Current Issues
Click on the links below to find out more information about the major public policy issues staff of the Policy and Research Unit are currently working on.
Further information:
| Mission-based Compacts | The Federal Government released its Mission-based Compacts for Universities discussion paper, setting out both the broad policy agenda and a timetable for the introduction of the compacts. It is crucial that NTEU Branches are involved in their institution's discussions regarding their compact plans. |
| Review of Australian Higher Education (Bradley Review) | The Federal government has outlined its future vision of the Higher Education in Australia. Follow this link for more on the major policy announcements and related Government reviews and inquiries. |
| Venturous Australia (Cutler report) and Powering Ideas | Following Venturous Australia (Cutler report) and the Federal Government's Review of National Innovation, the Federal Government has delivered their ten year national innovation strategy through Powering Ideas. |
| Inquiry into Research Training and Research Workforce Issues | On 23 April 2008 the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator the Hon Kim Carr, asked the House's Standing Committee to undertake an inquiry into research training and research workforce issues in Australian universities. |
| Student advocacy and representation | NTEU supports the right of student organisations to represent their members and to allocate resources according to the democratic will of their membership. |
| Excellence in Research for Australia | The Federal Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, announced on 26 February 2008 a new research quality and evaluation system to replace the Research Quality Framework. |
| International Education | NTEU advocates for the re-examination of ESOS and other current legislative frameworks, practices and support systems that cater to international students, with a view to guaranteeing their social and economic rights. |
| Quality Assurance | In the 2009-10 Budget Measures the Rudd Government announced it will establish a new national body for regulation and quality assurance called the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA). |
| Rural and Regional Development | NTEU canvases these issues in our representations to Government, political parties and other agencies, with the objective of improving quality, diversity and accessibility of education in regional Australia. |
| Academic Freedom | Academic freedom is central to the quality and good governance of tertiary education institutions. |
| Intellectual Property | This section is being updated. |
| ARC Peer Review Process | The ARC is reviewing its Peer Review Process. This paper would be of great interest to research active academic staff members. The Union made a submission to this review. |
| Workloads and Occupational Stress | NTEU has been involved in a number of studies exploring the increase in workloads and stress experienced by university staff over the past decade. |
| Other issues | An archive of recent matters of interest to staff of universities and higher education institutions are available from the following links. |