TAFEs claim funding cuts will cost jobs and millions The Age | 23 November 2013 Victorian TAFEs expect to lose millions of dollars and the education union is forecasting hundreds of redundancies in response to further Victorian state government changes to course subsidies. But the government insists it has not cut overall funding and is moving to stop rorting in the training sector. Kangan Institute chief executive Grant Sutherland told staff in an email the changes would result in an estimated $9.2 million reduction in revenue for next year. This is clearly a substantial reduction and budgets across the institute are currently being reworked to take into account this … [Read more...]
The Scan | #138 | 20 September 2013
20/09/2013 by
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Education and training separated There was speculation after the announcement of Tony Abbott's ministry early in the week as to who would be handling VET matters within the education portfolio. The VET side of the tertiary sector has actually landed in the lap of former and once more industry minister Ian McFarlane, along with science and research. It's a curious decision to separate the tertiary sector in that way, although not without precedent: VET was located in the business portfolio in Victoria in 2006 but reunited with education by … [Read more...]
UC puts campus up for development
20/09/2013 by
The Canberra Times | 13 September 2013 The University of Canberra (UC) is opening up 40 hectares of its main campus in Belconnen for development in the hope of generating $100 million in capital investment each year for the next decade. A specially-appointed campus development board chaired by business leader Jim Service has spent two years working on the project. UC vice-chancellor Stephen Parker said potential development could range from residential ''alumni'' villages, to health research and development bodies wanting to be in close proximity to the new UC hospital, government agencies, commercial organisations, technology parks, arts and culture complexes, sporting … [Read more...]
HE in TAFE still low but growing
19/09/2013 by
The Age | 16 September 2013 The number of Victorian students enrolling in bachelor degrees at TAFEs instead of universities has more than doubled, from a low base, in the past five years, going from 640 enrolments in 2008 to 1520 in 2012. When associate degrees are counted, the figure more than doubles again to about 3500. The increase is a mostly Victorian phenomenon, with 44 of the 53 bachelor qualifications being delivered at TAFEs around Australia, being delivered in Victoria. Martin Riordan of TAFE Directors Australia (TDA) says TDA has been mentoring and encouraging a trend that has also taken hold in Europe and North America. He said the rise is being … [Read more...]
NMIT and La Trobe create polytec
14/08/2013 by
NMIT News | 13 August 2013 Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT) and La Trobe University have announced they are joining together to create Melbourne Polytechnic. La Trobe and NMIT plan to commence the partnership with a suite of agriculturally oriented degrees to build on La Trobe’s and NMIT’s strengths in these areas. Courses under the partnership will be conferred as accredited La Trobe University degrees and will attract the Commonwealth subsidy ("Commonwealth Supported Places" - CSPs). La Trobe Vice Chancellor, Professor John Dewar and NMIT Chief Executive Officer, Dr Andy Giddy, said both institutions had forged a new partnership to deliver Higher Education … [Read more...]
The Scan Main Edition 1 August 2013
01/08/2013 by
# 131 _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Industrial action intensifies Industrial conflict rages across the sector as the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) battles it out with universities over the terms of a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement. An application by Monash University to suspend bans on releasing assessment results was effectively thrown out by the Fair Work Commission but a similar application by Swinburne University succeeded. Industrial action is intensifying at James Cook University, ANU and RMIT....[READ MORE]..... BCA plan to deregulate … [Read more...]
UC chases top ranking
31/07/2013 by
Canberra Times | 29 July 2013 The University of Canberra proposes to spend $15 million over the next five years on attracting top researchers as the university pushes to break into world rankings by 2018. The university has budgeted $3 million a year to attract 10 ''high performing'' researchers in five specialist areas: governance, environment, communication, education and health. The recruitment drive has started with advertising in the London Times Higher Education supplement, the target of UC's campaign being the ranking of ''young'' universities, with 13 Australian universities already in their top 100. Professor Frances Shannon, the university's deputy … [Read more...]
The Scan Early Edition 4 June 2013
04/06/2013 by
#120 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Polytec network set up 4 June 2013 | An Australian Polytechnic Network (APN) is being founded by the University of Canberra, Melbourne’s Holmesglen Institute, Northern Sydney Institute, South Western Sydney Institute and Brisbane’s Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE. The formation of the new grouping follows a decision of the now minister for tertiary education, Craig Emerson, to reverse a decision of former minister Chris Evans to now Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) for delivery of University of … [Read more...]
UC joins with TAFEs to create polytec network
03/06/2013 by
University of Canberra Media Centre | 31 May 2013 A new network of tertiary institutions is seeking to harness the best of vocational and higher education. The Australian Polytechnic Network (APN) is being founded by the University of Canberra, Melbourne’s Holmesglen Institute, Northern Sydney Institute, South Western Sydney Institute and Brisbane’s Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE. The formation of the new grouping follows a decision of the now minister for tertiary education, Craig Emerson, to reverse a decision of former minister Chris Evans to now allow Commonwealth Supported Places (CSPs) for delivery of University of Canberra degrees at the network member campuses from … [Read more...]
The Scan Main Edition 8 March 2013
08/03/2013 by
No.109 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ The polytech movement gathers pace Encouraged by remarks by the Commonwealth minister that he’s looking afresh at tertiary “inter-connectedness”, five tertiary institutions* are proposing a national network that brings together the strengths of TAFE and higher education traditions, enabling degrees to be studied initially at TAFE institute campuses in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Students would be able to study degrees in face-to-face, online or blended modes, with extra support depending on their needs and requirements of the course.....[READ MORE].... Teaching … [Read more...]
