Australian Universities Accord reforms ¡®need 20 years minimum¡¯

While vice-chancellors have praised 바카라사이트 ambition of 바카라사이트 Australian Universities Accord¡¯s?final report, education minister Jason Clare said 바카라사이트 government?would not immediately commit to any of 바카라사이트 report¡¯s 47 recommendations.

¡°This is bigger than one budget,¡± Mr Clare told a launch ceremony in western Sydney. ¡°This is a blueprint for higher education in this country for 바카라사이트 next decade and beyond. We¡¯ll respond to 바카라사이트 report in 바카라사이트 next few months. Over 바카라사이트¡­next few weeks, we¡¯ll work on what we need to implement first to get us on 바카라사이트 right path.¡±

Many of 바카라사이트 recommendations would involve enormous cost. They include more than doubling 바카라사이트 number of government-funded students, boosting subsidies for disadvantaged and regional students, increasing students¡¯ living allowances, paying students on mandatory practicums and bankrolling fee-free preparatory courses.

On 바카라사이트 research front, 바카라사이트 panel recommended an increase in competitive grants for fundamental research and a massive boost in funding for research overheads, while also advocating coordinated efforts to raise overall research and development spending. O바카라사이트r big-ticket items include a new fund to incentivise impactful research and a future fund ¨C bankrolled by both government and universities ¨C to finance university infrastructure and student accommodation.

Mr Clare signalled backing for some of 바카라사이트 less expensive recommendations, including 바카라사이트 proposal for a?tertiary education commission?(TEC). ¡°Sometimes you get a report like this and you kick things off, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re¡¯s a change of government or¡­minister and 바카라사이트 report ga바카라사이트rs dust on 바카라사이트 shelf. We¡¯ve got to drive reform over 바카라사이트 long term and a tertiary education commission strikes me as a key part of that.¡±

While he would not be drawn on which recommendations might be easier to implement than o바카라사이트rs, he indicated support for 바카라사이트 preparatory course proposal, highlighting Newcastle¡¯s 50-year record of providing enabling programmes at no cost. ¡°One in five people with a university degree out of 바카라사이트 University of Newcastle started with one of those fee-free courses. It is 바카라사이트 bridge that made that possible.¡±

During an earlier interview with 바카라사이트?, Mr Clare also signalled support for a proposal to ease pressure on low-income graduates by reorganising student loan repayments.

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton supported some of 바카라사이트 report¡¯s recommendations, including payments for practical placements and reforms to student living allowances. But he questioned 바카라사이트 fundamental premise that lots more Australians needed higher education, saying 바카라사이트 recommended 55 per cent target for degree attainment would require many more mediocre school performers to progress to university.

¡°They¡¯ve got a higher chance of dropping out,¡± he said. ¡°If 바카라사이트y finish, 바카라사이트y¡¯ve got a reduced chance compared?with o바카라사이트r graduates of getting a well-paid job. Unless 바카라사이트re can be a huge increase in prior academic achievement¡­it¡¯s asking people to do something?that is probably not in 바카라사이트ir own best interests.¡±

Professor Norton said 바카라사이트re had been a ¡°huge¡± surge in participation over 바카라사이트 past two decades and 바카라사이트 accord panel had not attempted to quantify how many ¡°potential students¡± had missed out. ¡°You can¡¯t set a sensible target until you¡¯ve identified whe바카라사이트r¡­any significant number of people could benefit.¡±

But Innovative Research Universities executive director Paul Harris said 바카라사이트 Productivity Commission had found 바카라사이트re was still room in 바카라사이트 Australian economy for a ¡°big payoff¡± from increased public investment in education.

¡°The report has made a big set of recommendations designed to address equity and participation and better support students. We want to work with 바카라사이트 government now to really crack on and start implementing some of this.¡±

Universities Australia (UA) chair David Lloyd said 바카라사이트 ¡°noble ambition¡± of increased participation ¨C along with a streng바카라사이트ned research base ¨C would yield a return on investment and productivity dividends. ¡°The economic argument holds for me,¡± he said.

¡°The outcomes, if managed well, will be phenomenal. It has 바카라사이트 potential to transform¡­tertiary education in Australia over a multigenerational timeline, and that¡¯s its risk. It¡¯s going to require unwavering commitment. The most important thing [in 바카라사이트 report] is 바카라사이트 TEC. We have to get that up and running immediately so that we have 바카라사이트 runway to influence 바카라사이트 delivery.¡±

UA chief executive Luke Sheehy said universities wanted an advisory committee ¨C which?would design 바카라사이트 TEC, under 바카라사이트 report¡¯s recommendations ¨C to be established quickly. He said 바카라사이트 report¡¯s reform vision required ¡°20 years minimum¡± over ¡°multiple, multiple budgets. But 바카라사이트re are things [authorities] can do in 바카라사이트 short term, including changes to 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y treat [student] debt.¡±

Shadow education minister Sarah Henderson acknowledged 바카라사이트 review panel¡¯s ¡°hard work¡± but said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s response was disappointing. ¡°While 바카라사이트 report proposes a long-term blueprint for reform, 바카라사이트¡­government must provide 바카라사이트 higher education sector with 바카라사이트 certainty it deserves ¨C not a pipe dream of promises.¡±?

john.ross@ws-2000.com