidos Institute network – The University of Queensland, and Charles Darwin University. These two respected universities will add a great deal of capacity and diversity to the Eidos Institute network and we look forward to working with them as we continue to collaborate and partner across our national network. On behalf of the Eidos network, please allow me to wish you a safe and happy Easter break. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - March 2011 # 2 Eidos Institute has recently been approached to collaborate on a number of major public policy priorities in the name of initiating targeted research and knowledge based campaigns geared towards the establishment of a medium long-term narrative for our nation. Central amongst these priority areas is a commitment to the investigation, dissemination and promotion of research relating to Climate Change, the National Broadband Network, Indigenous futures and Productivity policy design and implementation projects. It is the enduring belief and ethos of the Eidos Institute that effective policy is best effused with strong and independent research. Effective knowledge-based policy involvement has been cited as an effective mechanism for mobilizing or inspiring political support for a particular action, informing the views of the public and holding policy makers accountable for evaluating and continuously evolving and improving their process and policy generative activities. Our 2011 Eidos Institute National Conference Series was launched today with an event led by James Cook University entitled The Future of Design Thinking: Expanding Innovation and Creativity into our Education System. The series represents a nation-wide push by Eidos to provide an opportunity for researchers and policy leaders to present, promote and disseminate world-class research to a broad audience. Seeking to respond to nationally significant projects which align to current and identified policy agendas of governments, the series is geared towards pushing the boundaries of dialogue and debate within an independent framework. Eidos would not exist without the engagement of our networks. Please stay tuned to this infocast or visit our website www.eidos.org.au in order to receive continual updates about our Conference Series, activities and project work in areas of interest. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - March 2011 Last month Eidos Institute held a closed roundtable on the topic of the role, status and place of the Modern University in a 21st century world. Hosted as part of our Thinking Allowed series, the roundtable was well attended by high profile members from within the academic community, industry leaders and included special guest the Lord Mayor of Melbourne Robert Doyle. The roundtable paid particular attention to the interface between teaching and research and approached some tough questions regarding the degree of responsibility attributed to universities in terms of both pastoral care of its students and levels of community engagement. The Thinking Allowed series was founded in partnership with law firm Minter Ellison with the intent of creating an opportunity for participants to contribute to a space free of partisan influence or sector constraints. The challenges and complexities of the modern world call for a different vision of interaction between State and citizen. We reside in a world where people are more informed and enquiring. The empowerment of the individual citizen presents a number of questions surrounding the interaction of individual values with broader issues of influence impacting the course of our daily lives. Tabled at the roundtable and of particular interest was a paper written by Eidos Institute Board member and former Deputy-Director of UNESCO Emeritus Professor Colin Power. Colin’s paper, entitled Engaged Universities: the Universities for New Times detailed a weighty argument in favour of the UNT (University for New Times) as a “socially responsive and responsible University rigorous and ethical in its quest for knowledge and its teaching, research and community service. The paper can be read on the Eidos Institute website in its entirety here. Colin remarks that now more than ever, our Universities are probably “the only independent tenants of the collective values and culture and the best placed to express constructive criticism and to suggest new ideas” (Hirsch et al. 1999). It is this independent tenant that marks the real value of university engagement. It is an independence which is only multiplied by cross-institutional research and event collaboration. Eidos is looking forward to staging events and generating discussion in 2011 which capitalises on this independent value and leverages it as a weapon of great strength in terms of lobbying for strong evidence-based policy through research. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - February 2011 Hello and on behalf of the Eidos Institute, a belated welcome to 2011. It’s been a somewhat challenging start to the year, with the destruction and havoc wreaked by the tragic floods in South-East Queensland and the more recent Cyclone Yasi continuing to have profound ramifications on the lives of those affected. The Queensland floods represented a challenging time for Eidos Institute member universities, seven of which have campuses based in Queensland. It also represented a time for universities to rise to their full potential as pillars of community engagement - which all did most admirably. The subject of universities as pillars of and for community engagement was discussed in depth at the Eidos Institutes recent Thinking Allowed roundtable discussion. A leading group of academics, industry partners