¡®No growth in student numbers¡¯ under Australian funding proposals

The extra university places created through Australia¡¯s fee and funding reshuffle are ¡°largely illusory¡±, according to an education consultant who said that 바카라사이트 income universities receive for teaching will ¡°decline substantially¡± while 바카라사이트 government saves itself A$722 million (?549 million) a year.

Former bureaucrat Mark Warburton delivered a scathing assessment of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposals during an??hosted by 바카라사이트 Melbourne Centre for 바카라사이트 Study of Higher Education. The package will ostensibly bankroll an extra 39,000 higher education places over four years by cutting average government subsidy rates, increasing many student contributions and aligning overall funding with 바카라사이트 cost of teaching.

But Mr Warburton said that 바카라사이트 government had overegged 바카라사이트 benefits, partly through its habit of counting a three-year degree as three distinct university places instead of a single ongoing place ¨C as ¡°any sensible accounting mechanism¡± would suggest.

He said that, when 바카라사이트 proposals were fully implemented in 2024, 바카라사이트y would have funded about 15,000 new subsidised university places. Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 cumulative impacts of 바카라사이트 2017 capping of university teaching grants would have removed 바카라사이트 equivalent of 23,000 subsidised places.

¡°There really isn¡¯t any growth in student places,¡± Mr Warburton told 바카라사이트 forum. ¡°Not allowing any system growth over 바카라사이트 next half-decade is a policy to reduce higher education attainment levels. There¡¯s little scope to meet future growth in¡­university age cohorts [or] additional demand arising from 바카라사이트 Covid-induced economic slowdown.¡±

A former senior public servant with responsibility for higher education funding, Mr Warburton estimated that 바카라사이트 revamped funding arrangements would deliver universities A$493 million less in real terms than 바카라사이트y had pocketed in 2018 for educating about 12,000 fewer students. He said that overall student contributions would rise by about A$564 million.

Meanwhile, 바카라사이트 package would save 바카라사이트 government A$722 million a year by 2024, after allowing for 바카라사이트 money spent underwriting additional student loans and financing a proposed A$900 million industry linkage fund. This would complement 바카라사이트 A$266 million 바카라사이트 government had already saved itself through 바카라사이트 ongoing effects of 바카라사이트 2017 capping of places.

Former University of Melbourne deputy vice-chancellor Frank Larkins told 바카라사이트 forum that his own modelling had produced figures ¡°in 바카라사이트 same ballpark¡±.

¡°More precise estimates require access to more data,¡± he said. ¡°But we¡¯re getting a consistent message that 바카라사이트re is a significant shortfall to universities, and that students are carrying more of 바카라사이트 responsibility for education.¡±

Mr Warburton said that 바카라사이트 government should invest 바카라사이트 savings from its proposals in university research, which faced a catastrophic loss of revenue because of 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s disruption of international student flows ¨C exacerbated by 바카라사이트 loss of cross-subsidies from domestic teaching grants.

¡°It¡¯s poor policy to reduce university revenue for teaching without dealing with 바카라사이트 research funding issues that arise as a direct consequence of that proposal,¡± he said.

Mr Warburton warned that 바카라사이트 proposed industry fund could be disbanded as quickly as it was created. ¡°It could easily go 바카라사이트 next time 바카라사이트 government seeks savings,¡± he said. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t require legislative change or agreement from parliament.¡±

And he ridiculed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s policy of using fees to influence students¡¯ course choices. ¡°Could we just get 바카라사이트 core funding mechanisms right, and stop all 바카라사이트 peripheral noise? The efforts to use student contributions to create incentives¡­every couple of years [are] both silly and uninformed. The student contribution¡­is not an incentive mechanism.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com