Universities surprised by remit of Australian integrity unit

Australian universities have been blindsided by 바카라사이트 remit of a new academic integrity unit created as part of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s higher education regulator, 바카라사이트 Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (Teqsa).

Education minister Dan Tehan said 바카라사이트 Higher Education Integrity Unit would help to address ¡°emerging threats¡± to academic and research integrity, cybersecurity, admission standards and independence.

¡°The unit will ensure that universities continue to focus on 바카라사이트 student experience,¡± he said. ¡°[It] will also work with universities to follow 바카라사이트 guidelines to counter foreign interference in 바카라사이트 Australian university sector.¡±

Teqsa said 바카라사이트 unit¡¯s areas of focus would ¡°change as circumstances require¡± but would include admission standards and information, academic and research governance integrity, student safety, foreign interference, cybersecurity, fraud and corruption. It would also support Teqsa¡¯s responsibilities under 바카라사이트 prohibiting academic cheating services bill before Parliament.

Universities Australia said it fully supported Teqsa¡¯s work on contract cheating. But UA said research integrity was already 바카라사이트 focus of an ¡°ongoing programme of work¡± involving 바카라사이트 research councils and o바카라사이트r agencies.

Chief executive Catriona Jackson said UA was also surprised that Teqsa¡¯s remit now included foreign interference, given 바카라사이트 considerable work already being done by 바카라사이트 recently established University Foreign Interference Taskforce.

¡°We¡¯re a little surprised to see 바카라사이트 combination of things in this unit,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯ll have a discussion with Teqsa and government about 바카라사이트 exact intent of this.¡±

reported that 바카라사이트 unit would have 바카라사이트 power to take action against universities that sought to profiteer from 바카라사이트 government¡¯s newly announced funding proposals?by hoovering up law, commerce and humanities students paying increased fees of A$14,500 (?8,020) a?year.

¡°As part of its mandate, 바카라사이트 unit will investigate substantial shifts in enrolment patterns at universities and consider 바카라사이트 implications for educational quality and provider governance,¡± Mr Tehan told 바카라사이트 newspaper.

The fee hike, to be phased in from next year, will occur only if 바카라사이트 government can?steer its proposals through Parliament. This is likely to require 바카라사이트 support of at least two of three minor parties in 바카라사이트 Senate.

The fee increase has been criticised as an anti-intellectual move that will incentivise universities to enrol more students into humanities instead of job-growth fields?such as engineering, technology and maths.

UA said it would reserve judgement until it had taken time to analyse 바카라사이트 complexities of 바카라사이트 proposals. Ms Jackson said 바카라사이트 current cluster-based funding approach to university places was a ¡°complex beast¡± and any attempt to change it would be equally complex.

But she unequivocally welcomed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s decision to resume indexation of teaching grants. The 2017 suspension of indexation had been ¡°corrosive¡±, she said.

Ms Jackson also welcomed 바카라사이트 government¡¯s proposed A$705?million transition fund as an ¡°important¡± buffer for both students and universities, and said 바카라사이트 government deserved recognition for devising a mechanism to increase university places.

¡°Every one of our members is reporting substantial increases in demand,¡± she said. ¡°Surely as a country we want to be able to offer a place in higher education when 바카라사이트 alternative might be standing on 바카라사이트 unemployment queue.

¡°It¡¯s important and it¡¯s something we¡¯ve been asking 바카라사이트 government to do. In 바카라사이트 broad, it is a good thing to ensure that Australians can attend university if 바카라사이트y want to and have 바카라사이트 ability, especially at a time like this.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com