and distinguished guests gathered in Melbourne to discuss one of the most topical subjects on the agenda of Australia's higher education and research communities – the nature and conceptualization of the Modern University. The forthcoming Eidos Institute event with Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda represents an instance of Eidos - as a university collaborative - to engage with a subject well and truly on the agenda of the Australian community at large; the amendment of the constitution to include recognition of Indigenous Australians. The issue represents a potentially historic and landmark social, political and cultural debate witch has recently been positioned at the forefront of a new wave and conceptualisation of reconciliation for Australians. Events have the power to create significant waves within policy-making communities. In September 2009 Eidos Institute hosted the Hon Alan Milburn for a keynote presentation on reforming public services. The former Labour Cabinet Minister delivered a impassioned speech advocating a bottom up approach to public improvement in an event which the Courier Mail’s National Affairs Editor described the next day as fostering ‘talk of revolution’. The speech reached the right ears. Talk of reforming local hospital networks following the event gathered speed and came to a head with consultation undertaken by the Queensland Government to provide more localised hospital management systems currently underway. The combination of the right words, at the right time and at the right place should never be underestimated. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________
Research needs to be driven by collaboration, not competition, writes Bruce Muirhead As an institution, universities have always existed as something of a paradox. Born out of the religious scholarly fervor of the Middle Ages, blooded among the humanist ideals of the Enlightenment and ultimately emerging as a powerful symbol of revolutionary youth, universities have remained a global fixture and remain among the oldest institutions of any type continuing to flourish and operate to this day. ________________________________________________________________________________ Think tanks and the politics of collaboration Universities are the breeding ground for ideas. Think tanks are the perfect way to get them mobilized, writes Bruce Muirhead. The term think tank is a particularly vivid paradox. Thinking is intangible. Lightweight. The human brain is said to have the processing capacity of 0.1 quadrillion instructions per second. In other words, thoughts breeze in and out of our minds at a rate too rapid to even conceptualise. A tank, on the other hand, is a weapon. A solid, heavy weapon designed to batter its way through barriers and obstacles with ease. __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - December 2010 It would be amiss to begin this update into the latest work and activities of Eidos without a comment on the result of Labor’s loss in the Victorian state election this week, and the advent of a Liberal-National government in a state which had been considered to possess the strongest and most competent Labor government in Australia. The blanket of grey currently obscuring the Australian political landscape would appear to have put something of a temporary block on this engaging vibrancy. Politics shouldn’t be about pea-cocking and bluster. It shouldn’t be a cabaret show. It should, however be engaging and fiery. It should touch people’s core beliefs and not just pander to their fleeting interests. The Eidos Institute is independent and bi-partisan of party politics. But it is for colour. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - November 2010 Universities have traditionally been viewed as hives of political activity. While the radical student protests and political activism of student groups during the 1960’s and 70’s may have faded into something akin to revered myth, with flower headbands replaced by iPhones and clashes with the police replaced by clashes with parking officials, universities continue to hold a unique position on the Australian political landscape. As university students ferment and refine their political knowledge and position on the ideological spectrum during their time spent within the higher education system, it seems strange that universities themselves continue to fight to occupy any political position of weight or relevance within the broader process of Australian politics. Not so, it would seem. Outside the specialised higher education media, Davis argues, the neglect of higher education garners very little attention from both the media and the major political parties, resulting in the relegation of higher education to minor policies. It’s a sentiment which was echoed by Julie Hare, Editor of the Higher Education section of The Australian during the Eidos-hosted ‘Perfect Storm’ forum some weeks ago (video here). Despite the dramatic nature of the fall from grace by international education, in particular (triggered by ill-informed government policy, says Hare) almost no one in the mainstream had afforded the matter any attention. Professor Davis correctly notes in his article that within pragmatic Australian political culture, which views politics as a mechanism for fixing problems rather than implementing grand visions, universities may fail to meet the threshold of what constitutes a ‘major political issue’. Bruce Muirhead CEO Update - October 2010 As Australia stands with its eyes firmly fixed on the international arena during the 2010 Commonwealth Games it is, as ever, increasingly reinforced that the term ‘global citizen’ is no longer a mere catchphrase. As with