____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The Australian 14 March 2012 The Universities Australia conference was told by UTS v-c Ross Milbourne that universities can do more than complain about the verbal and quantitative skills of the students sent to them by schools.ies can do more than complain about the verbal and quantitative skills of the students sent to them by schools. Professor Milbourne set out several options to correct potential market failures, such as the entry of under-prepared students, in the new demand-driven system. One suggestion was that places be given directly to students on the … [Read more...]
UK: unis to raise bar on entry
09/04/2012 by
University World News 4 April 2012 The UK Government is to hand universities the leading role in the design and development of A-level qualifications in a major rolling back of government control over the key qualifications driving university admissions. The education secretary Michael Gove says he is increasingly concerned that current A-levels – “though they have much to commend them” – fall short of commanding the level of confidence “we would want to see.” Gove said: “Leading academics tell me that A-levels do not prepare students well enough for the demands of an undergraduate degree. I would therefore like to see universities having a far greater involvement in the design and … [Read more...]
Go8 unis strike Brazil deal
09/04/2012 by
The Australian 7 April 2012 The Group of Eight universities have struck an agreement with the agencies responsible for Brazil's $2 billion "Science without borders'' scholarship program. With a rapidly developing economy, Brazilplans to send students abroad for a year of their program as part of an effort to boost numbers in fields such as engineering, technology and the life and health sciences. A Go8 delegation, led by Sydney University chief Michael Spence, signed agreements last month with the two key Brazilian agencies, the Federal Agency for Support and Evaluation of Graduate Education and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development. NewsEXTRA … [Read more...]
Cuts at Sydney: protestors occupy office
09/04/2012 by
The Australian 5 April 2012 Students and staff at the University of Sydney occupied an office in the arts faculty on 4 April, in protest over proposed academic job cuts. According to organisers, about 1000 protestors marched to the main quadrangle at lunchtime and occupied the office for several hours. Sydney vice-chancellor Michael Spence was not on the campus. “(The) rally was an important part of the campaign against the proposed job cuts,” Michael Thomson, president of the National Tertiary Education Union, University of Sydney branch, said. “The anger against the vice-chancellor was clearly visible across the rally.” NewsEXTRA Desk... … [Read more...]
International slump not as bad as thought – but still crook
09/04/2012 by
The Australian 5 April 2012 The collapse in international education revenue isn't as bad as feared, with revised Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing the industry is $1 billion better off than previously thought. International trade figures released on 4 April 2012 show that the industry earned $15.1 billion last year, as opposed to the $13.9bn suggested by balance of payments data in early March. The updated statistics mean the industry lost $2.3bn last year, not the $3.3bn reported a month ago. ABS said the figures had been revised to reflect new information on fees from the federal Education Department, and new student number estimates from the Immigration … [Read more...]
