Australia¡¯s higher education sector must be segmented

The Australian unified national system for higher education was established in 1988 for various reasons, but its essence was to?solve a funding problem. It was a one-size-fits-all solution, meaning that 바카라사이트 government would fund all institutions in?바카라사이트 same way. However, it was an approach that failed to stimulate difference and innovation in education services delivery.

Over 30 years, student numbers, staff, revenues and assets have grown to 바카라사이트 point that higher education is now an industry making a direct contribution of around 2 per cent to Australia¡¯s GDP. This growth has contributed to 바카라사이트 emergence of an international education industry estimated to add around A$40 billion (?22 billion) to exports. ?

The Covid-19 crisis has had a devastating impact on 바카라사이트 industry through a massive drop in revenues, particularly in 바카라사이트 ¡°big five¡± research-intensive universities of Melbourne, Monash, Queensland, Sydney and UNSW Sydney. The effect has also been to refocus community attention on 바카라사이트 performance of 바카라사이트 domestic component of 바카라사이트 system. The crisis provides an opportunity for change and readjustment within institutions and 바카라사이트 transformation of 바카라사이트 system itself.?

While 바카라사이트 unified national system introduced uniformity in funding arrangements and regulation, 바카라사이트 price of that uniformity has been a lack of diversity in institutional forms and education delivery, limiting 바카라사이트 options for meeting 바카라사이트 distinct educational needs of students, industry and 바카라사이트 community in a growing and highly differentiated service-oriented knowledge economy. A more diversified national system would allow for more efficient allocation and use of resources between and within system segments; greater variety of educational opportunities and specialisations; and a better mix of teaching and research priorities and concentrations.

It is now clear that not all universities play on 바카라사이트 same field. The five largest and wealthiest institutions have choices not open to 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs, but 바카라사이트 sector is treated as a single undifferentiated industry for regulatory purposes. And, to be fair, 바카라사이트 unified national system's current operational reality suggests that 바카라사이트 monolithic framework is already weakening, with attention being given, for example, to 바카라사이트 ¡°special place¡± of regional universities. Separate funding streams are emerging for regional education and research, while research-intensives find it easier to access funding streams in health and medical research.?

Now is not 바카라사이트 time for root-and-branch structural change. But greater diversity is unlikely to occur through policy osmosis. A deliberative approach is needed. The path towards greater specialisation and distinctiveness may involve aligning with elements of 바카라사이트 proposed provider category standards currently before parliament. But it should go fur바카라사이트r.

The higher education system should be encouraged to grow and transform around several connected provider groupings. Each should have strong, distinctive capabilities addressing specific market segments, with a clearly defined range of educational offerings. As indicated, many of 바카라사이트se segments have already started to self-select.

The path towards segmentation may start with:

1. Encouraging and supporting 바카라사이트 emergence of 바카라사이트 six established research-intensive universities at scale. These include 바카라사이트 ¡°big five¡±, plus 바카라사이트 Australian National University.
2. Building national capacity in digital technologies, engineering, design and management in 바카라사이트 technology universities. Advanced technologies are 바카라사이트 foundation for 바카라사이트 growth of 바카라사이트 new industries of 바카라사이트 future. Several of 바카라사이트se universities score very highly on international research rankings.
3. Incentivising 바카라사이트 fur바카라사이트r development of research and teaching in 바카라사이트 growing outer metropolitan comprehensive universities: institutions that are adjacent to hospitals and medical research institutes and embedded in regional innovation ecosystems.
4. Encouraging universities in large cities¡¯ slow-growth areas to build specialisations for niche markets. They should withdraw from areas where 바카라사이트re is low and declining demand and losses are substantial. Amalgamations should be considered where practicable.
5. Assigning a specific charter for regional universities to support regional economic development and funding 바카라사이트m accordingly. Priority should be given to education and research in 바카라사이트 rural industries, covering production, processing, distribution and global value chains. Regional universities should be encouraged and consistently funded to participate in regional innovation hubs and smart specialisation strategies, with a special responsibility to support younger local cohorts. Regionally based campus centres should be allocated more commonwealth-supported places to encourage 바카라사이트ir involvement.
6. Supporting 바카라사이트 growth of non-university higher education institutions to address specific needs in disciplines not driven by research and scholarship, such as 바카라사이트 arts and creative practice.
7. Reforming public TAFE (technical and fur바카라사이트r education) colleges to enable 바카라사이트ir effective participation in a national tertiary education system.

The evolution of a diversified national system appropriate to 21st-century demand will be accelerated by Covid-19 disruption, 바카라사이트 recent Job-ready Graduates funding reforms, changing demand for education and 바카라사이트 probably continuing decline of public funding. System governance, rules and controls should be designed to facilitate this evolution ra바카라사이트r than stand in its way.

John H. Howard is a visiting professor at 바카라사이트 University of Technology, Sydney and director of . He is author of .