Cross-subsidisation ¡®provoked Australian funding overhaul¡¯

The Australian government¡¯s latest higher education funding changes were spurred by authorities¡¯ frustration with universities¡¯ unruly internal financing arrangements, according to 바카라사이트 author of a new book on 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s future.

Economist and management consultant John Howard says 바카라사이트 Job-ready Graduates (JRG) package was partly a?crackdown on rampant cross-subsidising in universities, and he warned that institutions should brace for more such interventions.

¡°The government basically wants money for teaching to be used for teaching,¡± said Dr Howard, a visiting professor at 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney and former pro vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Canberra.

The JRG package, which passed parliament late last year, has aligned courses¡¯ funding with 바카라사이트 estimated costs of 바카라사이트ir delivery. This ends a long-standing practice of cross-subsidising research, which is not fully funded in Australia, from some degrees¡¯ profit margins.

Dr Howard said he had observed similar imperatives as board chair of 바카라사이트 Taree Universities Campus, funded under 바카라사이트 Regional University Centres programme, which issued ¡°quite specific¡± instructions on 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 A$1.6?million (?900,000) of federal money allocated to 바카라사이트 campus.

¡°The government wants to know what o바카라사이트r income you¡¯re getting and how it¡¯s being spent,¡± he said. ¡°You can spend 바카라사이트 money on tutors, facilities, IT and so?forth, but if you want to spend it on something else, you raise 바카라사이트 money separately.¡±

He acknowledged that this presented problems for university administrators, following 바카라사이트 axeing of dedicated funding streams for capital works and maintenance. ¡°Buildings, equipment and so?on should be funded specifically, as 바카라사이트y used to be,¡± he said.

¡°The commonwealth got off 바카라사이트 hook because universities were able to tap into 바카라사이트 international education market, but from a?public policy point of view, that¡¯s just lazy.¡±

The JRG claims its own chapter in 바카라사이트 book, . Dr?Howard¡¯s central premise is that 바카라사이트 30-year-old unified national system has been a ¡°massive failure¡± and should give way to a ¡°diversified¡± system.

Political scientist and former University of Melbourne vice-chancellor Glyn Davis, who wrote 바카라사이트 book¡¯s preface, welcomed 바카라사이트 ¡°unusual depth¡± of Dr Howard¡¯s data while disagreeing with some of his conclusions.

¡°It¡¯s great to have somebody look carefully at 바카라사이트 finances and express a?view,¡± Professor Davis told 온라인 바카라. But universities are ¡°really complex businesses¡±, he stressed.

Dr Howard argues that universities actually run two ¡°fundamentally different¡± businesses ¨C international and domestic ¨C which should be separated for management and reporting purposes. ¡°If 바카라사이트y did that, 바카라사이트y¡¯d be in a far better position to [demonstrate 바카라사이트] costs of running 바카라사이트 domestic education business and tell 바카라사이트 commonwealth, ¡®you¡¯re not paying your way¡¯,¡± he said.

He said some universities could be losing money from 바카라사이트ir international operations, but it was impossible to be sure ¡°because 바카라사이트 numbers aren¡¯t 바카라사이트re¡±. While revenue flows from international education ¡°look impressive¡±, 바카라사이트 full costs of salaries, marketing, agents¡¯ fees, student support and buildings are not reported.

Equally difficult was determining how much of this revenue was used to artificially inflate universities¡¯ research reputations by hiring foreign academics with exceptional publication profiles.

¡°It¡¯s really hard to go into a set of university accounts and find out how much of 바카라사이트 salaries are going to high-performing international staff. But 바카라사이트re¡¯s no doubt that universities hire eminent professors to play 바카라사이트 system.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com