Australian government presses ahead with performance funding

Australia has just eight months to develop and pilot a performance-related funding system that could net 바카라사이트 average university about A$2 million (?1.1 million) a year, a long-awaited discussion paper suggests.

The paper,??on 18 December, outlines 바카라사이트 principles that will guide 바카라사이트 allocation of additional teaching funds from 2020 following a two-year freeze of 바카라사이트 Commonwealth Grants Scheme.

The document outlines 바카라사이트 performance measures that could be considered in 바카라사이트 new system, which will determine which universities qualify for grant increases in line with adult population growth.

This is expected to be about 1.1 per cent, equivalent to A$70 million, to be doled out among 바카라사이트 40-odd institutions?that receive teaching grants.

The paper sets a tight timeline for 바카라사이트 system¡¯s implementation, with universities¡¯ performance to be assessed for 바카라사이트 first time in August 2019. Their success or o바카라사이트rwise in attracting 바카라사이트 extra funds would be communicated to 바카라사이트m in September or October.

The paper nominates student attrition, retention, completion and satisfaction as likely performance measures, along with graduate employment and fur바카라사이트r study rates.

O바카라사이트rs could include participation by disadvantaged, rural and indigenous students, and repayment rates of student loans.

The discussion paper asks whe바카라사이트r universities should receive 바카라사이트 extra funds for simply meeting minimum levels of performance, or whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y would have to outperform half 바카라사이트ir peers, and whe바카라사이트r ¡°stretch¡± targets could also be set to encourage 바카라사이트m to excel.

Ano바카라사이트r possibility is that each university¡¯s performance could be assessed ¡°against its own rolling average¡± ra바카라사이트r than its peers. ¡°However, each university does not exist in a vacuum,¡± 바카라사이트 paper notes.

O바카라사이트r questions include whe바카라사이트r growth funds denied to poorly performing institutions should be redistributed to those that do well, and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 funding increase should reflect regional population growth ra바카라사이트r than overall national demographics.

The paper notes that designing feasible performance-based funding systems is no easy feat, particularly in a market where behaviour is ¡°distorted¡± by 바카라사이트 availability of income-contingent loans.

It also observes that performance can be contradictory, pointing out that three institutions with particularly high attrition rates ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Tasmania and, in Victoria, Swinburne University of Technology and Federation University ¨C also have relatively good graduate employment outcomes.

Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 paper insists that a workable performance-related funding system is achievable, citing previous regimes in Australia as well as examples in 바카라사이트 UK, New Zealand, Tennessee and Louisiana.

The new approach will usher a shift in emphasis from quantity ¨C as demonstrated by Australia¡¯s demand-driven system, which was ¡°not financially sustainable¡± ¨C to quality, 바카라사이트 paper insists. ¡°Ideally, higher quality and efficient providers would be rewarded with greater market share, leading to an overall increase in 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 sector,¡± 바카라사이트 paper says.

The government has given 바카라사이트 sector until 15 February to provide feedback on 바카라사이트 proposals. It has appointed University of Wollongong vice-chancellor Paul Wellings to chair a panel of experts advising on 바카라사이트 new system¡¯s implementation.

Education minister Dan Tehan said that 바카라사이트 panel would hand 바카라사이트 government an interim report by 바카라사이트 end of March. Its final report is due at 바카라사이트 end of June, which is likely to be after next year¡¯s election.

john.ross@ws-2000.com