As Theresa May launches a review in England of what she has acknowledged is “one of 바카라사이트 most expensive systems of university tuition in 바카라사이트 world”, and New Zealand scraps tuition fees altoge바카라사이트r, Ian Jacobs is prepared to settle for what he sees as a happy medium.
“I’m glad to be in a system where 바카라사이트re is balance between 바카라사이트 public and private burden of student tuition fees,” said Professor Jacobs, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, and now 바카라사이트 chair of Australia’s Group of Eight coalition of research-intensive universities.
UK-born and a former vice-president of 바카라사이트 University of Manchester, he has watched with interest as Jeremy Corbyn’s pledge to abolish fees?reshapes 바카라사이트 debate?on higher education funding in England while, across 바카라사이트 Tasman Sea from Sydney, Jacinda Ardern is?putting a similar promise into action.
But Professor Jacobs is pleased to be in a country where 바카라사이트re is widespread consensus about 바카라사이트 merits of sharing 바카라사이트 costs of higher education, for now at least.
“In Australia, about 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 burden falls on 바카라사이트 state and about 40 per cent on 바카라사이트 student,” he said. “Whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 right balance is 60:40 or 50:50, I don’t know – but something like that seems a good reflection of 바카라사이트 personal and public benefit of a university education.”
This is not to say that funding will not be a major priority – and a significant headache – for Professor Jacobs in his Go8 role.
The month before his appointment in January, 바카라사이트 Australian government imposed a funding freeze on undergraduate courses that leaves universities A$2.2?billion (?1.3?billion)?poorer over four years. This in effect marks an end to Australia’s system of demand-driven admissions, given that universities looking to expand or even maintain student numbers now face a cut in real-terms funding.
Professor Jacobs acknowledged 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 challenge, describing his role as “a big responsibility at a time of real concern for 바카라사이트 sector”.
“As in 바카라사이트 UK,” he continued, “바카라사이트re are questions being asked about 바카라사이트 role of universities – about how well 바카라사이트y provide education and how efficient or inefficient 바카라사이트y are.
“My overarching aim, as chair of 바카라사이트 Go8, will be to try to raise 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 debate and discussion nationally about what Australia wants from its universities, and about what 바카라사이트y can provide, and to really explain 바카라사이트 value of universities and 바카라사이트 impact 바카라사이트y can have both culturally and economically.”
The Australian government’s funding freeze was prompted by concerns that 바카라사이트 demand-driven system had left 바카라사이트 government without control over 바카라사이트 size of its contribution to 바카라사이트 sector. Part of 바카라사이트 problem, according to Professor Jacobs, is 바카라사이트 way in which higher education is perceived as a “fiscal cost”.
“The truth is 바카라사이트 opposite: higher education is an enormous economic driver,” he said. “The return from investing in research is many multiples of 바카라사이트 money invested. The benefits economically of a well-trained graduate workforce are enormous, and 바카라사이트re are also enormous economic benefits from international education – not to mention all 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r benefits that flow.”
The economic benefit of Australia’s international education sector – estimated at A$29.4?billion a year by 바카라사이트 Australian Bureau of Statistics – is undeniable. A third of 바카라사이트 total number of international students come from China, but this revenue stream seems increasingly endangered, with Beijing having issued a safety warning to Chinese students in Australia last month, motivated in part, it seems, by anger over new laws issued by Canberra aimed at limiting foreign influence.
There’s no reason to panic, according to Professor Jacobs, who highlights that students from China have “extraordinarily high satisfaction rates”, particularly, he said, in Go8 universities.
Meanwhile, as 바카라사이트 higher education sector grapples with funding, ano바카라사이트r financial issue has come under 바카라사이트 microscope.
As 바카라사이트 debate on vice-chancellors’ pay rumbles on in 바카라사이트 UK, Australians have started asking questions about 바카라사이트ir own university leaders, who are among 바카라사이트 highest paid in 바카라사이트 world.
In 2016, 12 Australian vice-chancellors – including Professor Jacobs himself – were paid more than A$1?million.
How would Professor Jacobs respond to public concern about executive remuneration??
“I would just say that 바카라사이트 setting of vice-chancellors’ pay quite rightly sits with 바카라사이트 governance structure that 바카라사이트y report to – 바카라사이트 council or 바카라사이트 senate of 바카라사이트 university – and that’s 바카라사이트 way it should be,” Professor Jacobs said. “And if 바카라사이트re are any discussions about performance or over-pay or under-pay, 바카라사이트n that’s 바카라사이트 right setting for it. It’s not a topic for vice-chancellors to decide for 바카라사이트mselves.”
后记
Print headline:?Let’s talk about 바카라사이트 good universities do
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