Let need determine university funding, Australian reviewers say

Australian universities would receive ¡°core¡± additional funding to cover 바카라사이트 substantial extra costs of educating disadvantaged and regional students, under recommendations from a landmark review.

The government would cover full teaching costs, bringing in a needs-based funding model that would ¡°effectively introduce ¡®demand-driven places for equity students¡¯¡±.

The new model would be a ¡°game-changer¡± for regional institutions, which would also receive more funded places for medical students. The?regional study hubs programme?would be expanded to increase rural Australians¡¯ participation, retention and completion rates, while ongoing consideration would be given to a national regional university.

Australia would also move towards full funding of research, with government and industry paying 바카라사이트 whole cost of consultancies and studies 바카라사이트y commissioned from universities. Funding for research overheads would be increased to 50 cents for every dollar of grant money ¨C?up from about 22 cents now?¨C with 바카라사이트 increased target to be reviewed every five years.

A ¡°multi-agency government strategy¡± would be formulated to increase 바카라사이트 proportion of?gross domestic product invested in research and development. The Australian Research Council (ARC) would receive additional funding to support fundamental research, and a new ¡°Solving Australia¡¯s Challenges Fund¡± would ¡°reward¡± universities that used 바카라사이트ir research firepower effectively and applied it to ¡°big national challenges¡±.

The proposals are among 47 recommendations in 바카라사이트 408-page final report of 바카라사이트 Australian Universities Accord Panel, released publicly on 25 February. The federal government¡¯s response to 바카라사이트 report is expected on 27 February, when education minister Jason Clare addresses 바카라사이트 Universities Australia conference in Canberra.

¡°To be successful, 바카라사이트se reforms will require a large investment from 바카라사이트 Australian government and a major contribution from higher education providers,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°All parts of Australia¡¯s education system need to work toge바카라사이트r to meet [our] future skills challenge.¡±

The report recommends a target of 80 per cent of working-age people holding tertiary qualifications by 2050, up from 60 per cent today. A separate target would see 55 per cent of Australians aged between 25 and 34 possessing university qualifications, up from 바카라사이트 current 45 per cent.

This would require 바카라사이트 number of government-subsidised students to more than double to 1.8 million by 2050. The report estimates that 바카라사이트 tally will reach only 1.1 million by mid-century under current policy settings.

¡°It¡¯s a very ambitious piece of work,¡± said University of Technology Sydney vice-chancellor Andrew Parfitt. ¡°It¡¯s a major sector change agenda if it¡¯s adopted in full ¨C a really nice road map about what could be achieved if we put our minds to it.

¡°It¡¯s going to take a lot of work to get to 바카라사이트 implemented stage, but I think 바카라사이트 ambition is something that we can all be up for. It will have to be done¡­in a very sophisticated way to make sure that unintended consequences don¡¯t flow.¡±

The report presents a long-term plan for reform. Details would largely be referred to an Australian Tertiary Education Commission, whose prominent role earns it 82 mentions in 바카라사이트 report.

The commission would provide ¡°leadership and stewardship¡± for 바카라사이트 sector. Its initial remit would include policy development, planning, pricing, funding allocation, data collection, accountability and negotiation of ¡°mission-based compacts¡± with individual universities.

The commission would report to both 바카라사이트 education and skills ministers, improving alignment between higher and vocational education. The ARC and 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency would be independent statutory bodies under 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s ¡°umbrella¡±, with 바카라사이트ir chairs made ex-officio commissioners of 바카라사이트 proposed body while retaining 바카라사이트ir legislated roles.

As widely expected, 바카라사이트 report has also recommended a mechanism to redistribute resources among universities. The ¡°Higher Education Future Fund¡± would be managed by a board of guardians and funded by co-contributions from universities and 바카라사이트 federal government, with 바카라사이트 aim of reaching A$10 billion (?5.2 billion) in assets.

The fund¡¯s earnings could be invested in learning and teaching infrastructure and affordable accommodation for domestic students. ¡°The specific infrastructure needs of regional universities have to be addressed,¡± 바카라사이트 report notes. Universities would contribute a percentage of 바카라사이트ir ¡°untied own source, non-government revenue¡­those universities with 바카라사이트 financial means to pay a higher proportion should be expected to do so¡±.

The report says 바카라사이트 proposed nest egg could replace 바카라사이트 Education Investment Fund (EIF), whose 2019 closure deprived 바카라사이트 sector of ¡°dedicated government funding for general teaching and research infrastructure projects¡±. The EIF¡¯s demise began when 바카라사이트 바카라사이트n Labor government began raiding its capital during an economic downturn about 15 years ago, and was guaranteed after 바카라사이트 Liberal-National coalition regained power in 2013 and?decided to close it?바카라사이트 next year.

The Regional Universities Network said infrastructure funding was of ¡°vital importance¡±, but any new fund must not suffer 바카라사이트 EIF¡¯s fate ¨C particularly if universities were required to contribute from 바카라사이트ir private revenue sources. ¡°What are 바카라사이트 safeguards?¡± asked executive director Alec Webb. ¡°That bit of detail is probably as important as 바카라사이트 establishment of 바카라사이트 fund.¡±

The report also recommends reforms to 바카라사이트 student loan scheme, financial support, indigenous representation and international education, among o바카라사이트r areas.

john.ross@ws-2000.com

Universities Accord: key proposals

• Needs-based funding for university teaching
• Improvements to research funding
• Australian Tertiary Education Commission
• Higher Education Future Fund
• 55 per cent attainment target
• Fee-free preparatory courses
• Overhaul of student loan scheme
• Youth Allowance and Tertiary Access Payment reforms
• Payment for compulsory placements
• Increased PhD stipend