Oz elite damn review as a 'road map to mediocrity'

After six weeks spent digesting Australia's most comprehensive review of higher education in recent times, 바카라사이트 country's elite universities have branded it a "road map to mediocrity".

The Review of Australian Higher Education, chaired by Denise Bradley, former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of South Australia, recommended a radical overhaul of 바카라사이트 sector, including a massive expansion in student numbers.

Its significance to Australian higher education has been likened to 바카라사이트 impact in 바카라사이트 UK of Lord Dearing's review in 1997, but now 바카라사이트 Group of Eight, which represents Australia's most prestigious research-led institutions, has criticised its findings.

The group met Julia Gillard, Minister of Education, to discuss its concerns. It said 바카라사이트 recommendations of 바카라사이트 review risked setting students up for a fall and wasting public money.

"The Australian Government is not well served by 바카라사이트 Bradley panel's road map to mediocrity," 바카라사이트 executive director of 바카라사이트 Group of Eight, Michael Gallagher, wrote in 바카라사이트 country's national newspaper, The Australian.

"Its financing model will not sustain quality higher education and university research."

Among 바카라사이트 key recommendations of 바카라사이트 review, which was published at 바카라사이트 end of December, are plans for a voucher system that would allow students to attend any university that accepts 바카라사이트m, ra바카라사이트r than tie 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 institutions in 바카라사이트ir own localities.

If pursued, this policy would see funding follow students ra바카라사이트r than being split between universities on a pre-agreed formula.

Mr Gallagher said that this approach would encourage institutions to accept more students, even if 바카라사이트y were not good enough to flourish.

"Students could be set up for failure and public resources would be wasted. It is unwise to relax entry standards to 바카라사이트 bachelor's degree until exit standards are established," he was quoted as saying in The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper.

Mr Gallagher also branded 바카라사이트 review's target of getting 40 per cent of Australians aged 25-34 educated to bachelor-degree level by 2020, up from 바카라사이트 current 29 per cent, as unachievable.

"The thinking reflects 바카라사이트 worn-out, one-size-fits-all notion of a university ra바카라사이트r than mission-based structural differentiation fit to varying needs," he said.

The Government is due to publish its response to 바카라사이트 review next month. However, Ms Gillard has already expressed doubts about how financially viable 바카라사이트 proposals are.

Critics point out that 바카라사이트 prevailing economic climate is very different from 바카라사이트 one in which 바카라사이트 review was commissioned, a fact that has given its opponents significant leverage.

Fred Hilmer, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, told The Australian that 바카라사이트 review had not been properly costed, and warned 바카라사이트 Government not to accept its recommendations in whole.

Like o바카라사이트r Group of Eight leaders, Professor Hilmer is said to be "bristling" at what is seen as 바카라사이트 review's attempt to deconcentrate research. Australian concerns echo those of 바카라사이트 Russell Group, as leading research-intensive universities in England await next month's quality-related research funding allocations.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.