http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/bradley_recommends_6billion_un
17 December 2009
The National Tertiary Education Union today welcomed the release by the Minister for Education Julia Gillard, of the final report of the Review of Australian Higher Education.
“The report’s recommendations for significantly increased public investment for both teaching and research in higher education are strongly supported by NTEU. The proposed injection of nearly $6 billion over 4 years will go a long way to improving the quality and accessibility of universities after 15 years of neglect. The importance of regionally based and outer metropolitan universities is recognised and the report’s specific recommendations will help promote the future viability of regional Australia.”
“NTEU is encouraged that the Minister has indicated that the Government’s response to the Report will be based on the core principles of opportunity for all, access based on merit and not ability to pay and maintenance of academic freedom and institutional autonomy,” Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU National President, said today.
“The Union strongly supports recommendations for improved student income and scholarship support. Increased educational opportunity is critical to improving workforce participation and productivity, especially among those who are seeking a second chance education. Indigenous education and participation is an important example”, said Dr Allport.
One of the important issues identified in the report is that of recruitment and retention of academic staff within universities.
“We look forward to working with both Government and individual universities to help develop strategies to overcome impending staffing shortages including policies aimed at increasing the number of home-grown academics, training more postgraduate students, improving the relative attractiveness of working conditions, and providing greater job security and flexibility in working arrangements.”
“The proposed student demand driven model needs further consideration. The introduction of such a model may undermine the viability of the provision of less popular, high cost and nationally important education programs in science, mathematics and languages”, said Dr Allport.
NTEU strongly opposes any re-introduction of full-fees for domestic undergraduate students as proposed in the Report, which runs contrary to the Minister’s decision earlier in 2008 to phase out such full fee places.
“Public universities must serve the public good, and should not be given the choice of admitting some of their students on a full-fee basis and others as government-supported students”, said Dr Allport.
The new funding arrangements have the potential to disadvantage universities compared to private, non university providers who do not have the same research and community service obligations. A good case has not been made to subsidise these private providers.
Contact: Dr Carolyn Allport, President NTEU 0419 349 064
Paul Kniest 0418 170 622
http://www.nteu.org.au/news/current/bradley_recommends_6billion_un
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