CSIRO gets the razor

08/11/2013 by
CSIRO

Fairfax Media   |    8 November 2013  The Coalition government's commitment to science is being questioned after its failure  failure to nominate a dedicated science minister  (for the first time in 80 years) and subsequent decisions, including the closure of the global warming advisory body the Climate Change Commission, and revelations  that Australia will not be sending its environment minister, Greg Hunt, or any ministerial stand-in to international climate change negotiations starting on Monday in Warsaw - and the failure of the Prime Minister to attend the Prime Minister's  Awards for Science.   Now it emerges that Australia's premier scientific research and development agency is … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Research, Science, Budget, Coalition policies, CSIRO, Government Tagged With: , ,

Lilydale grant suspended over potential “conflict of interest”

08/11/2013 by

Herald-Sun    |    8 November 2013 The Herald-Sun reports that “thousands of dollars of taxpayers' money has (sic) been wasted after a bungle over a state government grant to a local council”. The Yarra Ranges Shire Council was given a $100,000 grant in July to look into options for how the former Swinburne University site in Lilydale could be used for education purposes.  But before the council was handed the cash it had announced it wanted to use part of the site to house its new municipal offices. A complaint was made to the Victorian Ombudsman about a potential conflict of interest over the site's use – namely, "the council has a conflict of interest in being the custodian of … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Swinburne University, TAFE, VET Tagged With: , , , , ,

Would-be teachers face personality testing

08/11/2013 by
Teacher

The Age     |       7  November 2013 At Melbourne University, aspiring teachers must now navigate an online test that looks for personality traits that will help them get the most from their training. This year about 1500 students with undergraduate qualifications used the survey tool, which also tests verbal communication and numerical ability.  Only about a quarter of the applicants who took the test will be accepted. Students who want to graduate as teachers from Melbourne University must complete postgraduate qualifications in education. Melbourne University education professor John Hattie said the test assesses a broad range of traits from extroversion and agreeableness to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Qualifications, Teacher training, University of Melbourne Tagged With:

Remembrance Day 2013

08/11/2013 by
Poppy AWM

ON Remembrance Day, November 11, in 1993, then prime minister Paul Keating spoke movingly about the just-interred Unknown Soldier, whose remains brought from France that week lay at the centre - See more at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/the-making-of-a-memorial/story-e6frg6zo-1226046804190#sthash.5H2SAAc3.dpuf On Remembrance Day, 11 November, in 1993, then prime minister Paul Keating spoke movingly about the just-interred Unknown Soldier, whose remains brought from France that week lay at the centre of that year’s commemoration ceremony. On Remembrance Day 2013, a brass plaque will be dedicated in the Hall of Remembrance with the words from the speech: He is all of them. And … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Life & stuff, Uncategorized Tagged With:

Cap funding, says Davis

08/11/2013 by

The Australian   |   8 November 2013 Uncapped  funding for university enrolments should be replaced by an entirely new system that caps funding to institutions but allows them to set their own goals,  according to Melbourne University vice-chancellor Glyn Davis. Under the Rudd-Gillard governments, universities witnessed a 34%  rise in undergraduate enrolments, with government spending on university places forecast to rise from $5bn in 2010-11 to $7bn by 2016-17. Davis says the review of the uncapped system foreshadowed by education minster Christopher Pyne needs to give the government budget certainty while allowing universities the freedom to determine the make-up of their student … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Budget, Coalition policies, Commonwealth policies, Government, Group of 8, Higher education policy, University of Melbourne Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
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