Universities Australia | 24 November 2014 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… With the higher education reform package up for debate in the Senate this week, Universities Australia has made a last pitch to Senators arguing the package should be passed with amendments to make it "fair". The National Tertiary Education Union has countered that amendments to make the package "fairer" will not change the fundamental unfairness of the plan to deregulate university fees to compensate for the government cutting university funding While on the numbers as they stand, it's not looking a strong prospect for passage, a regional assistance package which guaranteed funding for the UTas … [Read more...]
TDA Newsletter 24 November 2014
24/11/2014 by
Australian Training Awards feature TAFE leaders, teachers and students The Australian Training Awards 2014 in Adelaide on Friday featured leaders, teachers and students, with a record eight major categories being awarded to TAFE. Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane with award winners Melinda Lethbridge, a Certificate III student in engineering at Swinburne University of Technology, won Apprentice of the Year. The runner-up was Mark Hardy, a Certificate III student in electrotechnology from TAFE NSW – North Coast Institute. Chisholm Institute in Victoria was awarded the Large Training Provider of the Year, ahead of finalists TasTAFE and TAFE NSW – Western Sydney … [Read more...]
ACPET National Monday Update Edition No. 580 17 November 2014
18/11/2014 by
In Focus Another week beckons for the tertiary education sector Edition 580, 17 Nov The higher education reforms before the Senate remain a key focus for ACPET and its members. The Australian Financial Review Higher Education Reform saw plenty of commentary and it was pleasing to see significant support for the package of reforms, including enabling access for private higher education providers. There was recognition that by ensuring private providers get access to the Commonwealth Grant Scheme, even at reduced rates [compared with] universities, students will receive significant benefits through access to quality courses at substantially lower prices....Read … [Read more...]
The Scan Edition # 165 7 November 2014
07/11/2014 by
Acquire in ASQA spotlight 7 November 2014 | The marketing practices of Acquire Learning, chaired by former AFL chief Andrew Demetriou, are being investigated by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) following complaints about cold calling and inappropriately ¬enrolling jobseekers who had ¬applied for positions advertised on the Seek employment website. Acquire itself is not a registered training organisation, but works as a broker allocating students to individual providers. Acquire has been the subject of complaints whereby jobseekers applying for positions are pressured into undertaking private tertiary study, in some cases becoming burdened by debts of up to $8000....[ … [Read more...]
Senate impasse creating all round uncertainty
06/11/2014 by
Group of 8 | 6 November 2014 Too many "known unknowns" (2) ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… The Group of 8 consideration of the negative impact of the legislative impasse in the Senate on the government's higher education package comes on the back of Melbourne University stating that it is unable to frame a budget for next year or beyond because there are to many "known unknowns. Neither can you say that its prognostications about the likely impact on other areas of university funding, such as research, are unreasonable: the government seems set to effect at least its savings, one way or another. Elsewhere, the Grattan Institute's Andrew Norton suggests a freeze on … [Read more...]
Group of 8 Newsletter November 2014
06/11/2014 by
……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Table of Contents Higher Education and Research Reform Bill 2014 Matters on hold The Government's Industry Innovation and Competitiveness Agenda Program Review of the Cooperative Research Centres Reform of the ESOS Framework Go8 in EduExpo Student Exhibitions in Brazil Best Global Universities Rankings Executive Files: The University of Adelaide Research with Impact Calendar of Events … [Read more...]
Swinburne presents options to keep higher ed fees in check
06/11/2014 by
Swinburne Media Centre | 6 November 2014 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… As the cross bench senators weigh up the government's higher education reform package, including university fee deregulation and student loan interest rates, they might well consider a comparison table released by Swinburne University of Technology to assist in the evaluation of four policy options that have been canvassed to moderate against excessive student fee increases from 2016. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….......…… Experts have predicted that the price of degrees will increase significantly from 2016. The proposed flat fee of $16,000 per year announced by the University of … [Read more...]
