Charles Sturt University (CSU) has been recognised as a leader in workplace productivity receiving more than $3.1 million in competitive funding from the Federal Government’s Workplace Productivity Programme.

 

In congratulating CSU on the funding last week, the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, says the money will “increase the efficiency of Australia’s universities allowing for a greater focus on improving educational outcomes for their students”.

 

The University gained funding for two projects, both aimed at making CSU more effective in how it responds to changes. Ms Anna Bounds, CSU Director of Organisational Development, says almost $1 million was approved for the Workplace Productivity Renewal & Reform project. She says the money “gives us the finances we need to look systematically at our work processes and our systems to free up our staff to do higher quality work in a more effective manner in an environment of change”.

 

Mr David Bedwell, Director of the Teaching & Business Information Management Centre within the University’s Division of Information Technology describes the project as “simplifying a complex organisation”. “As a multi-campus organisation CSU is an ideal model for this project. It will allow people to see and understand the full map of the organisation and how they fit in working to the organisations goals.

 

“Universities are by their very nature complex organisations and this project is setting a benchmark in how we understand the organisation and how we can improve in the ways we work. The project is generating immediate interest from other universities and we are looking to consult both nationally and internationally on the work we are doing here at CSU,” Mr Bedwell said.

 

The second successful workplace productivity project is headed by CSU’s Director of Human Resource Services Mr Michael Knight, also the Chair of Australian based Committee for Higher Education Systems. As lead university of the 17-University “consortium bid” Electronic Information Management Programme, CSU received $2.1million for this project.

 

“It is a major boost for all of us involved in these collaborative developments,” said Mr Knight. “It will result in a significant enhancement to the efficiencies of our human resources systems. The whole aim of the grant is to fast-track these developments. Working in collaboration with other universities means that we can achieve much more as we can share ideas and develop solutions which enhance the quality of systems and services for the whole sector.”