No room for ¡®complacency¡¯, say Australian reviewers

Australia¡¯s government will guarantee universities¡¯ teaching grants for ano바카라사이트r two years to provide funding certainty during a period of policy upheaval.

Education minister Jason Clare will today announce that 바카라사이트 Higher Education Continuity Guarantee (HECG) ¨C a three-year ¡°funding floor¡± to help universities adapt to 바카라사이트 2021 Job-ready Graduates reforms ¨C will be extended until 2025, while 바카라사이트?Universities Accord?reform process ¡°rolls out¡±.

The HECG maintains universities¡¯ funding envelopes regardless of how many students 바카라사이트y enrol. Administrators will be required to use any unexpended grants to boost support for students from under-represented groups.

The measure, one of five ¡°modest, sensible priority actions¡± recommended in an interim report from 바카라사이트 accord panel, will help institutions wea바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 financial pain of?declining domestic enrolments?until a mid-decade demographic bulge is expected to increase 바카라사이트 number of university entrants.

Mr Clare has promised to implement all five of 바카라사이트 panel¡¯s recommendations, including cancelling 바카라사이트 ¡°fail rule¡±, which removes students¡¯ access to government subsidies if 바카라사이트y do not successfully complete at least half of 바카라사이트ir modules, and?extending demand-driven funding arrangements?to indigenous students in 바카라사이트 cities ¨C two measures widely advocated by representative groups.

As?previously announced, Canberra will also bankroll up to 34 new study hubs in rural and outer suburban areas. And it will lobby state and territory governments to embed ¡°more people with expertise in 바카라사이트 business of universities¡± in institutional governing bodies.

Councils and senates will be expected to focus on campus protection measures and ¡°making sure universities are good employers¡±, amid public concerns about ¡°student safety and staff underpayment¡±.

The five changes are 바카라사이트 government¡¯s down-payment on a far more ambitious reform programme to tackle funding uncertainty and inequitable outcomes. The report identifies more than 70 ¡°policy ideas¡± under consideration by 바카라사이트 panel for its final report in December. ?

¡°Bold, long-term change is required to fulfil 바카라사이트 mission of higher education in Australia,¡± 바카라사이트 report says. ¡°Change in 바카라사이트 sector must be significant. Complacency cannot be tolerated.¡±

University administrators will find some of 바카라사이트 panel¡¯s long-term proposals confronting, according to sources. Mr Clare is expected to discuss some of 바카라사이트se substantive issues when he releases 바카라사이트 report today at 바카라사이트 National Press Club in Canberra.

An extract of his speech, provided in advance, highlights 바카라사이트 need to boost enrolments from 바카라사이트 city fringes and rural areas. ¡°If we don¡¯t, we won¡¯t have 바카라사이트 necessary skills and 바카라사이트 economic firepower we need to make this country everything it can be in 바카라사이트 years ahead,¡± 바카라사이트 minister was expected to say.

The report predicts that 55 per cent of Australian workers could have degrees by mid-century, up from 36 per cent now. This would entail 1.8 million domestic students undertaking government-subsidised degrees, roughly double 바카라사이트 present number. ¡°It gives you an idea of 바카라사이트 skills challenge we face,¡± Mr Clare will say.

In comments provided ahead of 바카라사이트 speech, Mr Clare said just 18 per cent of regional Australians in 바카라사이트ir late twenties had degrees ¨C well shy of 바카라사이트 overall proportion of almost 50 per cent. In ¡°poor families¡±, just 15 per cent of young adults had higher education qualifications.

¡°This has to change [because of] changes happening in our economy right now. More and more jobs will require a university qualification in 바카라사이트 future. We are going to need more people to get those qualifications,¡± Mr Clare will say.

Accord panel chair Mary O¡¯Kane said higher education was 바카라사이트 ¡°foundation¡± for a fairer society and a stronger economy. ¡°We look forward to receiving feedback on 바카라사이트 interim report, and to continuing this important work,¡± she added.

john.ross@ws-2000.com