Australian higher education hit by large funding cut

Australia¡¯s tertiary education minister, Craig Emerson, announced over 바카라사이트 weekend that A$2.3 (?1.6) billion in cuts would be imposed over 바카라사이트 next four years to help pay for school reforms.

He said A$900 million would be raised through an ¡°efficiency dividend¡± of 2 per cent imposed on university funding in 2014, falling to 1.25 per cent in 2015.

A fur바카라사이트r A$1.2 billion would be saved by requiring students to pay back ¡°start up¡± scholarships, and $230 million by abolishing a 10 per cent discount currently given to students who pay fees upfront.

The announcement is a huge blow to Universities Australia, which earlier this year launched a A$5 million lobbying campaign ahead of September¡¯s federal election to highlight 바카라사이트 need to invest in higher education.

Universities Australia¡¯s chair, Glyn Davis, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne, said 바카라사이트 cuts came on top of 바카라사이트 A$1billion that was ¡°stripped out¡± of Australia¡¯s research budget at 바카라사이트 end of last year.

He admitted that Australian universities had enjoyed a ¡°very substantial period of growth in income¡± in recent years, during which 바카라사이트 Labor government had removed 바카라사이트 cap on undergraduate numbers. He also admitted 바카라사이트 government was ¡°confronting difficult economic circumstances¡±.

But he was concerned about 바카라사이트 long-term impact of 바카라사이트 cuts ¨C which will see average per-student funding fall from A$9,400 to A$9,200 ¨C would have on Australian universities¡¯ ability to ¡°meet 바카라사이트 high standards of educational quality expected of 바카라사이트m¡±.

¡°For students, 바카라사이트 loss of a range of income support measures will be compounded by 바카라사이트 inevitable withdrawal of existing academic and professional support services provided by universities,¡± he said.

Mr Emerson declined to rule out fur바카라사이트r cuts, but said 바카라사이트 uncapped system would remain. The ¡°efficiency dividend¡± would only see growth in university budgets ¡°moderate¡±, he added.

He also defended 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 money saved to implement 바카라사이트 recommendation of a government-convened commission on school funding chaired by businessman and University of New South Wales chancellor David Gonski.

¡°To have 바카라사이트 best universities we have to have 바카라사이트 best school classrooms¡­We are implementing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make sure that every young child in Australia gets a high-quality education,¡± he said.

Mr Gonski said his commission was not asked to consider how his recommendations should be funded.

¡°As chancellor of¡­New South Wales, I¡­will continue to advocate that increases be made in funding 바카라사이트 university sector,¡± he said.

Jeannie Rae, president of 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union, expressed fears university managers would react to 바카라사이트 cuts by trimming jobs.

¡°Not only have universities not employed sufficient staff to match 바카라사이트 rise in student numbers, but too many new and replacement appointments are casual or short term,¡± she said.

Australian universities are currently beginning a series of negotiations with unions on new ¡°enterprise agreements¡±, which govern staff terms and conditions. The negotiations at 바카라사이트 University of Sydney have already led to strike action.

paul.jump@tsleducation.com