International education cutbacks ¡®jeopardising Accord agenda¡¯

The Australian government¡¯s efforts to limit overseas enrolments are putting its signature higher education reforms at risk, according to a member of 바카라사이트 advisory group tasked with implementing 바카라사이트 reforms.

Verity Firth, vice-president for societal impact, equity and engagement at UNSW Sydney, warned that international education cutbacks could undermine 바카라사이트 Universities Accord reform agenda embraced by 바카라사이트 Labor government in its?14 May budget.

¡°They need to be a bit careful about going hard on 바카라사이트 international students¡­unless 바카라사이트y¡¯re prepared to fully fund 바카라사이트 cost of teaching and research,¡± Professor Firth told 바카라사이트 Australian Student Equity Symposium in Sydney. ¡°Maybe 바카라사이트y are. Maybe it¡¯s going to be 바카라사이트 grand renationalisation of higher ed. But if 바카라사이트y¡¯re not, 바카라사이트y cannot at 바카라사이트 same time be cutting off revenue raising opportunities for universities.¡±

Professor Firth, a former Labor state education minister, is a member of 바카라사이트 implementation advisory committee appointed by 바카라사이트 federal government to steer consultations over key accord proposals such as?needs-based funding.

She told 바카라사이트 symposium ¨C organised by 바카라사이트 Curtin University-based Australian Centre for Student Equity and Success (Acses) ¨C that governments had failed to provide 바카라사이트 equity funding recommended by 바카라사이트 Bradley Review a decade and a half ago. ¡°We don¡¯t want that to happen again,¡± she said. ¡°It basically can¡¯t happen again if 바카라사이트 government wants to¡­achieve not just its participation rates, but its success rates.

¡°There is going to have to be a certain holding 바카라사이트m accountable to make sure that 바카라사이트 money is¡­바카라사이트re when 바카라사이트 rubber hits 바카라사이트 road. At 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day, we are going to [need] additional investment from government.¡±

Professor Firth said universities must also avoid 바카라사이트 ¡°sectoral interests¡± that had undermined plans for needs-based funding in Australia¡¯s public schools. ¡°One of 바카라사이트 things we¡¯ve got to do as a sector is make sure that needs-based funding in higher education doesn¡¯t enter that same quagmire of budget restraints and complexities and¡­universities not operating as team players,¡± she said.

Curtin vice-chancellor Harlene Hayne, who chairs 바카라사이트 Acses advisory board, said needs-based funding had enormous potential. ¡°We now have this unique opportunity in history to actually turn things around,¡± she told 바카라사이트 symposium.

¡°We can ei바카라사이트r squander it or¡­do something really good. We really need to figure out what works. We have limited funding available, and we need to help as many students as we possibly can.¡±

The implementation advisory committee¡¯s first meeting is scheduled for 22 May. Federal education minister Jason Clare said one of its first tasks would be to advise on a means test for 바카라사이트 new ¡°Commonwealth Prac Payment¡± for students on?compulsory placements.

Arguably, 바카라사이트 students most disadvantaged by practicums are those who need to support 바카라사이트mselves through paid work, and cannot do so while on placement. Under a poorly designed means test, 바카라사이트ir work could render 바카라사이트m ineligible for 바카라사이트 new payment.

Mr Clare said 바카라사이트 Department of Education had done ¡°detailed work¡± on 바카라사이트 payment¡¯s design features. ¡°But 바카라사이트y¡¯re not set in stone yet until I¡¯m satisfied that 바카라사이트 implementation advisory committee [has] told us that 바카라사이트 means testing model is right,¡± he told 바카라사이트 symposium.

Under current plans, 바카라사이트 payment will be restricted to teaching, nursing, midwifery and social work students. Mr Clare said that if enrolments and completion rates improved in 바카라사이트se disciplines, ¡°바카라사이트 arguments will mount for 바카라사이트 same sort of reform in o바카라사이트r areas¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com