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Universities as knowledge-intensive University of Western Australia, Australia
Knowledge communities reflect a number of characteristics, particularly in relation to their capacity to exchange ideas, encourage learning and reflection, and work in innovative ways. Universities present an image of still operating as knowledge intensive communities: centers of learning and research where knowledge is cultivated and promoted by the many academics who work within their walls. Academics cling to this notion, and structure their work activities around the desire to generate and share knowledge. But research suggests that this is increasingly hard to achieve. Universities are increasingly experiencing difficulties in managing workloads, conducting research, working collaboratively and sharing good practice. The Australian Federal Government's Research Assessment Exercise and the Teaching and Learning Performance Fund are likely to place further restrictions on knowledge exchange across Universities, and, possibly, good reflective practice within individual institutions. This session will explore some of the challenges which are emerging for Australian higher education institutions if they wish to retain their knowledge-intensive character. The paper will suggest that Australian universities are at risk of losing their knowledge community edge. Using insights gained from individual interviews with over sixty academic heads and researchers, some major issues will be explored. In brief, these relate to:
• The impact of workload and work conditions on knowledge work,
• The likely effect of Federal government strategies on university structures, competition and collaboration, and,
• The role of academic leaders in cultivating knowledge communities.
• Suggestions for University practice and academic development will be proffered.
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