President and Vice-Chancellor's Message

May is budget month in Australia and unlike previous years there were few surprises for universities. University course funding continues to be frozen as the Government had announced in its Mid-Year Economic Financial Outlook last December – an estimated $12 billion shortfall. As expected, the HELP debt minimum repayment income comes down, to be set at $45,000 from June 1 with repayment thresholds indexed to the CPI (inflation rate). 

There were highpoints however; we welcome the new initiatives targeting regional education and the proposed investment in research, including $393.3 million to implement the Government’s Research Infrastructure Investment Strategy, $341.5 million for CSIRO and $29.9 million for innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine-learning.

Deakin established its Institute of Applied Artificial Intelligence (A²I²) Centre last year and recently appointed Dr Simon Parker as Director. A²I² will conduct world-leading research into AI systems and develop tools to support the practical application of AI discoveries to benefit industry and society.

ManuFutures, Deakin's advanced manufacturing hub located at the Geelong Future Economy Precinct at our Waurn Ponds Campus, was officially opened by the Minister for Regional Development Jaala Pulford MP and our Chancellor. The Hub builds on 15 years of investment in the development of research expertise and infrastructure, growing high skill and high value jobs for the region.  Already at ManuFutures the job count of current positions is 51 with an additional 16 positions under recruitment.

We held our first Deakin Alumni 40th anniversary breakfast recently at Geelong Waterfront with 250 people enjoying the event. Breakfasts in Waurn Ponds on June 27 and Melbourne 22 August are coming up and I encourage you to attend. They are a great opportunity to catch up on old friends, make new connections and keep up to date with what’s happening in the world.

A reminder too that nominations are now open for Deakin's 2018 Alumni Awards. The awards are our opportunity to celebrate our most outstanding alumni. In addition to the usual categories we have a new award this year – the Celebrating 40 Years of Alumni Award, open to graduates from 1978 or 1979.

I do hope you’ll enjoy this month’s dKin Times.

Best wishes,

Jane den Hollander AO
President and Vice-Chancellor