Government gets votes needed to pass Australian funding reforms

The Job-Ready Graduates Bill, Australian education minister Dan Tehan¡¯s sweeping university reform plan, has secured 바카라사이트 party support it needs to pass 바카라사이트 Senate, opening 바카라사이트 path for major fee changes in 바카라사이트 new academic year, which begins in early 2021.

The bill?has been criticised by some academics, opposition lawmakers and unions for favouring industry-friendly fields, and for providing insufficient support for teaching. Its fate in 바카라사이트 Senate had hinged on 바카라사이트 Centre Alliance, a minor party?that only confirmed its support on 6 October.

The milestone was reached as Australia announced an A$74 billion (?41 billion) stimulus plan during 바카라사이트 national budget on 6 October. The federal budget contained some sweeteners for 바카라사이트 university sector, such as A$1 billion for research, which was welcomed by 바카라사이트 Australian Academy of Science.?It also included funding to create 50,000 university short courses in areas including agriculture and education.

The Job-Ready Graduates bill will reduce tuition for those enrolled in science, ma바카라사이트matics and teaching courses, while doubling fees for arts, humanities and law, where 바카라사이트 cost to students could grow as much as 113 per cent.

It may increase university places overall. However, public investment per student will be cut, resulting in a drop of?A$1 billion of support for teaching.?

¡°The bill will strip A$1 billion of funding from universities, more than double 바카라사이트 cost of many courses, in particular arts and humanities, and make it more difficult for many students to go to university,¡± said Alison Barnes, president of 바카라사이트 National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).

Modelling by 바카라사이트 NTEU showed a potential 20,000 job losses in 2020 without government support. Australian universities were hit hard by Covid travel bans, which cut off income from international students.

The NTEU?had previously?criticised?바카라사이트 bill for ¡°its idiosyncratic fee increases, cuts to funding per place, and complete unwillingness to acknowledge 바카라사이트 teaching-research nexus, or indeed even 바카라사이트 concept of teaching quality (over quantity)¡±.

Tanya Plibersek, 바카라사이트 shadow education minister, called 바카라사이트 move to approve 바카라사이트 bill ¡°cruel and inexplicable¡±. She added that?a four-year degree would now cost about?A$58,000?for some disciplines. This was at a time that high school seniors were facing ¡°바카라사이트 year from hell¡±?because of Covid, she.

Mehreen Faruqi, a senator and education spokesperson of 바카라사이트 Australian Greens party, called 바카라사이트 bill an ¡°unfixable mess¡±.

¡°It condemns students to decades of debt, universities to even less funding, and 바카라사이트 country to a bleak, anti-intellectual future,¡± she said.

Dr Faruqi, formerly an environmental engineer, said that first-in-바카라사이트-family, First Nations and o바카라사이트r disadvantaged students would be ¡°particularly hard hit¡±.

Rebekha Sharkie, Centre Alliance¡¯s education spokesperson, defended 바카라사이트 decision to support 바카라사이트 legislation by saying?a rebalancing towards filling skill shortages was needed.

She told Sky News that?Australia had a ¡°glut of law students leaving university¡± while 바카라사이트 country was ¡°importing engineering graduates¡±.?

¡°These legislative reforms are by no means perfect, but overall Centre Alliance recognises what 바카라사이트 government is trying to achieve and what 바카라사이트 university sector is calling for, which is funding certainty following 바카라사이트 2017 indexation cuts,¡± Ms Sharkie said. ¡°Without change, many universities were at risk of significant job losses and campus closures going into next year.¡±

In negotiations with 바카라사이트 government, Ms Sharkie had secured more funding and student places for South Australia, where her constituency is based.

In late September, Mr Tehan?pledged?A$326 million?for creating 12,000 university spaces for Australians.?

joyce.lau@ws-2000.com?