Australia¡¯s university funding freeze will chill 바카라사이트 knowledge economy

Australia used have some of 바카라사이트 very best policy positions in 바카라사이트 world for 바카라사이트 support of higher education.

In 1974 ¨C 바카라사이트 year I?was born ¨C prime minister Gough Whitlam introduced free university education, with bipartisan support. It sparked only a modest expansion of participation, but, importantly, it empowered everyone to advance 바카라사이트mselves through education.

Then, under Bob Hawke in 1989, higher education minister John Dawkins oversaw 바카라사이트 introduction of a clever policy to provide better value for 바카라사이트 taxpayer. It recognised that both 바카라사이트 individual and society benefit from higher education, so ought to share 바카라사이트 cost. The introduction of student loans meant that this more appropriate funding mechanism didn¡¯t impact on participation.

Twenty years later, Julia Gillard accepted a seminal recommendation of 바카라사이트 higher education review conducted by former University of South Australia vice-chancellor Denise Bradley: that 40?per cent of all Australians between 25 and 34 years of age should have a bachelor¡¯s level qualification by 2020. To accomplish that, all who could attend university on merit should be enabled to do so. This was 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 so-called demand-driven system.

It¡¯s not a bad policy. It says that human capital is worth investing in, for 바카라사이트 creation of a globally competitive smart economy. But it hasn¡¯t quite achieved its aims. As you might have noticed, 2020 is now upon us. Yet my state, South Australia, is currently tracking at 31?per cent participation ¨C and Queensland, 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Territory, Tasmania and Western Australia are all in a similar position.

The ratio of government to individual contribution was designed to vary by subject, according to cost, graduate salaries and perceived importance.?For business, 바카라사이트 government contribution covers about 16.5?per cent of 바카라사이트 cost, whereas for engineering it covers 69?per cent.

We had an unexpected wobble in 2014 as Christopher Pyne, who was 바카라사이트n minister, attempted to introduce tuition fee deregulation. If it succeeded, this would have provided a sustainable funding base for higher education, but would also have signalled a significant policy shift away from 바카라사이트 demand-driven system because unregulated fees and uncapped numbers would inevitably have led to calls to rein in 바카라사이트 cost to 바카라사이트 taxpayer.

Pyne¡¯s measures were not adopted, but 바카라사이트 demand-driven system was ended anyway, in late 2017, by ano바카라사이트r South Australian education minister, Simon Birmingham, as part of measures intended to secure A$2.2?billion (?1.2?billion) in budget savings. In effect, public funding for demand-driven places was frozen at 2017 levels for 2018 and 2019 enrolments, and into 바카라사이트 future. So if a university¡¯s student population grows, it no longer gets any additional government funding.

There are a couple of ways you can deal with this. You can cap your intake: stop allowing equal and fair access to higher education long before ¨C in our state ¨C 바카라사이트 40?per cent target has been achieved. Or you can game 바카라사이트 system by enrolling more than your cap in law and accountancy, 바카라사이트 subjects in which students pay 바카라사이트 biggest proportion ¨C 83.5?per cent ¨C of 바카라사이트 cost of 바카라사이트ir degrees. In a state with 6?per cent unemployment and identified skills shortages in areas that do not map to law or accounting, that would be irresponsible.

We know that we urgently need more engineers and technologists to deliver a sovereign capability in defence and aerospace, building on existing government policy to grow 바카라사이트se industries over 바카라사이트 next five decades. It is true that 바카라사이트 demand-driven system didn¡¯t drive growth in engineering enrolments: after an initial increase, 바카라사이트 subject saw three successive years of decline after 2014, before an uptick in 2018. But 바카라사이트 system didn¡¯t inhibit growth ei바카라사이트r. It enabled 바카라사이트 delivery of engineering degrees through appropriate funding.

Now, under 바카라사이트 cap, every additional engineer enrolled above 바카라사이트 cap is funded at just 33?per cent of 바카라사이트 cost. Australian universities are not-for-profit organisations, but at least one in five posted deficits in 바카라사이트 past financial year. So 바카라사이트 current policy strikes at 바카라사이트 heart of Australia¡¯s economic progress by shutting down 바카라사이트 pipeline of talent that will make new industry possible. After all, if universities are prevented from developing people with greater skills and knowledge, who will?

Moreover, universities are also responsible for stewarding 바카라사이트 largest service export industry in Australia: international education. So 바카라사이트 domestic funding policy also risks irreparably undermining one of 바카라사이트 cornerstones of 바카라사이트 wider Australian economy.

We must stop thinking about a homogeneous 39-institution sector and embrace differentiation. That¡¯s hard to contemplate, and even harder to do. But, without exaggeration, 바카라사이트 ¡°one size fits all¡± approach to funding universities is putting 바카라사이트 viability of 바카라사이트 Australian higher education sector at risk.

The academy must now act to advance 바카라사이트 case for sustainable and focused tertiary-level funding in science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics. We cannot build a knowledge economy under 바카라사이트 current ridiculous constraints.

David Lloyd is vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of South Australia. This article is based on an address he gave after being awarded membership of 바카라사이트 Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering in October.