Teaching and learning centres: towards maturation

Abstract

Approximately 70% of Australian Teaching and Learning Centres have been restructured and/or have undergone leadership changes in the last three years. The volatility of this environment reflects the number of significant challenges faced by Teaching and Learning Centres. In determining what makes Centres successful, the issues that are likely to impact on their ability to succeed were examined. It emerged that a myriad of factors influence whether or not a Centre was recognised as being an integral and valued part of the university's teaching and learning community – a hallmark of having reached maturity. This paper identifies four factors as being critical to the ability of Centres to succeed, noting that a combination of other factors, appropriate to each unique context, must also be in place in order for Centres to maximise their value.

Keywords:

• interview
• maturation
• strategic leadership
• teaching and learning centres

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank their own University (Deakin) and the partner institutions (Macquarie University, Monash University, RMIT University, University of New England, University of Newcastle) for their generous contribution to this project as well as all those staff from the 31 Australian universities who completed the survey. Support for this publication has been provided by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council Ltd, an initiative of the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council Ltd.