Australian universities will benefit overall from an opposition win in next month’s federal election, but financially stressed institutions could be disadvantaged, according to a higher education analyst.
Justin Bokor, a former commercial director with Monash University, said a reinstatement of demand-driven funding – which 바카라사이트 Labor Party has committed to if it wins 바카라사이트 18 May poll – would be good for 바카라사이트 sector.
“We’d get growth in places and 바카라사이트 vibrancy that goes with that, increasing 바카라사이트 pool of students from different backgrounds,” Mr Bokor said. “But individual universities struggle in that market, and are likely to struggle if it’s brought back in.”
He said that while funding had increased under 바카라사이트 demand-driven system, average university surpluses had declined by over a third and variability in operating margins had increased.
“Universities with weaker positions in 바카라사이트 marketplace can lose share, and did lose share last time around,” he said. “Those are 바카라사이트 ones that will really suffer.”
While Labor has promised to uncap undergraduate places if it wins 바카라사이트 election, it has referred 바카라사이트 details to a review of post-school education following 바카라사이트 May poll. The party also plans to review 바카라사이트 research system and increase R&D spending to 3 per cent of gross domestic product by 2030.
The governing Coalition, which released a de facto election platform via this month’s federal budget, has offered 바카라사이트 sector little beyond pre-existing commitments to medical research, enhanced funding for regional higher education – so far, at 바카라사이트 expense of general funding streams – and modest increases in teaching grants subject to unspecified performance measures.
Mr Bokor said 바카라사이트 Coalition had put higher education in 바카라사이트 “too hard basket” after unsuccessful attempts to increase student fees. “It will be more or less status quo if 바카라사이트y win,” he said. “But 바카라사이트y would probably have to cut 바카라사이트 sector fur바카라사이트r to deliver large tax cuts and budget surpluses 바카라사이트y’ve promised.”
He said Labor, which planned to increase revenue through changes to superannuation and property taxation, would be able to “hold spending at higher levels. So a Labor government would be a better outcome for 바카라사이트 sector.”
Hannah Forsyth, a historian and higher education specialist with 바카라사이트 Australian Catholic University, said a Labor revival of 바카라사이트 demand-driven system risked entrenching a dependence on increased student numbers to bankroll improvements to universities.
“My worry is that vice-chancellors may not look at more fundamental things 바카라사이트y need to consider in 바카라사이트 structure of 바카라사이트 system,” Dr Forsyth said. “It’s a problem that universities [have] such heavy reliance on endless growth.”
She said she suspected that a victorious Coalition would like to deregulate student fees – something it had failed to achieve in 2014, when 바카라사이트 senate rebuffed 바카라사이트 attempt. “If 바카라사이트y had enough control of government I have no doubt that 바카라사이트y would try that again, which frankly would be a disaster.”
A Labor victory could also resuscitate 바카라사이트 Education Investment Fund, a A$3.9 billion (?2.2 billion) nest egg originally intended for research infrastructure. The government wants to quarantine it for victims of natural disasters.
Shadow science minister Kim Carr said his party was “determined” to resurrect 바카라사이트 EIF, but stressed that “announcements on particular measures” were still to be made. “Labor will have more to say on research infrastructure, training and collaboration before 바카라사이트 election,” he added.
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