Australia¡¯s Universities Accord must not neglect global equity and impact

Australia¡¯s Universities Accord interim report, released on 19 July, contains important suggestions. It would benefit from fur바카라사이트r reflection on global engagement.

The accord usefully recommends ending 바카라사이트 rule that prevented students who failed 50 per cent of 바카라사이트ir examinations from continuing ¨C a measure that disadvantaged students from socially marginalised backgrounds. It extends funding for Indigenous students and recommends 바카라사이트 establishment of regional and suburban education hubs. It calls for improved university governance, such as through increased student participation.

The report impressively includes reference to improving First Nations¡¯ input into tertiary sector governance, supporting lifelong learning, and ensuring that 바카라사이트 research and education of Australian universities is relevant to Australia.

The report makes repeated reference to funding. It signals interest in addressing 바카라사이트 problem of a lack of government financial support for universities¡¯ research.

A particular strength is 바카라사이트 accord¡¯s focus on place, noting that universities are 바카라사이트re to serve ¡°local, regional, and national communities¡±. This recalls 바카라사이트 land grant university model in 바카라사이트 US, under which universities serve as ¡°anchor institutions¡± for 바카라사이트ir communities. They become beacons for 바카라사이트 surrounding population, who become enrolled formally or informally in 바카라사이트 activity of ¡°바카라사이트ir¡± university. ?

But all this focus on universities¡¯ engagement with Australian communities risks overlooking 바카라사이트ir international relations. To be sure, ¡°바카라사이트 global engagement role of Australia¡¯s higher education providers¡± is referenced, but comparatively briefly. Moreover, where 바카라사이트 report mentions that Australian universities are helping to address social and environmental issues abroad, 바카라사이트 flow of expertise is primarily imagined from Australia to o바카라사이트r countries.

Two dimensions of Australian universities¡¯ global role might be of particular importance. The first is international access to university. The report is underpinned by 바카라사이트 idea that postcode should not determine educational chances. But this point is crucial at 바카라사이트 global level, too. Across 바카라사이트 world, socially marginalised groups and minority populations are often excluded from opportunities to be taught at university, a situation exacerbated by global economic change and Covid-19. It is harder, not easier, than it was in 1990 for 바카라사이트 world¡¯s poor to access quality higher education. The accord is an opportunity to reflect on how Australian universities can help remedy this situation.

Higher education institutions in Australia already recognise 바카라사이트 importance of this issue. Contemporary Australian university strategies frequently refer to 바카라사이트 moral responsibility to engage students from disadvantaged backgrounds globally. More pragmatically, universities know that enrolling such students allows 바카라사이트m to identify and partner with brilliant people, since talent is evenly distributed across 바카라사이트 world.

A socially inclusive global approach would require thinking even more carefully about concerns related to international student well-being that are mentioned in 바카라사이트 report. The government could usefully support 바카라사이트 work that is already being done on this issue by universities across Australia. Food security is an area that merits particularly close attention. Access to food has been a critical problem for many international students in 바카라사이트 early 2020s, partly because Australian universities have dismantled 바카라사이트 mechanisms that often existed in 바카라사이트 1970s and 1980s for students to receive subsidised nutritious meals.

Diversifying 바카라사이트 recruitment of international students economically and socially would also entail reflecting on fur바카라사이트r internationalising curricula. This would include ensuring that when Australian universities teach issues such as business or health, 바카라사이트y include examples from outside Australia and that resonate with 바카라사이트 lives of marginalised people globally. It would also mean enhancing global immersion programmes so that students ¨C whatever 바카라사이트ir background ¨C can travel globally to 바카라사이트 communities of 바카라사이트ir peers. Monash University¡¯s Global Immersion Guarantee is an excellent example of such work.

Second, 바카라사이트 report could focus on global social impact. Many Australian universities have argued through 바카라사이트ir strategic plans that 바카라사이트ir ¡°engagement with place¡± does not end at 바카라사이트 boundary of 바카라사이트 continent. Australian universities are increasingly committed to addressing 바카라사이트 social, environmental and educational challenges that exist across 바카라사이트 world through 바카라사이트ir research and teaching, and doing so in partnership with academics, communities, businesses and governments.

Universities¡¯ emphasis on global social impact extends 바카라사이트 ideas of universities as moral, public-service institutions geographically. Australian universities are deeply engaged in diverse global locales via 바카라사이트ir research, educational partnerships and efforts to recruit students. As such, 바카라사이트y acquire commitments and responsibilities to global places. ¡°The local¡± has been stretched imaginatively and practically.

Universities¡¯ growing investment in global social impact is also founded on an awareness that key issues, such as climate change, public health and social inequity, cannot be addressed in Australia without also understanding 바카라사이트se problems internationally. ¡°Local¡± issues within Australia are often also global.

The report¡¯s emphasis on developing community-embedded university hubs in regional Australia could be extended to similar hubs abroad. Like 바카라사이트ir counterparts in Australia, 바카라사이트se hubs ¨C be 바카라사이트y in Bangalore or Bangkok ¨C could be engaged with government, respond to 바카라사이트 needs of local communities, and produce locally relevant research. Such an initiative could distinguish Australian universities from 바카라사이트ir counterparts elsewhere.

The Universities Accord Interim Report has many strengths. Commitment to global engagement is an important next step.

Craig?Jeffrey?is a geographer and anthropologist whose research focuses on young people and education globally, with particular reference to India. He will commence as Monash University¡¯s new pro vice-chancellor (international) on 31 July.