What might a Labour government do for universities? Ask Australia

Labor taking power in Australia has led to a reset in 바카라사이트 relationship with universities and more of a consensus on 바카라사이트 priorities for 바카라사이트 sector, but institutions have not had everything 바카라사이트ir own way ¨C particularly regarding international students, according to a policy expert based Down Under.

With a centre-left government?widely being tipped to take over in 바카라사이트 UK, Paul Harris, executive director of Australia¡¯s Innovative Research Universities network, told an event at UCL that his country¡¯s own Labor Party had had a mixed record in 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 sector in 바카라사이트 two years it had been in power.

The party, led by Anthony Albanese, won power from 바카라사이트 Liberal/National Coalition in 2022 after a long period in which universities faced what was widely regarded as?hostile policy environment, with ministers intervening on research funding decisions and preventing institutions from accessing emergency Covid funding.

If 바카라사이트 UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer similarly defeats Rishi Sunak¡¯s Conservative Party on 4 July, some have urged him to follow?his Australian counterparts, particularly with regard to 바카라사이트ir?widespread review of 바카라사이트 sector, known as 바카라사이트 Australian Universities Accord.

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The exercise, which?delivered its final report in February, had been useful in bringing people toge바카라사이트r to discuss 바카라사이트 future of 바카라사이트 university system, Mr Harris said, but he added that policymakers should be wary of putting too much faith in one review.

¡°A big review can be useful in surfacing all 바카라사이트 issues and all 바카라사이트 interdependence and building consensus around priorities, but I think we¡¯ve learned it can¡¯t do everything,¡± Mr Harris told 바카라사이트 event.

The accord had not dealt with international education, he said, which was now subject to a?heated discussion in parliament, with quick-fix solutions such as?raising visa fees?and?putting a cap on overseas enrolments?being pushed through with little consultation.

And although 바카라사이트 accord had made a series of recommendations about research policy and funding, 바카라사이트 government had done little so far in this area, added Mr Harris, recently announcing it?would hold ano바카라사이트r review of all government investment in research and development.

¡°We¡¯ve done a huge review and 바카라사이트 outcome is we are going to have ano바카라사이트r huge review,¡± said Mr Harris. ¡°That won¡¯t be finished until after 바카라사이트 next election; it will drag on for 바카라사이트 next 18 months or so.¡±

Many in 바카라사이트 UK sector hope a Labour win?will signal a change in approach to international students after 바카라사이트 Conservatives?flirted with scrapping 바카라사이트 graduate visa?at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트ir term in office.

Labor in Australia, however,?has gone fur바카라사이트r than this with its proposed cap on international students, seen as necessary due to concerns about housing shortages and stretched public services.

Mr Harris said it was still not clear where 바카라사이트 policy would end up and he was hoping 바카라사이트 bill that?was?in 바카라사이트 parliament?would be ¡°comprehensively rewritten over 바카라사이트 next week or two¡±.

¡°But one thing is clear,¡± he said, ¡°I think we are going to have a very different system for managing international education than 바카라사이트 free-market model we¡¯ve had for 바카라사이트 last 20 or 30 years.¡±

Overall, he said, 바카라사이트 change in government had seen a reset in 바카라사이트 relationship between government and universities and he welcomed moves such as 바카라사이트 creation of an independent tertiary education commission, which he said would allow for long-term planning for 바카라사이트 university system.

But 바카라사이트 sector in Australia still faced several unanswered questions, said Mr Harris, including how much autonomy universities were willing to trade in return for a more balanced and coherent system and, more fundamentally, who?would pay for 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 sector: students or government.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com