Science under siege : necessity driving the teaching-research nexus

In recent decades there has been a major shift in Australian government policies associated with universities. These reforms have been focused largely on reducing the economic dependence of universities on government. In parallel with these reforms, there has been increasing pressure on universities to lift their performance in both teaching and research and there has been much talk of the research-teaching nexus. In this chapter we provide a case study as an example of how the authors have moved to integrate teaching and research in the face of fiscal adversity. We conclude that the outcomes were positive to all involved and provided an enhanced student learning and experience, while supporting the integration of teaching and learning for the academics involved. This integration of the twin activities of teaching and research provided academic staff with opportunities to develop their research initiatives beyond what would have otherwise been possible within the same timeframe if their research and teaching had not been entwined. However, we reflect that if science were not under siege there may not have been the incentive to change the status quo and drive the research-teaching nexus.