From the global to the local : the impact of Australia's research evaluation exercise on a university's control system

This paper investigates the impact of the Australian Government’s research assessment exercise on the control system of a university. The case study draws on data from publicly available documents, interviews with senior management and a survey administered to academics. The findings reveal that an assessment of research was anticipated by the university, which appointed new leadership, developed a new vision, undertook university-wide restructuring, and introduced a research-focused performance management system. The extent of the changes within the university points to challenges in the future as these demands expand to other dimensions of the Australian higher education sector.