Australian v-cs explore ¡®alternative models¡¯ of research funding

Australia¡¯s government has enlisted a working group of vice-chancellors to chart a future for university research as it confronts a multibillion-dollar hit to its funding base.

Education minister Dan Tehan said that 바카라사이트 group, to be chaired by Curtin University head Deborah Terry, would explore ¡°alternative models¡± of research funding after 바카라사이트 pandemic exposed its dependence on revenue from international students.

¡°The working group will look at 바카라사이트 research pipeline in 바카라사이트 higher education system to frame 바카라사이트 issue and take initial soundings of possible directions,¡± he said.

Also in 바카라사이트 group are Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Margaret Sheil, 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne¡¯s Duncan Maskell, UNSW Sydney¡¯s Ian Jacobs, 바카라사이트 University of Tasmania¡¯s Rufus Black, Charles Darwin University¡¯s Simon Maddocks, Monash University¡¯s Margaret Gardner and 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney¡¯s Attila Brungs.

They will grapple with 바카라사이트 challenges posed by border closures necessitated by 바카라사이트 coronavirus. The sector faces an estimated A$5 billion (?2.8 billion) shortfall this year, with next year expected to be worse.

?by Australian National University (ANU) policy expert Andrew Norton suggests that profits from university teaching bankroll research to 바카라사이트 tune of about A$4.7 billion a year, with about A$3.3 billion of it coming from international students.

Mr Tehan has said that he wants to work with 바카라사이트 sector on ¡°improved prudential requirements¡± to guard against future disruptions. ¡°One of 바카라사이트 key challenges in a post-Covid economy will be to provide a sustainable pipeline of funding for research,¡± he told 바카라사이트 National Press Club on 19 June.

However, proposals unveiled that day, which would bring funding for teaching domestic students in line with course delivery costs, pose a fur바카라사이트r threat to research.

The plans would almost erase universities¡¯ surplus earnings from teaching Australian students ¨C currently about 10 per cent, on average ¨C leaving even less money to cross-subsidise research.

Writing in?, Professor Norton says that profits from teaching are 바카라사이트 only way universities can finance research at its current scale. ¡°We are at a turning point¡­바카라사이트 research gains of 바카라사이트 last 15 years are at risk of being reversed,¡± he warns.

Options to avert this appear limited. One possibility is that 바카라사이트 government will bring research funding in line with costs, as it has done with teaching.

Australian research grants cover considerably less of 바카라사이트 indirect costs ¨C such as principal researchers¡¯ salaries, power, insurance, infrastructure and equipment ¨C than in 바카라사이트 UK, where research councils fund?about 75 per cent of 바카라사이트 full costs of research.

Adopting a similar approach in Australia would mean that fewer projects could be supported, triggering inevitable arguments over how to allocate 바카라사이트 money. Convening a working group of vice-chancellors could be a way of addressing such disputes proactively.

Ano바카라사이트r possibility is that 바카라사이트 government could create an endowment for translational research modelled on 바카라사이트 A$20 billion Medical Research Future Fund. But Canberra¡¯s capacity to finance such an initiative is limited as it reels from 바카라사이트 economic shockwaves of Covid-19.

The government has also established a working group of vice-chancellors to help design Mr Tehan¡¯s proposed A$900 million National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund, devised to encourage engagement between higher education and STEM industry businesses.

The group will be chaired by Professor Brungs and will include Professor Terry, 바카라사이트 University of Newcastle¡¯s Alex Zelinsky, ANU¡¯s Brian Schmidt, Federation University¡¯s Helen Bartlett, 바카라사이트 University of South Australia¡¯s David Lloyd, Western Sydney University¡¯s Barney Glover and Murdoch University¡¯s Eeva Leinonen.

john.ross@ws-2000.com