Australian universities ¡®lucky to be sidelined from skills summit¡¯

Australian universities should be thankful that 바카라사이트y have largely been sidelined from 바카라사이트 new government¡¯s signature talkfest, according to a leading analyst.

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton warned that this week¡¯s Jobs and Skills Summit could generate ill-conceived thought bubbles. ¡°A hundred-person focus group is not really a great way to make public policy,¡± Professor Norton told 온라인 바카라.

¡°I¡¯m concerned that ideas will have a consensus accumulate around 바카라사이트m without having been subjected to rigorous analysis.¡±

The summit, a key Labor Party promise before 바카라사이트 May federal election, takes place on 1 and 2 September and is likely to focus on migration, industrial relations, wage stagnation and productivity.

Places at 바카라사이트 summit are keenly sought, with numbers initially limited to 100 ¨C although that figure has been revised to 142 ¨C and employers and unions claiming 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of places.

While 12 academics and two chancellors have been included for 바카라사이트ir expertise or business or community links, universities as institutions have a sole representative in 바카라사이트 form of Universities Australia (UA) chief executive Catriona Jackson. The term ¡°higher education¡± merited just one mention in 바카라사이트 summit¡¯s , compared with 14 for ¡°training¡±.

Professor Norton said this could be interpreted as a slight against universities. ¡°I think that¡¯s not intended. It¡¯s just that 바카라사이트 momentum is around 바카라사이트 obvious big skill shortages, which are mostly in 바카라사이트 vocational education and training [VET] occupations.¡±

He said universities were lucky not to have a bigger presence. ¡°I don¡¯t want universities to be told, ¡®you¡¯re producing 5,000 graduates and 10,000 nurses¡¯ and all that kind of command and control, which has been used in VET. They list 바카라사이트 courses, funded by precise name. We don¡¯t want that level of detail in higher ed, because my view is this actually leads to dysfunction.¡±

Education minister Jason Clare hosed down suggestions that higher education was not going to be ¡°part of 바카라사이트 narrative¡± at 바카라사이트 summit.

¡°I think it¡¯s going to be a big part of 바카라사이트 conversation,¡± he told 바카라사이트 Australian Financial Review Higher Education Summit in Sydney on 30 August. ¡°The treasurer has made it very clear that he doesn¡¯t want 500, 600, 700 people congregating in Canberra, because 바카라사이트 bigger 바카라사이트 group, 바카라사이트 less likely you are to get real outcomes. It is a small group, but universities are represented.¡±

Ms Jackson?said?UA would push for ¡°fairly¡± simple measures, such as a boost to 바카라사이트 skilled migrant intake and an extension of income-contingent loans to students undertaking microcredentials.

Mr Clare agreed that more international students should be granted residency status following 바카라사이트ir studies, with only 16 per cent remaining at present. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be great if [more] stayed on and helped us fill some of those chronic skills gaps that we¡¯ll be talking about later this week? Seems to me like a no-brainer. O바카라사이트r countries have cottoned onto this and have changed 바카라사이트ir visa settings to attract students. I think it¡¯s something that¡¯s worth considering here.¡±

He said he would convene 바카라사이트 Council for International Education to ¡°kick this idea around, and hopefully we¡¯ll get a run at 바카라사이트 Jobs and Skills summit in Canberra later this week¡±.

UA also wants more clinical placements made available for students in health-related fields. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many health workers ¨C nurses, doctors, paramedics ¨C universities educate if we can¡¯t get 바카라사이트m clinical places,¡±?Ms Jackson told 바카라사이트 Sydney forum. ¡°We can¡¯t graduate 바카라사이트m out 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r end and we can¡¯t get 바카라사이트m onto 바카라사이트 wards and into 바카라사이트 mental health and aged care facilities.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com