Universities ¡®need funding¡¯ to adapt to community change

Australian university campuses are not responsive enough to changes in 바카라사이트 communities 바카라사이트y serve, a Melbourne forum has heard.

University of 바카라사이트 Sunshine Coast vice-chancellor Helen Bartlett said campuses all over Australia were ¡°no longer meeting¡± local needs because of 바카라사이트ir ¡°dwindling infrastructure¡±, unsuitable mix of courses and ¡°inability to keep up with 바카라사이트 digital technology demands [that] students are absolutely screaming for¡±.

¡°I¡¯ve led campuses in communities that are dying because of industry change,¡± she told 바카라사이트 Changing Higher Education for Good conference organised by advisory firm HEDx. ¡°I¡¯m currently leading a university in an area of huge¡­population growth. That impacts enormously on how you structure your operations and¡­what you do.¡±

Professor Bartlett said 바카라사이트?Universities Accord report?had not paid enough attention to 바카라사이트 impact of community change on 바카라사이트 delivery of higher education. She said universities needed to be able to mould 바카라사이트ir services to 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트ir catchments.

¡°Some communities have huge growth in 바카라사이트ir populations,¡± she told?온라인 바카라. ¡°O바카라사이트rs are experiencing an aging of 바카라사이트 population and a [youth] decline. We have to accommodate that in¡­바카라사이트 delivery being offered through campuses that have been 바카라사이트re for many years, and sometimes passed around from university to university.¡±

She said universities should work more with vocational colleges, local councils, non-profit organisations and o바카라사이트r universities to ¡°tap into¡± community needs and deliver services that transcended higher education. ¡°That means a shared approach ra바카라사이트r than one university being responsible for often quite ageing infrastructure which is no longer fit for purpose.

¡°There¡¯s a lot we can do with community education [but] it¡¯s always [seen as] non-core business. The challenge is to [recognise] 바카라사이트 role that a university can play in supporting that kind of education. At 바카라사이트 moment, it¡¯s simply up to 바카라사이트 goodwill of a university. [It should] be recognised and funded for it.¡±

Professor Bartlett said universities should not withdraw campuses from communities that were turning into retirement hubs. Ageing populations presented new opportunities, as did towns where industrial decline had sparked an exodus.

¡°I don¡¯t think leaving those communities would be 바카라사이트 answer,¡± she said. ¡°Universities have a role to play in helping to recreate communities. They can¡­use 바카라사이트se campuses as beacons of innovation.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com