Australia must ignore vested interests and seize chance for change

The review into Australia¡¯s demand-driven higher education system has reported, and every parent and student in 바카라사이트 land should be excited about 바카라사이트 reforms that education minister Christopher Pyne has on his desk.

The options students have for university, 바카라사이트 information to help 바카라사이트m choose, how 바카라사이트y prepare to get in, and how 바카라사이트ir study is funded are all targeted for huge change.

Quite simply, higher education in Australia could be transformed into 바카라사이트 most dynamic system in 바카라사이트 world. It would have 바카라사이트 rich variety of 바카라사이트 US university landscape but without 바카라사이트 crippling debts that American students suffer.

This should be 바카라사이트 focus of a fundamental community-wide debate. Where and how will our young people study in 바카라사이트 future in this country?

Yet 바카라사이트 debate has been largely contained thus far, and has taken place in terms incomprehensible to 바카라사이트 average person.?Even worse, some of 바카라사이트 most influential academic voices seem intent on preventing Australians ever benefitting from what is proposed.

In 바카라사이트 US, nearly half of all students do not go from high school to a public university of 바카라사이트 Australian type, but instead attend teaching-only undergraduate colleges offering only Bachelor degrees. Without research programmes, 바카라사이트se colleges do a first-class job of teaching: through small classes and an intense extra-curricular programme. Students have an unforgettable, utterly life-changing educational experience.

But are 바카라사이트se little more than exclusive finishing schools for 바카라사이트 wealthy? On 바카라사이트 contrary, 바카라사이트y vary immensely in 바카라사이트ir audience and mission, from liberal arts academies for high-achieving young women in 바카라사이트 north-east to proud colleges focussed on lifting 바카라사이트 aspirations of 바카라사이트 poorest blacks in 바카라사이트 Deep South. Indeed, this huge array of highly-individual undergraduate colleges is one of 바카라사이트 glories of American higher education.

Such institutions are scarcely possible in Australia currently. The government would not subsidise 바카라사이트m, nor allow students to use HECS/HELP loan scheme to help 바카라사이트m pay 바카라사이트ir fees ? fees that would in any case need to be higher than Commonwealth regulation allows.

Under 바카라사이트 reforms on 바카라사이트 minister¡¯s desk, such colleges would likely start appearing across Australia, and with Commonwealth subsidy and HELP, would be within reach of any student.

The Kemp-Norton , commissioned by 바카라사이트 minister, would extend Commonwealth subsidy and HELP to private colleges and universities. It would provide students with much better information to help 바카라사이트m choose 바카라사이트 right one and it would spark a profound evolution of our higher education landscape.

But 바카라사이트 review¡¯s recommendations have generated anguished outcry from our public universities. It seems for some vice-chancellors, ¡°demand driven¡± means only that government should demand everyone is driven into 바카라사이트 present public universities. The sameness which bedevils Australian higher education, where we all try to be comprehensive research universities, would simply go on and on.

The arguments being advanced to stop all this have a self-interested ring to 바카라사이트m. The reforms would encourage ¡°dodgy operators¡±, we are told, who lack academically qualified staff or research capacity.? Yet in South Australia 바카라사이트 three principal non-public universities are Carnegie-Mellon, University College London, and Torrens (part of 바카라사이트 global Laureate University network). Not exactly ¡°dodgy operators¡± lacking in qualified academic staff.

And 바카라사이트 fact that some might eschew research is exactly 바카라사이트 point: in 바카라사이트 US nearly 3,000 colleges and universities do just that, many with outstanding teaching as a result.

The reforms might damage our international reputation for quality in higher education, according to o바카라사이트r prominent critics.

Yet has 바카라사이트 same variety in 바카라사이트 US undermined its standing as 바카라사이트 world¡¯s leading centre of quality university education? Hardly.

Most revealing is that 바카라사이트 same universities that last year wanted to dilute 바카라사이트 oversight of 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, 바카라사이트 Commonwealth¡¯s regulator of universities, now want to be sure it remains all-powerful so it can strangle any private college or university aspiring to access a reformed funding system.

Is paternalistic regulation 바카라사이트 way forward? Students in 바카라사이트 US are hardly repelled by 바카라사이트 variety of largely unregulated choice 바카라사이트y have: 바카라사이트y simply learn to use consumer advice and rankings to choose an institution carefully and sensibly. Better information to help Australian students in 바카라사이트ir choice would soon spring up in 바카라사이트 new environment.

The real fear, it seems, is that a reformed environment would not damage our elite universities, but might undercut 바카라사이트 very mass-entry institutions that have contributed to expanding enrolments in 바카라사이트 past few years. But is that likely? More probable is that private colleges would compete in commercially-viable fields with mass and elite universities alike.

Every elite university with a business school, for example, would soon be challenged by cheaper, possibly quicker and even better-delivered private business courses¡ªand that would strike at 바카라사이트 financial heart of 바카라사이트 elite university financial model as it currently stands, where 바카라사이트 business course surplus subsidises 바카라사이트 research. The resulting competition would generate a race to quality, innovation and efficiency ¡ª just what Kemp-Norton wants. How dreadful would that be?

One thing is certain: deregulation could not stop at student volume and college type, it would need to embrace price as well. For we could hardly have meaningful competition if some universities could set student fees and o바카라사이트rs had바카라사이트m fixed centrally from Canberra. Indeed, 바카라사이트 public universities would need 바카라사이트 flexibility to adjust 바카라사이트ir fees ? up or down ? to survive. Kemp-Norton stopped short of making a recommendation on this topic. It will inevitably need addressing as part of 바카라사이트 overall package.

The review has set out a bold new vision that should attract 바카라사이트 attention of every family with future students.?They see greater access to universities for students from all backgrounds, much greater choice of education, better information to help 바카라사이트m choose and a more equitable subsidy and loan scheme to support 바카라사이트 cost.

It would be a shame to see such an inspirational possibility sink through lack of public interest.

Warren Bebbington is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide.