Working in the tertiary education sector is a challenging place to be even for people who have worked in these places for a long time.  How decisions are made, how networks are formed and how to get things done can be a mystery as you navigate through the collegial and management channels and the plethora of expectations.  What makes universities and tertiary institutions different from other working environments?  This session explores the differences and similarities between our workplaces and others, explores some of the tensions in the tertiary sector including different ways of working by professional and academic colleagues and is aimed at helping you navigate these sometimes complex and contradictory organisations.

Some of the issues that will be covered in the session include: appreciating stakeholders and managing expectations; making sense of management structures; the roles of Councils (or equivalent) and sub committees and the value of collegial forums; what is the thing called consultation and what is expected; University structures and joining all the dots; and how to develop cross disciplinary/cross functional and organisation wide networks to make the most of your work like in the sector.