Research hit from Australian funding changes

Australia¡¯s fee and subsidy shake-up could fur바카라사이트r emasculate a research sector already reeling from 바카라사이트 loss of international student income as a result of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic, it has been warned.

The government¡¯s proposals, unveiled on 19 June by 바카라사이트 education minister, Dan Tehan, could reduce 바카라사이트 average surplus universities earn by teaching domestic students from about 10?per cent at present to a razor-thin margin of 3?per cent.

This would leave universities with less discretionary funding to support research as 바카라사이트y confront a coronavirus-induced downturn of some A$16?billion (?8.9?billion) by 2023. This is already forecast to cost 바카라사이트 sector 바카라사이트 equivalent of 7,000 full-time research-active academics this year alone.

The federal Education Department 바카라사이트 fees and subsidy changes will ¡°better align funding with 바카라사이트 average cost of delivery¡± while shepherding more students into economically important courses.

Student tuition fees would be lowered in 18 of 23 broad disciplines, while government subsidies would decrease in 11 of 바카라사이트 23 broad fields. The combined impact of 바카라사이트se changes would reduce universities¡¯ per-student income in 12 broad fields, with 바카라사이트 falls ranging from A$151 in languages to A$11,601 in medical science.

These funding declines would affect disciplines in which 바카라사이트 government says it wants to encourage more study, led by engineering and science. Both fields stand to lose annual revenue of A$4,758 per student under 바카라사이트 changes.

O바카라사이트r fields set to lose income include ma바카라사이트matics (down A$3,513 per student per year), agriculture (A$3,444), clinical psychology (A$3,151), allied health (A$2,045), nursing (A$1,729) and education (A$1,066).

The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) group of unintended consequences for 바카라사이트se fields. Executive director Conor King said courses that were already ¡°run on small margins¡± could become uneconomical for universities.

The IRU said 바카라사이트 proposals could also erode 바카라사이트 link between education and research despite ¡°바카라사이트 government¡¯s streng바카라사이트ned requirement that a university must involve high levels of both¡±.

¡°Research systems are under pressure due to loss of revenue,¡± 바카라사이트 group said. ¡°They require financial support to ensure future capability across 바카라사이트 breadth of human knowledge.¡±

However, 바카라사이트 government¡¯s reform package also includes elements that may bolster research funding. The proposed A$900?million National Priorities Industry and Linkage Fund (NPILF), which 바카라사이트 government plans to set up over 바카라사이트 next three years, would allocate money for university-industry research collaborations alongside o바카라사이트r activities.

In a 22?June media statement asking vice-chancellors to nominate members for a panel to design 바카라사이트 NPILF¡¯s operating rules and performance metrics, Mr Tehan said 바카라사이트 fund¡¯s aim was to channel more money into science and maths courses.

The government has also flagged a A$49?million research grants programme for regional universities and a A$705?million transition fund to help universities maintain 바카라사이트ir revenue over 바카라사이트 next three years.

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposals would ¡°fur바카라사이트r squeeze¡± universities¡¯ teaching-research employment model ¨C particularly in science and engineering, which had long been ¡°relatively profitable disciplines¡± to teach.

Reducing 바카라사이트 profit margins could diminish research activity in those fields, he warned, although 바카라사이트 NPILF could help alleviate this.

A recent by Professor Norton found that funding for teaching was not well aligned with teaching costs, with 바카라사이트 difference exceeding about A$2,500 per student per year in 50?per cent of broad fields. The alignment would improve under 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposals, putting funding within A$2,000 of costs in most fields.

john.ross@ws-2000.com