SO FAR SO GOOD, BUT THERE IS STILL A CHAPTER MISSING FROM LABOR'S 'EDUCATION REVOLUTION'
14 November 2007
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) believes the higher education initiatives announced at Labor’s campaign launch in Brisbane today represent important steps in the right direction for universities.
However, university staff believe there is at least one vital chapter missing from the ‘Education Revolution’, the one that commits Labor to a greater level of Commonwealth funding to help universities cover the full cost of educating government supported students.
Ted Murphy, NTEU National Assistant Secretary said:
“We welcome the emphasis given by Labor leader Kevin Rudd on higher education and the important role it plays in Australia’s future.”
“While we await details, the introduction of a thousand fellowships targeting mid-career researchers will help retain our best researchers in Australia and promote research in areas of national importance.”
“Doubling the number of Australian Postgraduate Awards will assist doctoral students facing financial pressures and is vital to building up the number of students undertaking postgraduate research, which is lagging by international comparisons.”
“Together, both initiatives represent a major step towards making dedicated research careers at Australian universities a far more attractive proposition than is currently the case, and in turn, helping to rejuvenate our rapidly aging academic workforce.”
“Doubling the number of Commonwealth Scholarships for undergraduate students, while it is not a substitute for more significant reform of our student income support schemes, is also welcome.”
“One vital chapter of the ‘Education Revolution’ that is still missing after today’s announcements is the one committing Labor to additional public investment in our universities.”
“According to our figures, when you adjust Commonwealth grants for inflation, universities received on average $2,600 less per government supported student in 2005 than they did in 1996.”
“Over the same period the ratio of students to academics in universities has increased by approximately 30%.”
“An increase in funding per student is vital to ensure that universities can maintain the quality of the research and teaching they undertake, and university staff look forward to further commitments from Labor on this before the end of the campaign.”
For information and comment:
Ted Murphy, NTEU
National Assistant Secretary: 03 9254
1910
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research
Coordinator: 03 9254 1910