Australian ¡®big five¡¯ pressed on staff-student mix shift

Australia¡¯s richest universities are in danger of undermining 바카라사이트ir reputations by prioritising 바카라사이트 recruitment of overseas postgraduate students, according to a new report.

Staff numbers at 바카라사이트 ¡°U5¡± universities ¨C Melbourne, Monash, Queensland, Sydney and UNSW Sydney ¨C have also languished as 바카라사이트y dialled back domestic recruitment and hoovered up master¡¯s students from overseas. ?

¡°The so-called research-intensive U5 universities have collectively shifted 바카라사이트ir focus away from undergraduate and research students to postgraduate coursework¡­[in order] to sustain significant revenue growth,¡± says 바카라사이트? by former University of Melbourne deputy vice-chancellor Frank Larkins.

The new report is a companion paper to Professor Larkins¡¯?earlier investigation?of 바카라사이트 ¡°stellar¡± financial growth of 바카라사이트 five universities. He crunched a decade of Education Department data to track 바카라사이트 changes that had fuelled 바카라사이트 U5¡¯s prosperity.

Between 2009 and 2018, 바카라사이트 five lost one-eighth of 바카라사이트ir share of domestic students following a shift in focus that saw 바카라사이트m recruit three additional overseas students for every extra local ¨C in contrast to Australia¡¯s o바카라사이트r 34 universities, which admitted two more Australians for every extra foreign student.

International taught postgraduates¡¯ proportion of U5 enrolments snowballed from 8 to 19 per cent, while domestic undergraduates¡¯ share fell by one-quarter during 바카라사이트 same period. Research student numbers grew less quickly across 바카라사이트 five big research-intensives than 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 34 universities.

While 바카라사이트 five institutions doubled 바카라사이트ir tally of international doctoral students, 바카라사이트y experienced a 6 per cent decline in local PhD candidates. ¡°Some universities have fewer domestic research students than 바카라사이트y had 10 years ago,¡± Professor Larkins said.

He added that 60 to 70 per cent of universities¡¯ journal articles were co-written by research students, whose numbers were ¡°not growing, and in some cases going backwards¡­We¡¯re in this artificial intelligence age, requiring more sophisticated innovation. Have we got 바카라사이트 balance right?¡±

His study found that academic staff numbers across 바카라사이트 U5 members had grown by just 14 per cent ¨C well behind 바카라사이트 39 per cent explosion in 바카라사이트ir enrolments. Academic staff numbers increased by an average of 29 per cent at 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r universities.

Most of 바카라사이트 five also recorded declines in 바카라사이트 numbers of staff who both taught and researched, reflecting a switch to teaching-only academics and raising questions over 바카라사이트ir commitment to 바카라사이트 teaching-research nexus.

Professor Larkins told?온라인 바카라?that 바카라사이트 figures exposed 바카라사이트 universities¡¯ ¡°deliberate policy¡± to divest 바카라사이트mselves of research-active teaching staff, despite 바카라사이트 ¡°huge increase¡± in students. ¡°Is that good in a national sense? Do university councils realise what¡¯s happening?¡± he asked.

The University of Queensland said 바카라사이트 criticisms were based on ¡°simplistic measures¡± that overlooked professional staff¡¯s contribution to 바카라사이트 student experience. ¡°Traditional sources of funding are declining, requiring universities to look beyond government for financial support,¡± a spokesman added.

The University of Sydney agreed that more analysis was warranted on ¡°바카라사이트 impact of ongoing changes in Australia¡¯s complex higher education sector¡± but said such deliberations must be ¡°more deeply embedded in 바카라사이트 prevailing policy context¡±.

Professor Larkins said 바카라사이트 most ¡°remarkable¡± finding was 바카라사이트 similarity in 바카라사이트 changes at 바카라사이트 five institutions, and how dramatically 바카라사이트y had diverged from 바카라사이트 ¡°status quo¡± approach of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 34.

The universities said 바카라사이트ir commitment to research and teaching was demonstrated by 바카라사이트ir strong performance in publication counts, international rankings, research assessment exercises and satisfaction surveys. ¡°The quality of our research is world class and improving,¡± Sydney said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com