most sporting events on the global stage, the Games provide the welcome opportunity for international engagement on a (theoretically) level playing field. It is a metaphor which can be extended to thread its way through the concept of global education and knowledge. As a true global currency, knowledge – it’s promotion and it’s protection – is in many ways the key to international engagement on a consistently level pitch. Under the floodlights of the international arena, universities emerge as common ports. It is this thinking which is informing our current work and engagement with South Africa. The launch of Eidos South Africa in February of next year involving an alliance of key South African universities is a reflection of the Eidos commitment to expanding its network at an international level in the pursuit of closing the growing gap in our global knowledge economy. The flip side of the emerging international education marketplace is, of course, the commercialisation of knowledge it promotes. In the latest issue of Campus Review I discuss what has been dubbed the ‘perfect storm’ scenario within the industry, a conglomeration of factors which has resulted in a fearsome global brain race as universities scramble to remain competitive within the market. An article in yesterdays Higher Education section of The Australian tapped university alliances as an emerging key feature of the sector. This too, is a reaction to the competitive nature of the marketplace – however collaboration should not be dismissed as a reactionary development. Connections and collaborative partnerships form the basis for exchanging ideas, innovation and trail-blazing research. No institution can exist as an island. Partnerships and alliances are an integral feature of international educational development and a globally cohesive vision for our nation. Bruce Muirhead ____________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - September 2010 Recently I have had the opportunity to visit a number of our member university campuses in person. This perk of the job allows me to listen and engage firsthand with the cutting edge research occurring within some of Australia’s leading universities. The role of Eidos as an independent, research driven think tank is to assist in the aggregation and dissemination of this research. The role of think tanks in pushing the boundaries of Australian political debate to encompass new and innovative policy solutions and transformative thought is a resource often unnoticed and untapped. It is this line of thought which as led to a number of re-occurring conversations lately occurring within the extended Eidos network proposing a gathering of some of Australia’s leading think tanks and engaging them in an extended narrative around our nations future. The way in which ideas are framed and presented to the public is important. In many ways the challenge which we are facing is the absence of a long-term narrative resulting from quick-fix policy solutions and an unwillingness of governments to be bold with new and innovative ideas and proposals. Who are our leading think tanks? What are they thinking? Where do our best and brightest minds want to take us and how do they propose to get us there? Our next generation of leaders and innovators need to be unearthed and identified. As Eidos seeks to stage activity to this end, we welcome any and all contributions and proposals relating to our mission of working towards a more inclusive and informed society. Scan this info-cast for ways you can get involved! And if don’t see any contact us with a proposal on how we can make it happen. As always, thankyou for your continued support. Bruce Muirhead __________________________________________________________________________________________ CEO Update - August 2010 Last week I had the pleasure of delivering a presentation to Eidos industry partner Urbis on the major trends and forces which look set to globally affect the future of our state, market and civil society for years to come. From the blizzard of information which daily bombards our senses in this our information age, finding patterns in our global environment is the equivalent of finding shelter in a snowstorm. Patterns and trends help us make sense of the world – and our place in it. Frameworks and theories allow us to disentangle meaningless chaos into ordered reality. I reflected that it is an ironic paradox that as our collective knowledge regarding the state of the world increases via a flood of new information and data facilitated by the growing interpenetration of states, markets and ideas across borders, our certainty about our shared future decreases. Like Alice looking at her world through a looking glass, in our global world identities are constantly shifting. While this instability has the potential to create anxiety and confusion, it can also enable a freedom of opportunity and action previously unexperienced at any point in human existence. It is this sense of duality which pervades any examination of the major trends which are set to colour and shape our probable future. Throughout my presentation I used the metaphor of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ to link major themes and trends. Lewis Carroll’s classic novel is all about finding sense in apparent nonsense - how do we make sense of the puzzle pieces which make up our current reality? How deep is the rabbit-hole and what will it look like once we reach the bottom? Think tanks and universities have an integral role to play in pushing the boundaries of Australian political debate to encompass new and innovative policy solutions and transformative thought. The Buddhist mantra "what we think, we become" is particularly relevant here. Universities are the breeding ground for ideas. Think tanks are the perfect way to get them mobilised. Professor Bruce Muirhead _________________________________________________________________________________________
