About Bond University

2007 - 2009 Strategic Plan

To develop knowledge within and outside the University

Bond University seeks the active development of knowledge inside its own community and in the wider community which it serves through its educational, professional and vocational programs. It develops knowledge through the encouragement of scholarship, individual and group research, the expansion and nurturing of PhD programs, the application of research within the community, and the inculcation of the desire for knowledge at all levels of education. The university will develop alternative metrics for its own purposes and match these to its own research strategic plan. Bond Univeristy also endeavours to be a university recognised for its research. As a small institution, Bond recognises that it has a greater ability to facilitate cross- faculty and cross-discipline research. The university will continue to foster and support individual research projects where the quality of the work warrants it, but will also foster collaborative and team-based projects. Staff will be provided with increasing support for grants applications and assistance with forging industry links.

To maximise the value of the Bond experience

Bond University prides itself on providing an exceptional experience for students through the provision of excellence in teaching and learning and co-curricular activities which enables students on a small campus to interact more freely.

The ‘Bond Experience’ continues to attract and retain high calibre students, and is the result of numerous factors, including small class sizes which allow students to engage more readily in the learning experience. Bond has a staff to student ratio lower than any other Australian university (1:11.4) and is committed to maintaining this due to the excellent graduate outcomes and student satisfaction.

Bond University has a strong relationship with key secondary schools throughout Australia and specifically in the south-east Queensland region. The University runs several programs that give high school students the opportunity to experience campus life, including Student for a Day, Law Faculty mooting, and Student for a Semester. Bond seeks to enrich relationships and to ensure the strategic advantage of current programs and scholarships.

To develop teaching and learning AND to provide a unique educational ecosystem, in which all parts of the organisation work together to produce graduates of choice

Bond is justifiably proud of the educational ecosystem which provides excellent graduate outcomes and instils a passion for life long learning. Maintaining the lowest staff to student ratio, providing an innovative and personalised educational experience and introducing students to world class networks through the close links the University has with alumni, business and the professions and maintaining outstanding graduate outcomes are strategic priorities for Bond.

Bond University seeks to position itself as the University of choice for further training and development for both business and government.

Bond graduates possess not only discipline specific skills but through Bond’s unique core programs, possess IT, law, management and communication skills.

To achieve the best employment outcomes for our graduates

To produce an education and a service in which students have an opportunity to obtain employment, and receive work force skills training aligned to their individual goals and aspirations, working with industry and the professions.

To be an employer of choice, recruiting, developing and retaining high quality and motivated staff

Bond University recognises the importance of providing a rewarding work environment for both academic and general staff. The performance development review process enables the recognition of exceptional service and allows for appropriate performance management. The university is committed to providing training and development for staff and to enhancing the research environment for academic staff.

To achieve and resource sustained growth

As a private, independent and not-for-profit university, Bond receives little or no government funding for undergraduate student places, postgraduate course work student places or recurrent capital works. Currently,
there is a high reliance on income from tuition fees.
Fee-help is now also available to Bond students and assists them in the payment of tuition fees.

A strategic goal of the University is to diversify income through community engagement, philanthropic commitment, exploration of various investment opportunities and increased research funding.

Bond University seeks to benchmark with Dartmouth College for macro-level indicators, whilst individual disciplinary benchmarks are to be developed separately.

To ensure that Bond University develops a lifelong relationship with alumni

The unique experience provided by Bond University and which is to be maintained through this strategic plan, should form the basis of a warm and durable relationship with its alumni. The university needs the support of its alumni in various ways and at the same time they need the value of their qualifications to be continuously enhanced and developed in market perceptions.

Bond University has over 10,000 alumni living in Australia and around the world and recognises the value of alumni. Bond is committed to keeping the channels of communication open to ensure that the link between alumni and the university is not lost after graduation.

To underpin the Bond experience through innovative technologies, ICT supporting infrastructure and opportunities

The strategic use of ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) is critical to the ability of Bond University to attract high quality students and maximise their experience at Bond, as it underpins the innovative and superior teaching and learning environment Bond aims to create. Effective and efficient use of ICT is also crucial to business processes and connections with students, staff, alumni and the community. A major opportunity lies in Bond University’s potential to make the most of ICT to increase its market share, to enhance its brand and to maximise the Bond experience without the constraints facing most large public sector universities. Bond can achieve this in a much shorter time frame than its larger competitors, owing to its small size and unique structure and organisation.