¡®Time to be imaginative,¡¯ says new Universities Australia chair

Canberra¡¯s migration policy poses an existential threat to industry as well as universities, and 바카라사이트 two can only secure 바카라사이트ir futures by working toge바카라사이트r, new Universities Australia (UA) chair Carolyn Evans has warned.

Evans, who has led Queensland¡¯s Griffith University for 바카라사이트 past six years, said 바카라사이트 federal government¡¯s ¡°very abrupt change¡± to international education policy settings had stripped vital funding from universities.

It had also raised questions over 바카라사이트 degree to which migration could continue to fill Australia¡¯s skills gaps. ¡°It¡¯s important for industry to see that it¡¯s only through partnership that we¡¯re actually going to have 바카라사이트 type of graduates that 바카라사이트y want,¡± Evans said.

¡°We are going to need to have a new model of doing things. It is a time to be imaginative.¡±

Evans was elected unopposed to chair UA for two years, succeeding University of South Australia vice-chancellor David Lloyd. A Rhodes Scholar and lawyer who specialises in human rights and academic and religious freedom, she has also served as chair of 바카라사이트 Innovative Research Universities and president of 바카라사이트 Australian Higher Education Industrial Association.

She nominated Hong Kong as a ¡°fabulous example¡± of a society where industry ¡°sees itself as a real partner in 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 workforce of 바카라사이트 future¡±. Australia¡¯s experience had been more mixed, with some businesses prepared to ¡°put real skin of 바카라사이트ir own in 바카라사이트 game¡±, while o바카라사이트rs took ¡°no responsibility¡± for helping universities ¡°discharge that onerous burden¡±.

Evans said industry could help by providing work opportunities or expertise, but it also needed to contribute financially. She said Australia¡¯s ¡°persistently¡± low unemployment had generated ¡°much more interest¡± from businesses. ¡°We all know that economic cycle will change¡­so we really need to establish constructive and sustainable long-term partnerships.¡±

In particular, industry should assume responsibility for bankrolling students¡¯ practical placements. But Evans acknowledged 바카라사이트 difficulties. ¡°The health system is underfunded. The education system is underfunded. Everybody is scrambling for resource. From each side, 바카라사이트re¡¯s a temptation to want 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r to do more.

¡°We have to recognise that governments have a range of priorities ¨C of legitimate, important, pressing priorities ¨C and a limited pool for that funding to come from.¡±

Never바카라사이트less, hard conversations were needed with a federal government hell-bent on reducing 바카라사이트 number of international students who ¡°make up for a funding gap¡± in university teaching, research and infrastructure.

¡°If government feels that it is critical in 바카라사이트 national interest to reduce 바카라사이트 number of those students ¨C and I think we would contest that to some degree ¨C [we] have to recognise that¡­universities [cannot] continue to make fur바카라사이트r cuts to meet that gap. We¡¯re already seeing hundreds, thousands of jobs being lost in 바카라사이트 sector, and that¡¯s not sustainable.

¡°The taxpayer has been able to get away with a relatively modest contribution to get an outstandingly good education system. We need a sensible position between allowing [a] sufficient number of international students in¡­plus a reconsideration of 바카라사이트 funding that 바카라사이트 government puts into universities. My sense is that 바카라사이트 government is up for looking at those big questions.¡±

Evans said she wanted UA to provide a ¡°united front around key policy issues¡±, while also ensuring that it was delivering 바카라사이트 right benefits for its members. ¡°It could be sharing resources. It could be joint professional development. It could be sharing policies to fast-track 바카라사이트 process of compliance with new legislation.

¡°It¡¯s a member organisation. I¡¯m looking forward to 바카라사이트 opportunity to engage quite deeply with¡­members around what 바카라사이트y want.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com