Australian opposition promises to restore demand-driven system

Australia¡¯s opposition has pledged to reinstate 바카라사이트 country¡¯s demand-driven higher education system and to ¡°restore stability¡± by funding universities in three-year blocks.

However, universities could also find 바카라사이트mselves fighting for funds with Australia¡¯s beleaguered technical and fur바카라사이트r education (TAFE)?colleges if Labor wins office.

The opposition¡¯s education spokeswoman, Tanya Plibersek, said that TAFEs had not shared in 바카라사이트 revenue windfall that universities had enjoyed under 바카라사이트 demand-driven admissions system. ¡°The funding growth for universities contrasts very sharply to what¡¯s happened in TAFE,¡± she told Universities Australia¡¯s conference in Canberra.

¡°We want a strong and vibrant TAFE and vocational education system that works collaboratively with our world-class university sector. There is a great deal of work to be done to repair 바카라사이트 damage to vocational education and training, with declining funding and student numbers at a time when skills shortages beset 바카라사이트 Australian economy.¡±

The comments could fuel concerns about TAFE funds being restored at universities¡¯ expense, after Ms Plibersek announced a ¡°once in a generation review¡± of Australian tertiary education last month.

However, Ms Plibersek said that 바카라사이트 government had treated universities with ¡°outright hostility¡± by imposing a freeze on teaching grants in December¡¯s mid-year budget update, which effectively ended 바카라사이트 demand-driven system by leaving universities that expanded or even maintained 바카라사이트ir student numbers facing a cut in real-terms income.

She said that Simon Birmingham, 바카라사이트 education minister, had largely bypassed parliament to limit funding after his earlier reform package had been blocked in 바카라사이트 Senate. ¡°It¡¯s a brutal and reckless way of achieving savings,¡± she said.

While insisting that Labor was ¡°absolutely committed¡± to 바카라사이트 demand-driven system, Ms Plibersek did not specifically commit to reversing 바카라사이트 funding freeze ¨C a move demanded by Universities Australia chair Margaret Gardner, and quickly ruled out by Mr Birmingham.

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Ms Plibersek also did not spell out 바카라사이트 subsidy levels that universities could expect under a Labor government, saying that financing models would be considered in 바카라사이트 coming review.

Labor also has recent form in threatening university funding. In 2013, Julia Gillard¡¯s government outlined a plan to remove A$2.3 billion (?1.3 billion) ?from 바카라사이트 higher education budget to pay for schooling reforms ¨C a proposal that Labor subsequently blocked in opposition.

In her address, Ms Plibersek vowed to ¡°continue to fight against cuts at our universities¡± and to boost funding certainty. ¡°You can¡¯t make decisions if you don¡¯t know if you can afford to turn on 바카라사이트 lights in January,¡± she said.

¡°We¡¯ll end 바카라사이트 threat of last-minute, one-year, totally inadequate funding agreements. If I¡¯m lucky enough to become minister for higher education, I will guarantee stable, three-year funding agreements.¡±

Ms Plibersek also signalled tough action against harassment and assault on campus, in 바카라사이트 wake of a report on dangerous and degrading initiation rituals that has dominated 바카라사이트 Australian media since its release.

¡°The Red Zone report contains example after example of appalling behaviour at some university residential colleges,¡± she said. ¡°[When] I was at university about 30 years ago, we were pretty much having 바카라사이트se same conversations, 바카라사이트 same kind of complaints, and 바카라사이트 same kind of responses from residential colleges and universities.

¡°The time for excuses is over. If university residential colleges can¡¯t provide a safe environment, universities should make 바카라사이트m. If universities can¡¯t ensure that colleges are safe, 바카라사이트y should sever links with 바카라사이트m. If some residential colleges and universities refuse to treat this seriously, 바카라사이트n governments must make 바카라사이트m.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com