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Renewing the Sydney undergraduate curriculum
Philippa Pattison1, Adam Bridgeman1, Ainslie Bulmer1
1Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education), University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.
Higher Education
|December 20, 2022
Summary
Universities are updating undergraduate curricula to meet modern demands. A case study from the University of Sydney shows how a new curriculum balances specialized knowledge with essential skills for future success.
Area of Science:
- Higher Education Studies
- Curriculum Design
- Educational Policy
Background:
- Growing calls for re-evaluation of undergraduate education's purpose and value.
- Concerns that universities may lose their 'social license to operate' without adapting.
- Need for educational outcomes aligned with a changing and challenging global landscape.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the rationale for undergraduate curriculum reform.
- To present a case study of curriculum change at the University of Sydney (2014-2021).
- To analyze the impact of a new curriculum on student study patterns.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on the need for curriculum change.
- Case study analysis of a major Australian university's curriculum redesign.
- Examination of reasons for change, desired outcomes, and early student impacts.
Main Results:
- Implementation of a new undergraduate curriculum in 2018.
- Curriculum aims to balance disciplinary expertise with broader capabilities.
- Focus on skills for future learning, collaboration, innovation, and ethical engagement.
Conclusions:
- The University of Sydney's curriculum redesign utilized evidence to guide whole-of-university reform.
- The new curriculum seeks to equip graduates for diverse future challenges.
- Further research is needed to fully assess the long-term impacts and identify areas for improvement.
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