Charles Sturt University (CSU) has submitted its response to the Bradley Review of Australian Higher Education, which urges the Commonwealth Government to support the establishment of a major ‘University System’ serving inland Australia, while ensuring Australia has a world class, viable University sector into the future.
The Bradley Review was established by the Minister for Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, The Hon. Julia Gillard, to provide recommendations to the Government on the future of higher education in Australia.
The University’s major recommendation is the establishment of sustainable ‘University Systems’ that best utilise and bring together the research and education strengths of various institutions that have a common geography and mission.
CSU Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Ian Goulter said the University will not accept any restructure of the Higher Education system that does not assure the future of CSU’s existing campuses that make up an integral part of communities across inland NSW.
Professor Goulter has warned the government against adopting ‘University Systems’ that focus on metropolitan based, research intensive universities at the expense of regionally based institutions that educate and retain professionals for inland Australia, and allow access to world class higher education for students in regional and remote communities.
The major recommendations to the Review of Australian Higher Education from CSU are:
- establish a major University System serving inland Australia that is also one of two national distance and flexible education providers to improve participation rates for under-represented groups and assist in re-skilling the existing labour force;
- establish an Asia-Pacific Higher Education System to improve integration and transportability of qualifications across our own region;
- establish a Student Residential Accommodation Construction Fund to assist universities to build low-fee accommodation based on the university’s capacity to demonstrate improved participation rates for under-represented students;
- undertake an urgent review of income support programs for students to remove barriers to participation,
- consult with the States and Territories on the transfer of universities to the Commonwealth’s jurisdiction to rid the sector of multiple layers of red tape that are drawing resources away from teaching and research.
Professor Goulter said Australia will need to expand its skilled labour force over the next 10 years at the same time as the number of school leavers entering universities will dramatically decline as the population ages.
“If the University sector as a whole is to be sustainable in the future, we must accept the need to adapt and change in the national interest.
“Some universities are already under pressure and it is difficult to see how institutions without a definitive mission, range of programs and a clear sense of their communities will survive without significant subsidies from Government.”
Professor Goulter said CSU is positioned to remain strong and viable because of its dispersed campus base across inland NSW, its comprehensive course profile, good research and its strong distance education capacity.
“The University also has extensive experience in how ‘Systems’ work, being the only major University in Australia formed and operated successfully on a ‘systems’ model.
“Institutions must remember their responsibilities to their respective communities in any reorganisation of the sector. The CSU model focuses on the need for any ‘University System’ to have clear mission and a commitment to its communities.
“The Nation’s labour force needs are equally important to research needs and we must focus on both.
“The political reality is that genuine reform of the higher education sector, which is desperately needed, will require institutions to engage cooperatively recognising the strengths that each party brings to the table.” said Professor Goulter.
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