PROTOCOL REVIEW MUST NOT DOWNGRADE UNIVERSITY APPROVAL PROCESSES
19 November 2004
Maintaining the quality of our university system, not commercial or political convenience, must be the foremost imperative driving any review into the national protocols governing the definition and accreditation of universities in Australia, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Friday.
“While the NTEU welcomes the Minister’s commitment to a broad public consultation with the higher education sector on potential changes to the protocols, it is vital the review not be prefaced on the need to downgrade the approval processes for universities in Australia,” said Ted Murphy, NTEU Assistant Secretary.
The national protocols were established by State and Commonwealth Government in 2000, after attempts by several providers of dubious quality to enter the Australian higher education market using the name ‘university’ highlighted the need for nationally consistent criteria for determining university status.
The protocols specify that to be recognised as a university a body must have a broad range of course offerings, engage in research, and have a commitment to free inquiry.
“As the initial report into the review released by the Minister yesterday stresses, the protocols are held in high regard internationally, particularly by those countries without a nationally agreed approach to higher education approvals, and perform an important quality assurance and consumer protection role for our university system.”
“The report also makes clear that the protocols reflect Australian community understandings of what a university does, and states that initial discussions with universities and other higher education sector bodies did not reveal any arguments for substantive changes to them.”
“The NTEU agrees with Minister Nelson that we need an internationally competitive higher education system,” said Murphy.
”We believe the best way to encourage this, however, is to maintain strict requirements for university accreditation not to lower the bar by removing the obligation on potential university aspirants to engage in research and offer a broad range of disciplines.”
“This would only drive down quality across the sector and confuse both Australian and overseas students about the nature of Australia’s university system.”
“This is not the message we want to be sending prospective students in the current international and domestic climate.”
Information and Comment:
Ted Murphy, NTEU Assistant Secretary: (03) 9254 1910
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: (03) 9254 1910