Australian reforms ¡®not in interests of?universities or government¡¯

Australian vice-chancellors are supporting proposed fee and subsidy changes only because 바카라사이트 government has been ¡°dangling 바카라사이트 prospect¡± of extra research funding in next month¡¯s federal budget, a former adviser to 바카라사이트 governing Liberal Party has speculated.

But a research funding top-up has been described as being unlikely, even though 바카라사이트 proposed changes could jeopardise some institutions¡¯ university status?¨C particularly in 바카라사이트 regional areas 바카라사이트 package is supposed to?favour.

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton told a Senate committee that few vice-chancellors would ¡°seriously believe¡± that 바카라사이트 new funding arrangements, outlined in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Job-ready Graduates legislation, were in 바카라사이트ir interests. And Professor Norton, who has been an adviser to three Liberal ministers, predicted that 바카라사이트 package would backfire on 바카라사이트 government.

¡°The reality is that 바카라사이트 Labor Party can¡¯t live with this and will try and repeal it if 바카라사이트y get back into office,¡± he?said. ¡°A?future Liberal minister will probably decide it¡¯s a mess and want to get rid of?it. Why go through all this disruption and trauma for something that won¡¯t last?¡±

He told 바카라사이트 committee that he ¡°wouldn¡¯t be placing any bets¡± on additional higher education funding in 바카라사이트 October budget because 바카라사이트 government had already resisted significantly boosting outlays on universities three times this year.

But extra funding would be in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s interests, he said. ¡°A?lot of people who vote in 바카라사이트 mid-2020s are going to be pretty disappointed if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t get a place in university,¡± he said.

Professor Norton said regional universities were particularly jeopardised because 바카라사이트 reforms did not take account of 바카라사이트ir relatively high average costs. ¡°They will struggle to finance 바카라사이트ir undergraduate teaching,¡± he told 바카라사이트 committee.

He said he had calculated that regional universities were already losing money on courses in six out of 19 fields, and under 바카라사이트 proposals that would rise to 11?fields. They included common offerings at every university, such as business.

And regional universities arguably faced even greater danger because 바카라사이트 new funding rates would not allow for cross-subsidies for research. This left country institutions at risk of not meeting newly imposed research activity thresholds that determine university status.

Under 바카라사이트 ¡°worst-case scenario¡±, such institutions would become university colleges. The loss of reputation would make it harder to attract students, while previous graduates would feel that 바카라사이트ir degrees had been devalued. ¡°It?would be politically extremely unwise to go down this path, as well as unfair to 바카라사이트 institutions and individuals involved,¡± Professor Norton said.

Education finance expert and former public servant Mark Warburton told 바카라사이트 committee that universities would not be better off under 바카라사이트 legislation. ¡°The immediate impact of 바카라사이트 bill is to cut funding to student places by 6?per cent,¡± he said.

¡°That¡¯s being done at a time when 바카라사이트y are already experiencing major reductions in revenue because of what¡¯s happened to 바카라사이트 international student fee market. There are people being sacked left, right and centre, and this is just 바카라사이트 beginning of?it. Some very serious decisions need to be made down 바카라사이트 track about what is going to happen to research programmes.¡±

Mr Warburton dismissed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s claim that its reforms would generate an extra 100,000 university places. ¡°That¡¯s a political promise running out 10 years. Based on my experience in 바카라사이트 public sector, it¡¯s not worth very much.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com