The triple-helix
The University of Melbourne seeks to be highly regarded in research and research training, learning and teaching, and knowledge transfer.
Together these three activities are envisaged as a metaphoric triple-helix in which they are closely bound, each reinforcing the other. Growing Esteem takes into account current national and international research priorities, aims to assist the University to address the pressures of space, size and coherence in undergraduate education and ensures a much stronger link between public outreach and teaching and research.
The first strand – research and research training – is core to the mission of the University, linking Melbourne to the great centres of scholarship around the world. The research and research training strand allows us both to achieve what we call our research outcomes and output and also to train research higher degree students including PhD or Doctoral research and Masters by research.
The second strand – learning and teaching – refers to our curriculum (or our courses) and to the epxerience of being a student (such as study groups, support services and scholarships). Learning and teaching has been of great importance to the University since its origin in 1854, and with the inception of the Melbourne Model undergraduate and graduate education have continued to be a central focus of thought and investment at the University.
The final strand – knowledge transfer – has long been practised but not always acknowledged at the University. A commitment to projects based on engagement, exchange and partnership with wider constituencies has become a familiar part of University aspirations. Knowledge transfer is about direct, two-way interactions between the University and its external communities, which involve the development, exchange and application of knowledge and expertise for mutual benefit.
The metaphor of the triple helix is extended to the tight binding of the strands with enablers: our people, our repositories of scholarly information, our policies, planning, infrastructure, fundraising, resources, university administration and our communications and marketing.