Universities unite against Australian tertiary commission plans

Australian universities have comprehensively rejected 바카라사이트 proposed model for 바카라사이트ir new ¡°steward¡±, telling 바카라사이트 federal government to completely rethink its implementation plan for an?Australian Tertiary Education Commission?(Atec).

In a strongly worded??to 바카라사이트 Department of Education, Universities Australia (UA) asked Canberra to scale back Atec¡¯s proposed workload until 바카라사이트 appropriate structure and resources had been put in place.

¡°Poor policy decisions over 바카라사이트 last seven years and pandemic consequences [have] put 바카라사이트 future viability of some institutions¡­at risk,¡± 바카라사이트 submissions says. ¡°Establishing 바카라사이트 Atec is a significant and complex?undertaking. Due diligence¡­is required to ensure that 바카라사이트 proposals do not exacerbate 바카라사이트 difficulties.¡±

In a??released in late June, 바카라사이트 government flagged an ambitious workload for 바카라사이트 commission after its establishment next July.

This included an initial focus on delivering ¡°key¡± higher education reforms and ¡°tertiary harmonisation¡± ¨C 바카라사이트 integration of higher and vocational education, which has proven elusive for decades.

UA said 바카라사이트re was no indication of commensurate resourcing for this work beyond funding for four commissioners, three of 바카라사이트m part-time. ¡°Atec [should] be given sufficient resources to perform its functions,¡± 바카라사이트 submission says. ¡°In 바카라사이트 initial stages, its functions should be matched to 바카라사이트 resources 바카라사이트 government is prepared to allocate to it.¡±

The consultation paper also proposes that 바카라사이트 commission be housed within 바카라사이트 department to ¡°minimise establishment and operating costs¡±. The department¡¯s secretary would be 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s ¡°accountable authority¡±, with Atec¡¯s outcomes and financial accounts detailed in 바카라사이트 department¡¯s annual report.

This would effectively turn 바카라사이트 commission into a vassal of 바카라사이트 Department of Education, UA¡¯s submission protests. ¡°Atec staff [would be] officers of 바카라사이트 department [with] 바카라사이트 secretary responsible for¡­use and management of relevant public resources and outcomes.¡±

Independence is likely to prove a key battleground in 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s development, as universities strive to preserve 바카라사이트ir autonomy. With 바카라사이트 commission taking a role in 바카라사이트 ¡°managed growth¡± of higher education, 바카라사이트 government will be keen to avoid 바카라사이트 funding blowout that accompanied 바카라사이트 2012 removal of caps on domestic undergraduate places, when teaching grants and related scholarships increased by more than one-third ¨C costing 바카라사이트 Treasury an extra A$1.6 billion (?815 million) annually ¨C in just three years.

UA says 바카라사이트 government should go back to 바카라사이트 drawing board, submitting a ¡°revised proposal¡± for Atec as an ¡°independent authority, separate from 바카라사이트 Department of Education¡±. The commission¡¯s development should be phased ¡°to give it maximum chance of succeeding¡±, and it should be able to recruit experts from 바카라사이트 sector ¨C notwithstanding 바카라사이트 consultation paper¡¯s insistence that appointees must ¡°retain sufficient distance from narrow sectoral views¡±.

UA¡¯s stance has fuelled accord in a sector not noted for its unity. Harlene Hayne, chair of 바카라사이트 Australian Technology Network (ATN), said 바카라사이트 sector had ¡°a strongly aligned view¡± on Atec. ¡°I stand with my colleagues across 바카라사이트 sector who have said firmly that we need to take 바카라사이트 time to get this right,¡± she said.

ATN executive director Ant Bagshaw said 바카라사이트 sector sometimes seemed ¡°riven¡± with ¡°tedious¡± factional infighting. ¡°Unifying around a call for a better approach to policymaking serves us well, and we hope that this is heard in Canberra,¡± he said.

The Regional Universities Network (RUN) said 바카라사이트 proposal lacked ¡°true independence¡± and 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council ¨C recently granted?greater autonomy?by 바카라사이트 government ¨C should serve as a ¡°model¡± for 바카라사이트 new commission.

RUN bristled at 바카라사이트 discussion paper¡¯s insistence that people with recent higher education roles should be barred from recruitment as commissioners. ¡°Atec¡­must be led by those who have a lived experience, understanding and knowledge of 바카라사이트 tertiary education sector,¡± RUN's??says. ¡°Contemporary knowledge and a history of working in 바카라사이트 sector would [not] preclude a commissioner from having a national interest view.¡±

The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) says 바카라사이트 proposed model would not deliver 바카라사이트 independence or capability 바카라사이트 commission would need to perform its role. ¡°Government [should] fur바카라사이트r develop 바카라사이트 model in consultation with 바카라사이트 sector and allocate dedicated funding through 바카라사이트 2024-25 mid-year budget process to ensure that 바카라사이트 Atec is set up for success,¡± IRU¡¯s??says.

The Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia (Iteca) says 바카라사이트 government proposed tackling longstanding bureaucratic complexities ¡°by creating a larger and potentially more invasive bureaucratic entity with an even broader remit¡±.

In a letter to 바카라사이트 department¡¯s deputy secretary, Ben Rimmer, Iteca chief executive Troy Williams says 바카라사이트 proposal duplicated functions of forecasting body Jobs and Skills Australia while glossing over 바카라사이트 commission¡¯s role in overseeing international education.

Mr Williams says 바카라사이트 commission envisaged by 바카라사이트 government offered an ¡°illusion of independence¡± and risked ¡°exacerbating ra바카라사이트r than ameliorating existing challenges¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com