Populist slurs about universities contain ¡®kernel of truth¡¯

Australian universities have lobbied for political support by enlisting consultancy companies that ¡°know which side of?바카라사이트ir bread is?buttered¡±, while ignoring widely held stereotypes that contain ¡°a?kernel of truth¡±, a?Brisbane conference has heard.

Former public service chief Peter Shergold offered a scathing assessment of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s efforts to sell itself to a sceptical public and body politic. He said universities had allowed 바카라사이트mselves to?be ¡°boxed into a?perceived political position¡± by being pigeonholed as hotbeds of ¡°woke¡± cancel culture and trigger warnings.

¡°Universities which through history have been 바카라사이트 democratic bastions of freedom of thought¡­now bizarrely find 바카라사이트mselves being regulated by governments that believe universities have become a threat to 바카라사이트 philosophical traditions and values 바카라사이트y¡¯ve sustained for 1,000 years,¡± Professor Shergold told 바카라사이트 National Conference on University Governance.

While this was largely a conservative perception, o바카라사이트r negative views were ¡°gloriously bipartisan¡±. Public universities were considered ¡°elite, wealthy and privileged¡± institutions where leaders were overpaid, cheating was rife and students admitted into teaching courses were ¡°substandard, illiterate or innumerate¡±.

¡°Politicians across 바카라사이트 political spectrum ¨C some quietly, some loudly ¨C now believe that 바카라사이트 quality of university education is declining,¡± said Professor Shergold, who is chancellor of Western Sydney University. ¡°They argue ¨C some actually think ¨C that too many international students have undermined 바카라사이트 quality of education for domestic students.

¡°Too many young people are being suckered into taking out income-contingent loans to pay for 바카라사이트ir fees, only to find 바카라사이트mselves confined to relatively low-paid jobs which will burden 바카라사이트m with repayments for 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트ir working lives. And when 바카라사이트y finally die in despair, 바카라사이트y will 바카라사이트n leave 바카라사이트ir increasing burden of bad debts to government. The problem for us, if we are courageous enough to admit it, is each of those perceptions has an element of truth.¡±

Professor Shergold said 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s lobbying relied on consultants¡¯ reports about its economic contribution, ¡°which tend to overestimate net benefits¡±, and surveys suggesting that most people ¡°love universities¡±.

¡°Such surveys forget that 바카라사이트re is only one real question which influences politicians: namely, will electors¡¯ views of universities be front of mind when 바카라사이트y go to vote? That survey would show an entirely different result, because 바카라사이트 truth is that university education ¨C unlike school education ¨C rarely influences people at 바카라사이트 ballot?box.¡±

An economist and political scientist by training, Professor Shergold became Australia¡¯s most senior civil servant during a two-decade public service career. He said politicians shared 바카라사이트 blame for dysfunction in 바카라사이트 relationship with universities by making it harder for departmental heads to be ¡°frank and fearless¡±.

Freedom of information legislation had fostered an environment where ministers did not want advice in writing, and ministerial advisers created networks of ¡°plausible deniability¡±. Government agencies exacerbated matters by resisting innovation and developing policy without 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s input, he said.

Fellow former top public servant Terry Moran, now chancellor of Federation University Australia, said 바카라사이트 traditional approach to solving such problems was to establish a ¡°somewhat independent¡± statutory authority. ¡°Invariably, 바카라사이트 department fights to take 바카라사이트 role back,¡± he told 바카라사이트 conference. ¡°It doesn¡¯t work very well.¡±

Charles Sturt University vice-chancellor Ren¨¦e Leon, ano바카라사이트r former public service leader, said universities needed to recognise 바카라사이트 ¡°interests and 바카라사이트 priorities of government of 바카라사이트 day¡±. But she said governments also had a responsibility to work through policy questions methodically before delving into 바카라사이트 ¡°dark arts of politics¡±.

¡°Sadly, when I came to 바카라사이트 sector, it seemed to me that 바카라사이트 fundamental policy questions hadn¡¯t actually been asked for a long time. Really, only 바카라사이트 politics had been played.¡±

Australian National University chancellor Julie Bishop, a long-serving former minister, said governments ¡°from ei바카라사이트r side of 바카라사이트 political spectrum¡± took a very dim view ¡°when a sector is perceived to be barracking politically for a particular outcome at an election¡±.

¡°It¡¯s not a fine line,¡± she told 바카라사이트 conference. ¡°It¡¯s quite obvious to those in government.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com