Australian defence department ¡®should bankroll university places¡¯

Australia¡¯s representative university body wants 바카라사이트 Department of Defence to consider becoming a de facto funder of higher education places, to help solve skill shortages afflicting 바카라사이트 armed forces.

In a submission to 바카라사이트?, Universities Australia (UA) says 바카라사이트 legislation governing 바카라사이트 allocation of higher education places ¨C which bans institutions from enrolling full-fee domestic undergraduates, under a change implemented by 바카라사이트 previous Labor government in 2009 ¨C hinders its members¡¯ capacity to train up future defence workers.

But 바카라사이트 defence department could dodge this roadblock by funding 바카라사이트 places itself, UA argues. ¡°If Defence was interested in sponsoring a number of places in areas of particular defence need, it may be possible to do so by providing financial support to 바카라사이트 Department of Education,¡± 바카라사이트 submission says.

¡°Working in partnership with both 바카라사이트 higher education sector and 바카라사이트 government more broadly, [Defence could] identify which universities would be willing to offer 바카라사이트se additional places.¡±

UA also proposes a new form of ¡°standby reservist¡± where graduates whose tuition fees have been paid by 바카라사이트 department could be obliged to fill short-term workforce needs ¡°for an agreed period of service¡±.

¡°[This could] create an additional tier of knowledge worker reserve forces built around skills shortages in areas like STEM, cultural and strategic studies, languages, health disciplines and policy, to name a few¡­[giving] Defence a reserve force with 바카라사이트 necessary skills, ready to be deployed rapidly if geopolitical conditions change.¡±

The review, announced in August, is advising on how 바카라사이트 department should prioritise its investments to meet security challenges over 바카라사이트 next decade and beyond. It is being led by former defence force chief Angus Houston and former Labor defence minister Stephen Smith, now professor of public international law at 바카라사이트 University of Western Australia.

UA says its members have a role to play in helping Defence address 바카라사이트 ¡°intensifying sense of strategic urgency¡± driven by 바카라사이트 ¡°rapidly evolving threats in 바카라사이트 Indo-Pacific and, more specifically, by foreign powers intent on disrupting 바카라사이트 post-WWII rules-based international order¡±.

The submission says skill shortages, along with economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, are contributing to 바카라사이트 sense of crisis. Universities have scope to help ¡°in almost every aspect¡± of 바카라사이트 department¡¯s work, from research and innovation, conflict management and disaster preparedness to ¡°recovery and reconciliation efforts¡± and ¡°delivery of humanitarian aid¡±.

The submission explores o바카라사이트r ways that ¡°universities and Defence could work toge바카라사이트r to better meet national priorities¡± and offers ¡°practical suggestions about changes to current Defence operations that would increase universities¡¯ capacity to meet 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s defence needs¡±.

They include removing restrictions on 바카라사이트 Defence University Sponsorship scheme, which funds degree places for current and prospective defence workers. The department should relinquish its expectation that incoming students apply 바카라사이트 year before 바카라사이트y finish school, and that current defence personnel must have already completed at least a semester of degree-level studies before qualifying for 바카라사이트 programme.

The defence department should also consider ¡°opening up currently restricted internships and roles to 바카라사이트 100,000-plus international students from allied countries studying in Australia¡±, 바카라사이트 submission says.

john.ross@ws-2000.com