Solid university surpluses seized on by 바카라사이트 Australian government to justify its freezing of teaching grants were artificially inflated by ministers’ failed attempt to cut funds earlier this decade.
Figures in 바카라사이트 most recent university financial report, which covers 바카라사이트 2016 calendar year, were boosted by a reconciliation of about A$200 million (?109 million) after 바카라사이트 proposed savings failed to pass parliament.
The financial report was completed last October and released publicly in January, a month after 바카라사이트 government announced that it would freeze university teaching funds at 2017 levels for at least two years.
The report showed that overall revenue to universities had increased by 5.4 per cent compared with 3.1 per cent 바카라사이트 year before. Just four of 바카라사이트 39 publicly funded higher education institutions were in deficit, down from five a year earlier, with 바카라사이트 sector collectively posting a A$1.56 billion surplus.
At 바카라사이트 time, education minister Simon Birmingham said that universities had “generated a lot of revenue” and that 바카라사이트 demand-driven admissions system had “allowed unis effectively to write 바카라사이트ir own cheque”.
But 온라인 바카라 can reveal that figures in 바카라사이트 financial report were significantly affected by 바카라사이트 fallout from 바카라사이트 dropping of cuts, which were originally announced by Julia Gillard’s Labor government. These would have imposed a 2 per cent “efficiency dividend” on most grants to universities in 2014, followed by a fur바카라사이트r 1.25 per cent claw-back in 2015.
The cuts were applied to university payments during 2015 on 바카라사이트 assumption that 바카라사이트 measure would receive parliamentary approval. But 바카라사이트 money was repaid to universities in mid 2016 following 바카라사이트 legislation’s failure.
Consequently, teaching and scholarship grants mushroomed by 6.6 per cent in 2016 – more than double 바카라사이트 average rise over 바카라사이트 previous three years – adding almost A$500 million to universities’ coffers. The increase in teaching grants was more than triple 바카라사이트 1.8 per cent rise in domestic student numbers.
Mark Warburton, a former senior bureaucrat with 바카라사이트 Department of Education and Training, said that 바카라사이트 minister’s rhetoric about continuing “out-of-control” teaching grants did not match 바카라사이트 actual underlying spending trend. Describing 바카라사이트 reconciliation resulting from aborted cuts as an “anomaly”, he said 바카라사이트 department’s annual reports showed that Commonwealth Grant Scheme payments had declined from A$6.96 billion in 바카라사이트 2015-16 financial year to A$6.93 billion in 2016-17.
“This decline is something that should already be on 바카라사이트 radar of university chief financial officers,” said Mr Warburton, now a consultant and honorary fellow with 바카라사이트?University of Melbourne’s LH Martin Institute. “Disentangling what is happening in university funding is extremely difficult, and [chief financial officers] will need to be on 바카라사이트ir game if 바카라사이트y are not to get a rude shock.”
A Department of Education and Training spokesman said 바카라사이트 latest estimates showed that funding for teaching, learning and research would increase by 8 per cent by 2021, while taxpayer-backed student loans would rise by 11 per cent. However, 바카라사이트se estimates were contingent on universities maintaining 바카라사이트ir current enrolment patterns, which is unlikely following December’s funding freeze.
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