The Scan | Edition # 159

08/08/2014 by
Mindfulness

8  August 2014 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thought bubble on patents not such a bright idea 8 August 2014    |    A suggestion by industry minister Ian Macfarlane – which he admitted to be a kind of “thought bubble” - that research funding should be linked to how many patents universities register would only encourage the filing of “junk” patents as the system is gamed, according to research consultant and Howard-government science adviser Thomas Barlow. Macfarlane said that using patent activity could better align university research with industry needs. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Australian Academy of Science, Australian Research Council, Budget, Government, Higher education policy, International, Life & stuff, National Tertiary Education Union, NMIT, Notices, Research, Science, Society, TAFE, The Scan, universities, Universities Australia, University of Canberra, University reform, VET, Vocational education & training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Higher education outside the universities: a better option?

03/07/2014 by

Grattan Institute  |  3 July  2014 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… The likely extension of commonwealth student subsidies to non-university providers portends big changes for the higher education sector. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….......…… Australia has around 130 higher education providers outside the university system. They are a diverse group, ranging from large multinational companies to small theological colleges to the TAFEs now offering degrees. Together they enrol more than 70,000 students. These numbers could increase significantly in the future as a result of the government accepting a recommendation of the review of the demand driven funding system, to … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Budget, Coalition policies, Government, Grattan Institute, Holmesglen TAFE, National Tertiary Education Union, The Scan, universities Tagged With: , , ,

Melbourne confirms 540 jobs to go

05/06/2014 by

ABC News | 5 June 2014 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… The University of Melbourne plans to cut 540 administrative jobs (15% of the non-academic workforce) by January 2016 as part of a $70 million savings program. The job cuts do not include academic staff. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….......…… The university delivered the news to staff members at meeting earlier today. The university's vice chancellor, Professor Glyn Davis, issued a statement after the meeting: It was not an easy message to deliver, or receive, that the university has to undertake this reduction in the total number of professional staff.  We are hopeful we can minimise the impact on staff through … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Budget, Group of 8, Higher education policy, Industrial relations, National Tertiary Education Union, universities, University of Melbourne, university staffing Tagged With: , , ,

The Scan in May 2014 – top ten reads

02/06/2014 by

VET in the Budget – the government’s statement 13 May 2014   |    The “tools for your trade payments” for apprentices will cease from 1 July 2014. It will be replaced immediately with a Trade Support Loans Program providing $439m over five years to provide apprentices with financial assistance up to $20K over a four year apprenticeship through a student loan repayment scheme. The Government will also establish an Industry Skills Fund to provide $470m over four years to support the training needs of small to medium enterprises that cannot be met by the national training system. Expenditure is budgeted to decline about 13% in 2014-15 over 2013-14 (from $1.67 billion … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Budget, Coalition policies, Commonwealth policies, Federation University, General, Government, Group of 8, Higher education policy, National Tertiary Education Union, NMIT, Quality audits, Swinburne University, TAFE, TAFE Directors Australia, TEQSA, The Scan, Universities Australia, University budgets, VET Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fees to double: NTEU

27/05/2014 by
NTEU campaign graphic

Higher fees when combined with the new market-determined interest rate, will take more than twice as long to pay back for some degrees. For graduates that take time out from the workforce to care for family members, HELP debts might not be paid off until they reach their late 50s. Jeannie Rea, NTEU National President said that the proposed changes to higher education will mean that entry on merit alone will be a thing of the past; it will only matter if you are able and willing to pay. Students will be saddled with enormous debts that will take years and years to pay off, and with higher interest rates than ever before. These changes to fees and interest rates will have an enormous … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Budget, Coalition policies, Government, Higher education policy, National Tertiary Education Union Tagged With: , , , ,

Tertiary education in the 2014-15 Budget – sector responses

15/05/2014 by

Budget drives sweeping changes to higher education The budget puts higher education on a path of radical change … and will fundamentally alter the shape of Australian higher education...In deciding to extend the demand driven system and government funding to non-university providers, UA is pleased that further work will be done to ensure competitive fairness and that the relative government support appropriately takes account of the differing community expectations and public good obligations.....[ MORE ].... A package to explore for the future IRU has long advocated continuing with charging caps, set to ensure universities have sufficient revenue to provide good quality education. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ACPET, ATN, Budget, Coalition policies, Government, Group of 8, Higher education policy, Innovative Research Universities, National Tertiary Education Union, Regional Universities Network, TAFE Directors Australia, Universities Australia Tagged With:

The Scan # 149 15 May 2014

15/05/2014 by

___________________________________________________________________________________________ ……………………………………………………………………………………………….......…… Higher education Higher education spending will rise appreciably in 2014-15, from $8.7 billion to $10.9 billion (25%), with the extension of the demand driven system to sub-bachelor places and non-university higher education providers. Modest further growth is forecast out to 2017-18, to $11.8 billion (9%). The key elements of higher education spending in the 2014-15 Budget, according to Universities Australia. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….......…… Extending the demand driven system to sub-bachelor places and non-university … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ACPET, AEU, Australian Academy of Science, Australian Research Council, Australian Technology Network, Budget, Coalition policies, Commonwealth policies, Government, Group of 8, Higher education policy, International, LH Martin Institute, Life & stuff, Medical training, National Tertiary Education Union, Notices, Regional, Regional Universities Network, Research, Scan Main Edition, Science, Society, TAFE, TAFE Directors Australia, The Scan, universities, Universities Australia, VET, Vocational education & training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NTEU: road to ruin for public higher education

14/05/2014 by

NTEU   |  14 May 2013 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… No longer will students gain entry into university based solely on academic merit, but on their capacity and willingness to pay the market price for a degree. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….......…… The Budget has seen Tony Abbott succeed in his quest to be known as an ‘infrastructure prime minister’. He and Christopher Pyne have paved a road to ruin for our public higher education system. Student fees will now skyrocket at some universities, university funding has been cut, the cost of servicing student debt will increase and the viability of some of our universities will be undermined by for-profit private … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Budget, Coalition policies, Commonwealth policies, Government, Higher education policy, National Tertiary Education Union Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Review recommends extension of demand system

14/04/2014 by

 14 April 2014 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… The review of the demand driven funding system report has concluded that the demand-driven funding system, introduced as the keystone of the Rudd government’s “higher education revolution, has been a success and should be extended. ………………………………………………………………………………………………….................................... The review of the demand driven funding system report has concluded that the demand-driven funding system, introduced as the keystone of the Rudd government’s “higher education revolution, has been a success and should be extended. Commissioned by the government in November 2013 to examine the impact of the system on … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ACPET, Commonwealth policies, Grattan Institute, Group of 8, Higher education policy, National Tertiary Education Union, Regional Universities Network, TAFE, The Scan, Universities Australia Tagged With: , , , , , ,

La Trobe facing strike amid job cuts

24/03/2014 by

NTEU News   |   14 March 2014 The Australian    |    15 March 2014 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… NTEU members at La Trobe University have voted to strike on 26 and 27 March across the university’s campuses as the university’s plan to cut 350 jobs inflamed stalled pay negotiations. ………………………………………………………………………………………………… The union says the job cuts are unnecessary and has demanded management agree to a pay increases of around 3% a year.  Management have offered an 11 per cent pay rise over four years — an average 2.75% annual increase. NTEU Victorian secretary Colin Long says the cost cutting agenda isn’t an excuse to offer a below-sector pay rise because it was … [Read more...]

Filed Under: La Trobe University, National Tertiary Education Union Tagged With: , , , ,
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