University of Sydney VC addresses NSSN Board on the value of networks
The Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Sydney, Professor Mark Scott, has addressed the NSW Smart Sensing Network Board on remits of Innovation Networks in March 2022. The NSSN Board will welcome a speech from the Vice-Chancellor and President of UNSW Sydney, Professor Attila Brungs, in its next meeting in July 2022.
TRANSCRIPT
14 March 2022
Professor Mark Scott AO, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, the University of Sydney: Good morning. I'm sorry I can't be with you in person today. But it's wonderful to be able to record this message and share some of my initial reflections since taking up the role of Vice-Chancellor. Before I begin, I like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land I'm speaking to you from. I'm here at the University's Camperdown campus which is on the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. They have been discovering and sharing knowledge in these places for 10s of 1000s of years, and I pay my respect to elders, past and present.
I began my role as Vice-Chancellor in July last year, just as Sydney entered its second prolonged lockdown. Despite their radically disruptive circumstances, the COVID situation provided us with a unique opportunity to make a strong and compelling case for the role of university research and expertise in our community. Universities were at the forefront of the world's response to the pandemic.
Here at Sydney, our experts in infectious diseases, clinical care, mental health, and many other areas work to address the public health crisis. But our experts didn't conjure their brilliance out of the COVID crisis. Their contribution represents years of discipline studied research, their pursuit and dissemination of knowledge and their capacity to build on others’ insights and translate their understanding in the face of this new challenge.
The COVID situation has also been an extraordinary case study of the impact that multidisciplinary teams have when working together to tackle great challenges. COVID demanded multidisciplinary engagement and cooperation. The strength and impact of our pandemic response came through the plurality of these experts working side by side. And COVID is just one example. We know that most of the challenges we face in the future from climate change to mental health will require a multidisciplinary approach.
Our response to COVID also shows how important partnerships and collaboration will be to the future. The solutions to our biggest problems will not be found within one university or one government discipline, or one organisation.
There is power in our partnerships. Together, we can make new connections with our communities, foster successful relationships with industry, attract support from our governments, and create environments to do our best work together. We all want our research to have an impact to make a difference in the lives of individuals and across the community. Working together puts us in the best position to do that.
Since starting at the university, I've been thrilled to learn about the work of the NSW Smart Sensing Network. And I've been impressed by its ambitious program of research, innovation, and industry collaboration. It's clear to me that it's a great example of what can be done by bringing people together with expertise in academia, industry and government.
I'm deeply committed to seeing our collaborations continue and deepen in the years ahead. By working together, we'll be able to harness the breadth and depth of our multidisciplinary excellence to solve the most important problems facing society. I look forward to continuing this important work with you over the years to come. Thank you.
The NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN), a consortium of leading universities across NSW and the ACT, is a not-for-profit innovation network funded by the NSW Government through the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer.
The NSSN brings together universities, industry and government to translate world-class research into innovative smart sensing solutions that create value for the economy, environment and society of NSW and beyond.
Partner with us here.