13 August 2014 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… The Scan has added new pages about Australia's universities. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… Australia’s universities Australian university profiles Australian university groups Universities Australia Group of Eight Australian Technology Network of Universities Innovative Research Universities Regional Universities Network Ungrouped universities … [Read more...]
Vann’s stand
29/05/2014 by
CSU | 28 May 2014 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… In this forensic analysis, Charles Sturt University vice-chancellor Andrew Vann demolishes what he describes as the "pretexts" of the recent budget with respect to higher education. Vann rejects the idea that deregulation is required to create diversity: “Charles Sturt University is nothing like the University of Sydney, nor does it wish to be anything like it.” Neither does he think that fee deregulation will enable Australian universities to climb up the global university rankings: for an Australian university to make it into the Top 20, for example, “I have previously suggested we might be able to pull this off by … [Read more...]
RUN: an ambitious budget for higher education
14/05/2014 by
RUN | 14 May 2013 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… " ...keeping the demand driven system for bachelor places and extending it to sub-bachelor places...will assist in providing pathways and lift participation in higher education in regional Australia for less well prepared students," ……………………………………………………………………………………………….......…… The Regional Universities Network (RUN) welcomes the announcement in the Budget of an ambitious program of reform for higher education which recognises the importance of the sector to Australia. The Treasurer and the Minister are to be congratulated for highlighting the important role Universities play in Australia’s future. The Chair of RUN, … [Read more...]
RUN supports demand system and relaxation of fee caps
03/03/2014 by
Regional Universities Network | 3 March 2014 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… The Regional Universities Network (RUN) says the continuation of the demand driven student system for bachelor degrees and its expansion to sub-bachelor degrees is important for regional Australian economies and communities. It also supports the option for universities to forgo Commonwealth Supported Places and uncap tuition fees on a course by course basis. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… In an opinion piece published in the Australian Financial Review (3 March 2014), the chair of RUN, Professor Peter Lee, called for regional economies to diversify, the uncapping of … [Read more...]
Federation University’s season approaches
19/12/2013 by
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...]
Regional universities policy statement
06/08/2013 by
6 August 2013 Regional Universities Network (RUN) - Smarter Regions, Smarter Australia - was launched a policy statement on March 13 2013. It details a variety of ways "in which government can unlock the full human potential of regional Australia." Two-thirds of the nation’s economic assets and productive activity located outside Australia’s capital cities, along with one-third of the population. RUN chair David Battersby says that the economic, social, cultural and environmental development of Australia will be enhanced by further building human, social and cultural capital, employment, entrepreneurship, productivity and industry diversification within Australia’s regions. This … [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...]
“Demand-driven system is working to help regional Australia”
02/07/2013 by
RUN News | 2 July 2013 Statement by the Regional Universities Network on the mooted demise of the demand-driven system ________________________________________________________________________________________ The full benefits of the demand-driven higher education system have not yet begun to flow through to regional communities, and it would be a great loss to end a visionary policy which is otherwise set to transform regional Australia. Any proposal to move away from the demand-driven system, or to move away from participation targets, should be carefully considered. The introduction of the demand-driven system by this Government was a bold nation-building move that was welcomed … [Read more...]
Impact of cuts ‘not properly analysed’
14/06/2013 by
Campus Review | 12 June 2013 The impact of the $2.3 billion cut from the university sector to fund schools funding reform appear not have been properly analysed, it has emerged at a Senate estimates committee hearing. Nationals Senator Fiona Nash asked education officials for any analysis done to determine how the cuts will affect regional universities. Robert Griew from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations responded: … there was a great deal of information provided in consideration of all those savings measures and I can’t recall in all honesty that we provided information that went to individual universities in any group. Nash asked about … [Read more...]
