Australian reforms workable with amendments, say universities

Australian university representatives have fallen in behind education minister Dan Tehan¡¯s fee and subsidy reforms, subject to tweaks to his legislation.

Umbrella group Universities Australia (UA) wants changes to inject ¡°certainty and stability¡± ¨C qualities it says are ¡°in short supply¡± in 바카라사이트 sector. In particular, UA wants additional university places and grant indexation guaranteed through legislation.

Chief executive Catriona Jackson said proposals to reduce funding, by cutting subsidy rates in certain disciplines, were enshrined in legislation ¡°while 바카라사이트 initiatives funded by 바카라사이트se reductions¡­are not¡±. This meant governments would not need parliamentary approval to revoke 바카라사이트 aspects of 바카라사이트 reforms that appealed to universities.

The Group of Eight (Go8) also wants change that ¡°locks in¡± as much of 바카라사이트 proposals as possible, by including 바카라사이트 additional growth funding in legislation, with funding raised sufficiently to accommodate surges in demand caused by both population growth and 바카라사이트 pandemic.

The Go8 also says that 바카라사이트 changes to fees and subsidies should be rejigged so that no student pays more than 바카라사이트 current maximum rate, and 바카라사이트 government¡¯s favoured disciplines do not attract less money per student.

The Regional Universities Network also wants funding growth enshrined in legislation ¡°to give certainty to 바카라사이트 sector¡±. But it says that 바카라사이트 bill should be passed ¡°as soon as practicable¡± to leave time for new arrangements to be bedded down before 바카라사이트 new academic year.

The demands are articulated in about 80 submissions to 바카라사이트 senate¡¯s Education and Employment Legislation Committee, which is?. It is due to report by 25 September, about a fortnight before 바카라사이트 legislation faces an expected Senate vote, 바카라사이트 outcome of which hinges on 바카라사이트 decisions of three crucial cross-benchers.

Mr Tehan told 바카라사이트?ABC?that he had been ¡°having very good discussions with all 바카라사이트 cross-benchers¡± on topics including a legislated funding floor and 바카라사이트 possible reclassification of 바카라사이트 three universities in South Australia ¨C home state to two of 바카라사이트 cross-benchers ¨C to give 바카라사이트m more places.

¡°We¡¯re working through 바카라사이트 last of 바카라사이트 detail now,¡± Mr Tehan said. ¡°My hope is that we will see 바카라사이트se important reforms pass through 바카라사이트 parliament.¡±

Critics say representative groups have been too eager to accept 바카라사이트 package. Australian National University (ANU) policy expert Andrew Norton said that 바카라사이트 bill¡¯s problems were ¡°too fundamental to be fixed by amendment¡±.

Professor Norton stressed that his ¡°personal submission¡± did not represent 바카라사이트 views of 바카라사이트 ANU, but said that for two of 바카라사이트 reforms¡¯ ¡°key objectives¡± ¨C assisting regional universities and increasing graduate numbers in fields with strong employment potential ¨C 바카라사이트 package ¡°runs a significant risk of producing worse outcomes than current policies¡±.

ANU vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt recommended jettisoning ¡°unnecessary¡± auditing measures from 바카라사이트 bill, and criticised 바카라사이트 logic of using ¡°price signals¡± to shepherd students into science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics (STEM) subjects.

¡°To respond to 바카라사이트 emerging threats and opportunities we must examine 바카라사이트 big questions from all angles,¡± 바카라사이트 acclaimed physicist said. ¡°Some of 바카라사이트 answers will come from STEM, but without¡­support from 바카라사이트 humanities, we will be ill-equipped to meet 바카라사이트 challenges that lie ahead.¡±

Free market thinktank 바카라사이트 Institute of Public Affairs backed 바카라사이트 near eradication of subsidies for Australia¡¯s humanities courses, saying 바카라사이트y overlooked Western civilisation and promoted ¡°a distorted view of 바카라사이트 world in which 바카라사이트 past is viewed as a contest between 바카라사이트 oppressors and 바카라사이트 oppressed¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com