CEO Update - July 2010 On Sunday the 18th of July Eidos was deeply honoured to be invited to host the first public address of the Prime Minister The Hon. Julia Gillard’s 2010 election campaign. The event was a momentous occasion in Eidos history reflecting the calibre and quality of our networks and our shared contribution to public policy within the landscape of Australian politics. In front of a capacity crowd of Eidos friends, family, affiliates, industry partners, university members and supporters gathered in the historic former School of Arts building which also houses Eidos Head Offices, I drew attention to the fact that our gathered audience was living history, adding their shared collective of memory and experience from this occasion to the long and colourful political history of our building. Eidos is no single person’s idea or operation. Eidos is an exercise in innovative and independent networking - completely collaborative at every level. Since 2004 this collaboration has uniquely grown in formal membership. Unusual, in that university networks often times decrease in membership post initial funding and champagne celebrations. Expected, in that members who co-design and co-create shape the future. Our agreed network rules link previously disparate and freestanding universities, research institutions and industry partners in the promotion of fluidity and growth of knowledge. Eidos is a living, breathing example of the power and reach of purposeful human collaboration. Sunday’s Prime Ministerial address represented our university networks growth and current standing within the Australian political landscape. It also represented a future for the Eidos network which is continually evolving and increasing its reach and influence. The global promise of Eidos continues to solidify. On behalf of the Eidos board and network I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who attended the Prime Ministerial event at such short notice and in particular our distinguished guests from within our university, governmental and industry networks. To all of our supporters and to those who continue to engage with Eidos and its vision: thank you for your continued support and engagement. Our goal of contributing positively to a healthy Australian democracy is only made possible through your involvement. Professor Bruce Muirhead
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CEO Update - June 2010 Eidos is continually striving to test new waters in terms of a commitment to decentralisation and innovative networking - we call it collaborative architecture. Currently circulating our office is Brafman and Beckstrom's The Starfish and the Spider, which we feel accurately sums up the Eidos ethos in its analysis of the unstoppable power of leaderless organisations. As Starfish and the Spider posits, decentralisation and innovative networking has well and truly unleashed its powerful force upon both the public and private sector, "knocking down traditional business, altering entire industries, affecting how we relate to each other and influencing world politics". With this in mind, Eidos has been engaging in a range of discussions this month seeking to collaborate with industry partners in ways which will push Eidos into new and uncharted territory. New Eidos recruit Sam Dean has joined our team to work in a communications capacity and will be additionally taking on our Industry Relations portfolio. Sam and I will be further collaborating on co-authoring a foreword to Sustaining Synergies, an edited book complied at the University of Southern Queensland and featuring a range of essays on the subject of collaborative and innovative research. Eidos headquarters is currently a hive of activity in preparation for the incumbent delegation of Vice-Chancellors from South Africa visiting Australia for a tour of the Eidos network universities in preparation for the development of an international research network modeled upon the Eidos Institute's collaborative structure. It is with great anticipation and excitement that we prepare to host these distinguished guests. Australia and South Africa share strong links in the area of tertiary education - a common commitment to academic excellence, the production of world-class research and a dedication to higher order thinking and learning characterises the institutional processes of both countries. Following on from last months extremely successful Multiculturalism seminar, our 'Forums' series continues to gain momentum. This month sees Eidos host gender order expert Dr Jane Hasler, QLD Minister for Women Hon. Karen Struthers and feminist author, scholar and all-round purveyor of influence Dale Spender for a Gender Order seminar on June 23rd. For more information please visit our facebook page or contact Sam Dean on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 07) 3009 7900 to register and get involved. As always, on behalf of Eidos I would like to thank you for your ongoing commitment and support for our cause. Turning abstract thought into pragmatic reality can often be a daunting process, however through the support of our networks, affiliates and partners in both the public and private sectors we are able to practice our vision for a more educated, informed and included public on a regular basis. At Eidos, we believe in harnessing the current push for innovation in order to present a united and powerful front for change. Welcome to the ride. Professor Bruce Muirhead |
