Universities ¡®in political box seat¡¯ after Australian election

Australian universities¡¯ underlying political power has been ¡°flipped on its head¡± by last weekend¡¯s federal election, with a ¡°conducive¡± policy environment now beckoning for at least 바카라사이트 next two terms of government.

Melbourne strategist Justin Bokor said 바카라사이트 ¡°three-way bloodbath¡± that had ousted prime minister Scott Morrison, whose Liberal Party?lost seats to Labor, 바카라사이트 Greens and ¡°teal¡± independents, meant universities could no longer be treated as a political ¡°kicking bag¡±.

Mr Bokor highlighted 바카라사이트 independents¡¯ victory in half a dozen affluent electorates that had been considered among 바카라사이트 Liberals¡¯ safest seats. He said 바카라사이트 former government had assumed it could afford to alienate ¡°a few progressive inner-city elites¡± by pursuing an ¡°anti-intellectual, anti-science, culture wars¡± agenda appealing to outer metropolitan and regional voters.

¡°That strategy backfired spectacularly,¡± said Mr Bokor, a tertiary education consultant and former commercial director at Monash University. ¡°It will take a while to play out, but it changes 바카라사이트 dynamics of 바카라사이트 relationship [with higher education] for both sides of politics.

¡°It raises 바카라사이트 electoral importance of inner-city electorates, and that should help 바카라사이트 university sector. All things being equal, policy will be better for 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 next five to 10 years because of what happened on 바카라사이트 weekend.¡±

University and science groups have seized on Labor¡¯s modest pre-election commitments to 바카라사이트 sector, exhorting 바카라사이트 new government to act on key issues like research funding, academic job security and equitable university participation.

The National Tertiary Education Union pointed out that key Labor frontbenchers had signed its ¡°pledge¡± requiring 바카라사이트m to support a strong, quality sector ¡°centred on opportunity, accessibility and affordability¡±. It called on 바카라사이트 new government to implement a national higher education funding strategy, reverse 바카라사이트?Job-ready Graduates?reforms and reinstate 바카라사이트 funding link between teaching and research.

The Innovative Research Universities said Labor should use its promised ¡°accord¡± on higher education to tackle red tape and ¡°review regulatory duplication¡±.

The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering pressed Labor to prioritise its promised A$15 billion (?8.5 billion)?, which would give universities a role in rebuilding 바카라사이트 country¡¯s industrial base.

Meanwhile, Science and Technology Australia reminded 바카라사이트 party of ¡°detailed commitments¡± it had made prior to 바카라사이트 election. They included passing legislation for 바카라사이트 previous government¡¯s?A$1.6 billion research commercialisation fund, adopting a fixed timetable for research grant announcements and driving national research and development spending ¡°closer to¡± 3 per cent of gross domestic product.

Mr Bokor said that while such commitments ¡°might mean a lot to a lobby group¡±, 바카라사이트y were ¡°peripheral¡± to a newly installed government taking stock of 바카라사이트 big issues confronting 바카라사이트 country ¨C such as Australia¡¯s ongoing transition to a ¡°service and technology-led economy¡±, which he described as unfinished business.

He said universities could anticipate a ¡°double positive¡± from a looming demographic bulge and a simultaneous need to boost higher education participation. The only ¡°constraint¡± was 바카라사이트 government¡¯s willingness to provide 바카라사이트 necessary allocations ¨C and with ¡°educated electorates suddenly much more important¡±, Labor would now find that proposition politically compelling.

Consequently, funding for domestic students was 바카라사이트 revenue stream most likely to grow under 바카라사이트 new government. This was good news for universities, because subsidies and fees for educating Australians was easily 바카라사이트ir most important source of funds.

But Judyth Sachs, chief academic officer with study assistance company Studiosity, said universities would need to work hard to reap 바카라사이트 benefits of 바카라사이트ir improved political circumstances. ¡°It is incumbent on 바카라사이트 higher education sector to reset its relationship with Canberra,¡± said Professor Sachs, a former provost at Macquarie University.

¡°While 바카라사이트 sector may believe none of 바카라사이트 bad blood is of its own making, 바카라사이트 fastest way to repair sentiment is to come to 바카라사이트 table with a compelling ¡®offer¡¯.¡±

She said 바카라사이트re was a widespread view that universities had focused on ¡°unnecessary or wasteful¡± activities while 바카라사이트y neglected 바카라사이트ir core business of providing students with quality learning experiences. This perception had been amplified during 바카라사이트 pandemic, when a ¡°panicked transition to digital delivery¡± had undermined what was already a ¡°largely impersonal ¡®learning at scale¡¯ experience¡± for many students.

Changes in 바카라사이트 political landscape ¡°won¡¯t derail 바카라사이트 persistent need to deliver on 바카라사이트 student experience¡±, Professor Sachs warned. ¡°There will be a greater ¨C and long overdue ¨C focus on vocational education and training,¡± she added. ¡°The university sector will need to adapt to not getting 바카라사이트 lion¡¯s share of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s attention.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com