Trans/forming Cultures Structure
Our strategic vision is to develop and report narratives of change and intervention in a globalising world. Trans/forming Cultures is therefore structured to reflect its key interests through generating research programs, publications, and public debate. Those programs are determined through engagement with partners and representatives from the constituencies in which we operate. This requires us to work flexibly in an interdisciplinary environment. We are therefore committed to a management structure that combines responsibility with consultation, but which is also audited both intellectually and financially by our peers and the University research structures.
The Research Centre for Communication and Culture: Trans/forming Cultures receives funds from the University and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. It also generates equivalent funds from external grant income and consultancy payments. These funds are allocated to large scale projects which are overseen by senior researchers in Centre, often in collaboration with associates in the University and further afield. They are also used to generate and sustain debate through conference and seminar programs, international fellowships, postgraduate mentoring events and publications.
The Centre is managed by a full-time Director and a part-time Administrative Manager. The Director is responsible to the Dean of Faculty in Humanities and Social Sciences and to the UTS Research Office. An Annual Report on the previous year's financial transactions, publications, events and other outputs is presented in April. A copy of the 2002 - 2005 Annual Report can be downloaded at Annual report (440Kb pdf).
The academic and intellectual direction of the Centre is determined through the Director in consultation with the TfC Senior Research Group, and having taken advice from the External Advisory Board, from professional and community representatives, and in consultation with the Dean of Faculty and the UTS:HSS Research Office. This advice is constantly upgraded through tri-annual formal consultative meetings and frequent informal meetings amongst senior researchers. Further advice is solicited from the External Advisory Board, whose expertise ranges across academic, community and the public service sectors.
The budgetary management of the Centre is devolved between the Faculty and the Director's office. Expenditure of grant income is monitored by the Administrative Manager, but final reports are dependent upon the financial systems managed by the Research Manager of Faculty. Internal budgets are presented to the TfC Management Committee on a quarterly basis.
The Management Committee currently consists of three members of the Senior Research group, the Head of Research in HSS, the Director, and an External Advisory Group representative. It is chaired by a former Director (Prof. Jacka). The Centre has a core group of Senior Researchers who have been fundamental to its development over the past several years. The Centre is now also committed to mentoring new associate researchers recruited from within UTS, as well as consolidating relationships with external partners in industry, community groups and in the public service. The membership of the EAG and the Management Committee will be revised to comply with current University strategy and auditing requirements during 2005.
