19 December 2013 Federation University – a merger between the University of Ballarat and Monash University’s Gippsland campus – comes into being on 1 January 2013. This “seasonal greeting” recounts the journey to this point. Let’s wish them well. See Ballarat becomes Fed Uni … [Read more...]
Vic TAFE merger talks broaden
05/12/2013 by
The Australian | 5 December 2013Four institutions now talkingVictoria’s Advance TAFE and GippsTAFE are involved in talks with eastern Melbourne’s Chisholm Institute and the dual-sector University of Ballarat “to explore the best fit in terms of organisational objectives and stakeholder needs”.Apparently, negotiations between Advance and GippsTAFE are well advanced, with “a number of points of agreement” reached in areas such as curriculum-based collaboration and “back office sharing”.Advance CEO Shaun McDonagh said the institutions wanted to choose their partners before considering what the partnerships might look like, with mergers being a possibility.McDonagh said the … [Read more...]
Fed U begins its rollout
02/10/2013 by
2 October 2013 Following the passage of legislation in September enabling the merger of the University of Ballarat (UB) and the Gippsland (Churchill) campus of Monash University, Federation University Australia has been officially launched. The new university comes into being on 1 January 2014. It builds on a long history as Australia’s third-oldest tertiary institution, dating back to the 1870s. Originally named the School of Mines and Industries, it split into two organisations in the 1960s keeping the School of Mines and the Ballarat Institute of Advanced Education, which changed to Ballarat College of Advanced Education in the 1970s. In 1989 Ballarat CAE become … [Read more...]
Ballarat becomes Fed Uni
06/09/2013 by
Ballarat Courier | 6 September 2013 The University of Ballarat’s rebranding as Federation University Australia is a step closer after the State Parliament on 5 September passed a bill paving the way for the name change. A new logo for the university, maintaining the Eureka Flag used in the University of Ballarat logo, has also been released. The new identity is part of the merger between University of Ballarat and Monash University’s Gippsland campus to take effect in January. Minister for Higher Education and Skills Peter Hall said the name change was a significant milestone for Victoria’s tertiary education sector. “This legislation will support the University of … [Read more...]
More TAFE cuts at UB
15/08/2013 by
The Courier | 13 August 2013 The University of Ballarat (UB) is set to close another 15 courses closures and shed more staff following TAFE funding cuts. UB vice-chancellor Professor David Battersby says the university has been hit hard by changes to the state's TAFE system over the past 18 months. By the end of 2013, there will have been a reduction in TAFE funding at UB by about $20 million and this is why our TAFE programs have to be under constant review to ensure their financial viability. In 2011, there were 11,996 students enrolled in TAFE programs at UB and these numbers had declined to 10,741 by the end of 2012. Although this decline is continuing in 2013, UB is … [Read more...]
The Scan Main Edition 12 July 2013 # 127
12/07/2013 by
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Quality is an issue: Carr Minister for higher education Kim Carr has reiterated his view that the quality of some degrees is under threat because of the vast increase in enrolments of academically under-prepared students. He said he had been advised that as many as half of all school-leavers entering university with an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank below 50 are dropping out. And that is justification enough for him to put minimum entry requirements on the radar.....[READ MORE]..... ATAR linked to drop out rate There is a direct … [Read more...]
Regional survey confirms costs kill university plans
12/07/2013 by
The Australian | 10 July 2013 Money and distance are the main reasons regional school-leavers are not applying for university, not lack of aspiration, research by the University of Ballarat shows, with regional students who have to leave home facing an extra $20,000 a year in costs compared with a city student living at home. The findings are consistent with claims by the Regional Universities Network that financial scholarships and access to HECS loans to cover moving costs would help participation rates. Surveys and interviews with years 9 and 12 students at Benalla, Mansfield and Wangaratta in north eastern Victoria reveal strong aspirations to study at university, … [Read more...]
Ballarat to become “Federation University”
09/07/2013 by
With the merger of the University of Ballarat (UB) and Monash University’s Gippsland (Churchill) campus proposed to take effect on 1 January 2014, the Victorian government has introduced legislation to amend the University of Ballarat Act 2010, to change the name of the university to Federation University Australia. The university says the new name will “reflect the partnerships, collaboration and co-operation among a federated network of campuses in regional Victoria which collectively provide a new and different Australian University that is regional in focus, national in scope and international in reach.” UB chancellor Paul Hemming said that, since 1994, the University of Ballarat … [Read more...]
Ballarat – Churchill proposal passes due diligence
10/05/2013 by
The governing councils of the University of Ballarat and Monash University have decided to proceed with the proposal for the Monash Gippsland campus to join with the University of Ballarat to form an expanded, regionally focused university. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The universities will now seek State Government approval for changes to the University of Ballarat Act to reflect the enlarged scope of the university, including a new name for the university. The Victorian minister for higher education and skills, Peter Hall has already offered his in-principle support for the proposition, which he … [Read more...]
