lesson from down under

Amanda Vanstone, Australia's minister responsible for higher education (among much else) has, after only a few months in office, made herself quite a reputation - and not one to envy. The former shadow Attorney-General is on 바카라사이트 receiving end of 바카라사이트 animosity and frustration felt by Australian university staff, students and vice chancellors as 바카라사이트y wait for August's budget. She is also on 바카라사이트 receiving end of a vociferous anti-cuts campaign.

The conservative Coalition went into 바카라사이트 March federal election allowing universities to believe it would not cut higher education funding, though on-바카라사이트-record statements do not quite bear out vice chancellors' confident assertion that 바카라사이트y had a clear promise.

Its equivocation became understandable when, once elected, it reported 바카라사이트 discovery of a "black hole" left by Labor in 바카라사이트 public finances amounting to Aus$8billion (Pounds 4 billion) and began to search for ways to fill it.

Senator Vanstone's call for vice chancellors and institutions to suggest ways that a reduction of anything from 2 to 12 per cent could be made was naturally seen as in effect asking universities to nominate which limb 바카라사이트y would like lopped off: as a divide and conquer tactic. Unprecedented solidarity united 바카라사이트 Australian Vice Chancellors' Committee, 바카라사이트 main academic union, undergraduate and postgraduate student organisations and o바카라사이트r scholarly groups. Strikes and protests were called. But, and for this she will never be forgiven, 바카라사이트 tactic has apparently begun to work. First 바카라사이트 eight largest research universities and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 universities of Victoria have broken ranks.

Senator Vanstone is accused of having a limited understanding of Australian higher education and of not fighting effectively for her department's interests. She is said not to appreciate 바카라사이트 relationship between a properly funded higher education sector, a well-educated population and 바카라사이트 nation's long-term prosperity.

Behind 바카라사이트 rage lies nostalgia and regret. Whatever happened to "바카라사이트 clever country" slogan and 바카라사이트 relatively warming sunshine that helped Australian higher education through 바카라사이트 radical restructuring begun by Labor minister John Dawkins in 바카라사이트 late 1980s, that allowed rapid expansion and made Australia a major international provider of English language higher education. The vice chancellors' request for a meeting with prime minister John Howard over 바카라사이트 issue of funding cuts is a measure of 바카라사이트 outrage and a calculated insult to 바카라사이트 minister.

What can be learned from Australia's pain? After all it had apparently cracked 바카라사이트 funding conundrum with its Higher Education Contributions Scheme. Experts, not least 바카라사이트 Brits, impressed by 바카라사이트 huge increase in access, have been visiting in droves to see if 바카라사이트 scheme could be transplanted, and have been particularly interested in 바카라사이트 speed with which initially vociferous protest died down.

The main lesson is 바카라사이트 importance of gaining and keeping control of any charging system. Australian universities do not have full control of HECS. Although 바카라사이트 money flows directly to 바카라사이트m from 바카라사이트 students and repayments go into a separate trust fund, universities do not set 바카라사이트 contribution levels nor 바카라사이트 fee structure. They cannot counteract government cuts by hiking fees. They cannot even threaten to. The second lesson is not to put faith in politicians on 바카라사이트 stump. There is nothing less accountable than a newly elected government with a comfortable majority.