Charles Sturt University (CSU) has developed a number of innovative resources that place it at the forefront of higher education sector workplace renewal and reform.

 

These resources, launched at the recent Enterprise Architecture in Higher Education Symposium in Melbourne in November 2008, are now publicly available and are intended as a reference for institutions implementing similar reforms.

 

CSU Project Manager and Director, Service Alignment, Mr David Bedwell, said, “universities are complex organisations and this project has set the benchmark for how we understand the organisation and how we can improve the ways we work. It has allowed us to make significant change at CSU and also make a difference to the sector.

 

“The project has generated interest from other universities across the globe, and we are already using these resources to collaborate for better outcomes for our organisations and our students.”

 

In 2005, CSU identified work process improvement as a strategic imperative and embarked on an ambitious project to review its work processes. In 2006, a grant from the Commonwealth Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) (formerly DEST) allowed the project to be extended and it became the ’CSU Workplace Productivity Program – A Structured Approach to Workplace Productivity Renewal and Reform’.

 

The aim of the program was to review the current state of processes at a high level, identify opportunities for reform or renewal, and develop frameworks and strategies to support the realisation of change programs. Applying general principles of Enterprise Architecture, Business Process Management and Change Management, the program undertook a series of projects which were completed in November 2008.

 

“We’ve specifically highlighted the templates, frameworks, tips and tools on an extensive website that will be of potential benefit to the sector,” Mr Bedwell said.