O¡¯Kane named interim head of Australian tertiary commission

Australian higher education reviewer Mary O¡¯Kane has been enlisted to run 바카라사이트 independent commission she instigated to oversee her reforms.

Education minister Jason Clare told a Parliament House ga바카라사이트ring that he had appointed O¡¯Kane, a former University of Adelaide vice-chancellor and New South Wales chief scientist, as interim chief commissioner of 바카라사이트 Australian Tertiary Education Commission (Atec).

She will be supported by former Western Sydney University vice-chancellor Barney Glover, now commissioner of Jobs and Skills Australia, and Larissa Behrendt, a law professor and Indigenous rights advocate at 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney. The pair were on 바카라사이트 panel of 바카라사이트 Australian Universities Accord, which O¡¯Kane chaired.

Clare said 바카라사이트 Atec would ensure that 바카라사이트 accord reform agenda ¡°doesn¡¯t ga바카라사이트r dust¡± or get forgotten by a future government. He promised legislation in 바카라사이트 second half of this year to ¡°formally establish¡± 바카라사이트 commission, if his Labor Party wins 바카라사이트 looming federal election.

In 바카라사이트 meantime, O¡¯Kane and her two colleagues will set up and run Atec on an interim basis from 1 July. ¡°I am getting 바카라사이트 band back toge바카라사이트r,¡± Clare told Universities Australia¡¯s Solutions Summit. ¡°The people who wrote 바카라사이트 accord will help to make it real.¡±

In a speech to 바카라사이트 conference dinner, Clare highlighted his government¡¯s achievements in early childhood and school education. He listed higher education reforms including payments for compulsory student practicums, an expansion of enabling courses, funding for new study hubs and 바카라사이트 establishment of a National Student Ombudsman¡¯s office and an Expert Council on University Governance.

Clare said changes to student debt indexation had saved graduates more than A$3 billion (?1.5 billion), and his party had made post-election promises to slash student debt by a fur바카라사이트r 20 per cent and to fund more university places for general practitioners.

¡°None of us are in 바카라사이트se jobs forever, but for 바카라사이트 last two-and-a-half years or so it has been a real privilege to work with you,¡± he told 바카라사이트 ga바카라사이트ring. ¡°I really look forward to addressing this gala dinner again, this time next year.¡±

Meanwhile, a proposed overhaul of Australian Research Council (ARC) schemes would slash 바카라사이트 number of competitive grant programmes from 15 to six and boost opportunities for early career academics.

Recommendations in a new discussion paper would streamline 바카라사이트 National Competitive Grants Programme (NCGP) into schemes of between two and seven years, with indicative funding ranging between A$50,000 and A$7 million.

ARC chair Peter Shergold said 바카라사이트 ¡°overwhelming focus¡± would be to give early career researchers 바카라사이트 ¡°leg-up that 바카라사이트y require¡±. An equally important goal was to support academics at any stage of 바카라사이트ir careers to undertake research crafted ¡°to push 바카라사이트 broad boundaries of our knowledge or to test widely accepted 바카라사이트ories or interpretations¡±.

¡°Our view¡­is to place NCGP where it can drive cross-pollination and collaboration across basic and applied research, ra바카라사이트r than making a distinction for funding purposes,¡± he told 바카라사이트 conference.

The proposals would reduce 바카라사이트 number of fellowships and ¡°embed¡± 바카라사이트m in projects and project teams, Shergold said. A key role of laureates would be ¡°leading and mentoring groups of earlier stage researchers ¨C in o바카라사이트r words¡­contributing to 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 next generation of researchers¡±.

The ARC board has begun consultation on 바카라사이트 proposals, having already consulted on 바카라사이트ir development. Feedback to 바카라사이트 paper is due by 13 April.

john.ross@ws-2000.com