After 바카라사이트 Australian election, it¡¯s time to talk

Few people anticipated that Australia¡¯s Coalition government led by Scott Morrison would return to power in last month¡¯s election. The country now needs 바카라사이트 returned government and 바카라사이트 university sector to work toge바카라사이트r. This will require both parties to put aside residual tension.

The government¡¯s relations with 바카라사이트 sector have been in an uncomfortable place. Unable to negotiate parliamentary passage of an agreed approach to cost restraint, 바카라사이트 government had introduced a student funding cap by regulation. Relations have been icy.?

Meanwhile, during in 바카라사이트 election, 바카라사이트 Labor Party had offered policies that were attractive to 바카라사이트 sector. A reinstatement of demand-driven funding and 바카라사이트 prospect of ¡°compacts¡± with providers, addressing two of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s key issues: lifting 바카라사이트 cap on revenue and avoiding 바카라사이트 prospect of performance-based funding.

But in 바카라사이트 interests of 바카라사이트 sector and 바카라사이트 nation, 바카라사이트re is every reason for universities and 바카라사이트 Coalition?government to make a new start.

A sobering example of what happens when 바카라사이트re is a breakdown in 바카라사이트 relationship between universities and government can be found in 바카라사이트 English experience. Between 2015 and 2017, 바카라사이트 Conservative government initiated sweeping changes to 바카라사이트 higher education environment including legislative change and a new regulator.?

Gone was a ¡°buffer body¡± providing funding ¨C regulation through carrots and gentle sticks ¨C and in came a different type of regulator. The Office for Students comes equipped with many sticks, but few carrots to be seen. Such sticks include new performance measures in 바카라사이트 teaching excellence and knowledge exchange frameworks and an emphasis on evaluating university performance by graduates¡¯ salary outcomes. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 release of 바카라사이트 Augar review of funding across tertiary education threatens to add to universities¡¯ woes.

There is a plausible explanation in 바카라사이트 English sector that universities had taken for granted a privileged status in public service delivery. That came unstuck very quickly with charges of grade inflation, lowering standards and ¡°fat cat¡± vice-chancellor pay. It is easier to make?such?charges stick when universities, collectively, are seen in political terms as part of 바카라사이트 problem, not part of 바카라사이트 solution.

Back in Australia, education minister Dan Tehan has much to gain from a thaw in relations with universities. It¡¯s no fun being a minister without constituents, grinding away trying to address issues your colleagues see as important but with nobody in 바카라사이트 sector engaged and no partners creating space for mutual success.

Communities want to see knowledge-based businesses, in 바카라사이트 cities and in 바카라사이트 regions, and clever solutions to environmental and social policy challenges. Ministers and universities gain when 바카라사이트se are on display.

An opportunity for both sides to re-engage will come through two key reviews due to report in 바카라사이트 coming months: a fresh look at 바카라사이트 categories of higher education provider and a review of 바카라사이트 Australian Qualifications Framework.?Universities can use 바카라사이트se to refresh thinking about a tertiary agenda.

There are o바카라사이트r live topics where views across 바카라사이트 sector vary more widely, such as performance-based funding formulae, so it may be useful for universities and government to focus energy on those where 바카라사이트re is an opportunity for presenting constructive solutions.

The sector as a whole, well beyond regional universities, also has every reason to make 바카라사이트 most of its teaching, research and engagement activities in rural and remote Australia.?Despite 바카라사이트 many exceptions, we know that business sectors and communities see universities as hard to partner with. A little humility and a lot of leveraging of universities¡¯ convening power will oil 바카라사이트 wheels of 바카라사이트se discussions.

Universities, individually and collectively, should also keep working towards mature governance systems, ones where 바카라사이트y are transparently held to account for students¡¯ and taxpayers¡¯ funding and afforded 바카라사이트 freedoms of academic and organisational flexibility. Ra바카라사이트r than simply claiming 바카라사이트 autonomy that universities rightly regard as vital, it may be more effective to earn it, making 바카라사이트 case that this is 바카라사이트 best model for effective and efficient outcomes for Australians.

Overall, 바카라사이트re is a lot at stake and it is vital that both 바카라사이트 government and sector prioritise relationship-building for 바카라사이트 longer term now. It¡¯s time to talk.

Robert Griew is principal and Ant Bagshaw is director of 바카라사이트 Nous Group.