What do Macquarie University and the Whitehead Institute of Medical Research Have in Common? (January 18, 2005)

Steven Schwartz

David Page

    A couple of weeks ago we reported on the viewpoint David Page, the new head of the Whitehead, takes toward marshalling the research staff.

Now the vice-chancellor elect of Macquarie University, Steven Schwartz, has sent an email round the camp prior to taking over from the long serving

 Di Yerbury in which he told the troops that although it has become fashionable, even customary, to compare universities with corporations, that was wrong,  "A better analogy would be a football team. If the team recruits the best players, gives them ample opportunity to develop their skills and then rewards them for performance, the team excels (even if the management is pretty average)."

And David Page? Well, he told Science "We [at the Whiehead] live by the credo of academic freedom. We hire people, invest in their careers, and let the faculty chart their own paths. We identify the most creative people and let 'em loose."

And then of course there are the far sighted views of the Minister for Education, Science and Training, Dr Nelson and many of his cabinet colleagues on what to do with if not for academics and researchers.

Good luck, Professor Schwartz, but if it's a two horse race, let's hope you can get out of the stall.