Palimah Panichit
14 November 2016: University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Professor Deep Saini held his first student town hall meeting to learn about students’ ideas, concerns and suggestions about enhancing the student experience on campus.
Professor Saini, who took the reins of the University on 1 September, said he was interested in engaging with students to know first-hand about their university experience. Since his arrival, he commenced a ‘100 Days of Listening’ period to hold conversations with different people to learn more about the institution.
Professor Saini turned his first student town hall meeting last month, into an informal brain-storming session, opening up the floor to students and staff alike to discuss the future of the University of Canberra and hear suggestions about how to improve campus life.
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Vice-Chancellor Professor Deep Saini (centre) with students and staff
The Vice-Chancellor asserted his commitment to quality, his determination in bringing in new developments to the University and how collaboration is essential to the process.
“It is common for a new leader to come into a university and take three or four months to come up with a few top priorities. That’s not going to happen with me... I think differently about UC at this point of its evolution. We need to move forward with a whole common front, and move forward together,” Professor Saini said.
“I always seek the smarts of people around me. That spirit underlies what we’re doing today. I want to pick your brains and find out what is of use to this institution and then synthesise it.”
The Vice-Chancellor, students and staff shared afternoon tea and continued the discussion around a variety of topics including work-integrated learning, silent study areas, library hours, campus culture and the student-run Stone Week.
