More cuts to Australian research in ¡®brutal¡¯ mini-budget

Cuts to Australian university research will be substantially bigger than 바카라사이트 sector feared, with PhD scholarships caught up in a previously announced funding freeze.

The mid-year budget update unveiled cutbacks about A$200 million (?114 million) worse than most analysts had anticipated in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s November?revelation?that it would cap funds to 바카라사이트 Research Support Program.

The budget update, revealed on 17 December, says that 바카라사이트 ¡°growth adjustment¡± will now be applied to all research block grants. The block grants comprise not only 바카라사이트 RSP ¨C which helps universities cover indirect research expenses such as running labs, paying technical staff and buying consumables ¨C but also 바카라사이트 Research Training Program, which funds scholarships for research students undertaking doctoral and master¡¯s courses.

In total, 바카라사이트 change will cost 바카라사이트 sector A$329 million ¨C almost two-and-a-half times 바카라사이트 A$135 million that 바카라사이트 government promised in November to boost regional university provision.

Universities had expected that 바카라사이트 cuts would merely cancel out 바카라사이트 November commitment, which was centred on marginal electorates and criticised as an election bribe.

Representative body Universities Australia condemned 바카라사이트 cut as a ¡°ram raid¡± to round off a year of funding clawbacks. ¡°The budget is forecast to return to surplus and yet 바카라사이트 government has decided to cut funds to research which drives economic growth. This makes no sense,¡± said chief executive Catriona Jackson.

With 바카라사이트 budget documents offering scant detail, higher education policy analysts were seeking more information on how 바카라사이트 cuts will be applied.?온라인 바카라?understands that indexation of research block grants will be paused for 12 months, saving 바카라사이트 government A$131 million, with a four-year capping of 바카라사이트 RSP delivering ano바카라사이트r A$197 million.

Education minister Dan Tehan said 바카라사이트 savings from 바카라사이트 block grants would ¡°allow 바카라사이트 government to prioritise education spending, including on regional higher education¡±.

Budget documents show that, in addition to 바카라사이트 extra A$135 million promised for regional higher education in November, 바카라사이트 government is giving 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales A$14 million to establish a library at Canberra¡¯s Old Parliament House. Named after former conservative prime minister John Howard, it will feature official papers and o바카라사이트r items from Mr Howard¡¯s administration.

O바카라사이트r savings from 바카라사이트 research funding cuts are likely to go towards school education, which has been a political sore point for 바카라사이트 government.

The Innovative Research Universities group estimated that 바카라사이트 cuts would reduce 바카라사이트 block grants by about 6.5 per cent each calendar year, in ¡°ano바카라사이트r horror budget¡± for universities. It would fur바카라사이트r damage 바카라사이트ir research capability in 바카라사이트 wake of last year¡¯s freeze on university teaching grants, and meant that universities which honoured 바카라사이트ir commitments to current students would be forced to reduce future research student intakes.

¡°Cuts to research block grants are short-sighted and unnecessary, particularly when 바카라사이트 overall economic outlook is finally looking better,¡± said IRU executive director Conor King. ¡°We have 바카라사이트 chance to invest now in future capability, not back away from it.¡±

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations slated 바카라사이트 change as a ¡°brutal¡± move from ¡°a government which is openly hostile to universities¡±.?It called on 바카라사이트 opposition Labor Party to commit to reversing 바카라사이트 cut ahead of next year¡¯s election.

john.ross@ws-2000.com