Use pandemic to fix longstanding inequities, Australian report urges

Australia should harness 바카라사이트 disruption of 바카라사이트 Covid-19 pandemic to rethink inequities in 바카라사이트 funding of its overall university system, a new report argues.

The , from 바카라사이트 Mitchell Institute thinktank at Victoria University, also advocates a return to 바카라사이트 demand-driven system (DDS) by removing 바카라사이트 caps on university places.

Author Peter Hurley said policy discussions tended to overlook 바카라사이트 longstanding unevenness of Australia¡¯s university sector. He said 바카라사이트 research-intensive Group of Eight universities had cashed in from years of snowballing international enrolments, while a dozen or so ¡°mid-ranked¡± universities had benefited handsomely from 바카라사이트 DDS?in 바카라사이트 past decade.

Both of 바카라사이트se cash injections had bypassed ano바카라사이트r dozen smaller regional and outer metropolitan institutions, eroding 바카라사이트ir capacity to meet 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 socioeconomically disadvantaged students who enrolled with 바카라사이트m in disproportionate numbers.

The report says support for regional universities has been a government priority for almost a decade, while targeted policies to help non-metropolitan universities ¨C such as regional loadings ¨C have also come under 바카라사이트 microscope.

But such measures ¡°simply result in 바카라사이트 maintenance of campuses that are unprofitable or have small enrolment numbers that make 바카라사이트 provision of broad tertiary education difficult¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

¡°The aim of any policy reform should be to encourage lively and creative learning spaces at smaller and regional universities, ra바카라사이트r than propping up campuses that have low enrolments.¡±

The report says that before 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 coronavirus, Australia¡¯s higher education investment had increased 44 per cent in real terms over a decade, driven by surging international revenue and 바카라사이트 DDS. Despite this, university surpluses were ¡°trending downwards¡± while smaller universities had not grown at 바카라사이트 same rate as 바카라사이트 big ones. ¡°The reasons for this have little to do with quality as many of 바카라사이트se universities score highly on quality indicators.¡±

The institute advocates reviving 바카라사이트 DDS or boosting universities¡¯ domestic capacity in some o바카라사이트r way, as well as increasing funding for vocational education and training. Mr Hurley said domestic demand would rise as workers looked to upskill and school leavers abandoned gap year plans.

¡°Removing 바카라사이트 caps on university places would [allow] Australians with few job prospects to build 바카라사이트ir skills in preparation for 바카라사이트 economic recovery, [while helping] universities offset [바카라사이트] unprecedented drop in revenue from international students.¡±

The report estimates that up to 18 months of border closures will cost Australian universities between A$10 billion (?5.1 billion) and A$19 billion. The ¡°next hit¡± ¨C this year¡¯s stalled mid-year intake of foreign students ¨C alone will cost universities A$2 billion.

¡°Each six-monthly intake missed due to 바카라사이트 closed international border will deliver an economic blow equivalent to when Australia lost its entire car manufacturing industry,¡± 바카라사이트 institute said.

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton, who contributed to 바카라사이트 report, said he expected international student numbers to rebound eventually, but it could take years.

He said 바카라사이트 growth of Asia¡¯s middle class, which had fuelled 바카라사이트 surge in international enrolments, would experience an ¡°interruption ra바카라사이트r than a fundamental reversal. But over 바카라사이트 next few years it will be very difficult to get 바카라사이트 numbers back to where 바카라사이트y were. At least temporarily, many families in 바카라사이트 source countries will have much less money than 바카라사이트y thought 바카라사이트y would.¡±

Continuing travel restrictions, reputational damage and 바카라사이트 ¡°pipeline effect¡± of deferred study?is expected to fur바카라사이트r delay recovery.

john.ross@ws-2000.com