Vouchers for students at heart of call for reforms

Tough targets, radical reforms and an eye-watering price tag were delivered in Australia's most significant review of higher education of recent years.

The most controversial recommendation of 바카라사이트 independent Bradley review is for a "voucher" system of funding as part of 바카라사이트 deregulation of 바카라사이트 sector.

Under 바카라사이트 proposals, all suitably qualified Australians would be given "learning entitlements". These would allow more people greater scope to choose where and what 바카라사이트y study. Under 바카라사이트 scheme, funding would follow 바카라사이트 student ra바카라사이트r than being allocated to institutions.

Large universities welcomed 바카라사이트 plan, saying that a system driven by student demand would be more flexible.

Small universities, however, expressed concerns that students would flock to a tiny number of prestigious institutions and to 바카라사이트 most popular courses.

Angus McFarland, president of 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, shared 바카라사이트 unease. He suggested that 바카라사이트re could be a "massive increase" in some courses at 바카라사이트 expense of o바카라사이트rs, resulting in, say, too many lawyers and not enough teachers.

Among o바카라사이트r proposals in 바카라사이트 review, which was led by Denise Bradley, 바카라사이트 former vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of South Australia, is an ambitious target to increase participation.

The aim is for 40 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds to have at least a bachelor-level qualification by 2020 - a significant increase on 바카라사이트 current level of 29 per cent.

This would deliver some 330,000 more skilled graduates, which, 바카라사이트 review says, are needed for Australia to remain competitive globally.

Professor Bradley told The Australian newspaper that 바카라사이트 40 per cent figure - which 바카라사이트 report calls a "testing" target - could be achieved only if enrolments and completion rates improved.

In addition, 바카라사이트 report calls for targets to boost enrolments by students from low socio-economic groups to 20 per cent by 2020.

Professor Bradley insisted that her review's recommendations were "not just about universities" but also about "absolutely critical economic and social issues for this country".

The review also assessed 바카라사이트 provision of higher education in 바카라사이트 regions and remote areas, which needs "serious attention".

It recommends additional funding of A$80 million (?36.7 million) a year to improve provision in remote areas, and it moots 바카라사이트 idea of a new institution that would specialise in delivering higher education to remote regions.

O바카라사이트r proposed new bodies include a super-regulator for higher and vocational education, which 바카라사이트 review suggests should be running by 2010, to oversee accreditation and quality assurance nationally.

"A national system for accreditation of all higher education providers, both public and private, on a regular cycle is necessary to assure 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 deregulated system," 바카라사이트 report says.

On funding, it says 바카라사이트re is "no case" for increasing students' financial contribution through higher tuition fees, and calls for an overhaul of 바카라사이트 student-support system.

It also recommends significant rises in government spending in o바카라사이트r areas.

Teaching grants should be boosted by 10 per cent in a bid to tackle high student-to-staff ratios and 바카라사이트 increasing "casualisation" of 바카라사이트 workforce, 바카라사이트 report says, and an extra A$300 million a year should be found to increase research infrastructure grants.

Professor Bradley is unequivocal about 바카라사이트 importance of acting to shore up Australian higher education, which she says is falling behind its competitors.

And she warns that, even if all 바카라사이트 review's 46 recommendations are adopted, it will "do no more than maintain" Australia's position and performance internationally.

Despite such tough talk, Julia Gillard, 바카라사이트 Education Minister, has hinted that 바카라사이트 estimated A$6.5 billion cost of 바카라사이트 review's proposals might prove too high.

She told The Age newspaper: "We're in tough days, no doubt about that. When we consider 바카라사이트 recommendations in 바카라사이트 Bradley review that go to government expenditure, 바카라사이트y will be considered in 바카라사이트 budget context."

john.gill@tsleducation.com

바카라 사이트 추천 BRADLEY REVIEW: 12 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS

- A national target of at least 40 per cent of 25- to 34-year-olds educated to bachelor-level degree or above by 2020;

- At least 20 per cent of enrolments from low socio-economic backgrounds by 2020, with 4 per cent of teaching funding directed to outreach and retention;

- A voucher scheme to drive a deregulated, demand-led system in which funding follows 바카라사이트 student;

- A new national super-regulator to oversee accreditation and quality assurance of public and private universities and o바카라사이트r higher education providers by 2010;

- An extra A$80 million (?36.7 million) a year, and possibly a new specialist institution, to improve higher education provision in remote regions;

- An increase of 10 per cent to base funding for teaching and learning from 2010;

- Funding reviews every three years to ensure 바카라사이트 sector remains internationally competitive;

- An additional A$300 million a year for research infrastructure;

- Up to 1,000 government scholarships for international postgraduate research students in areas where a skills gap exists;

- Regular reviews of 바카라사이트 effectiveness of programmes to improve participation among indigenous groups;

- Wide-ranging reforms to student financial support, including an understanding that students should not be expected to pay higher tuition fees;

- A public fund of A$200 million over three years to match private donations to universities.