The Australian National University vice-chancellor, professor Brian Schmidt, has thrown his support behind academics’ calls for a formal treaty to deepen the economic relationship between Australia and China. These proposals are tabled in the Australia-China Joint Economic Report, a joint ...
More »Don’t let ‘statistics’ stop STEM studies: Birmingham
A Grattan Institute report released today showing that graduate positions in STEM are scarce has – somewhat ironically – led the federal education minister to say that “we should not allow statistics like this to sway people from the importance ...
More »Opinion: No education without aspiration
A world of higher learning and opportunities can be found on university campuses;but disadvantaged students often must see it to desire it. When I was 11 years old, I went with a church boys’ club to visit Melbourne University. We ...
More »New Turnbull Cabinet elicits praise from universities, frustration from VET
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's new Cabinet has been broadly met with praise from the education industry, though the shuffling of the Vocational Education and Training portfolio, from Scott Ryan to Karen Andrews, has chagrined some corners of the VET sector. ...
More »Education sector plays vital role in economic transition: UA chair
The re-elected Coalition Government’s foremost priority should be to reassure all Australians that the nation will not be left behind in the global and economic transition now underway, Universities Australia chair professor Barney Glover said in a statement. “This election ...
More »Refugee advocates lobbying for student loan changes
One of the leaders behind a program mentoring high school students from refugee backgrounds is marking this year’s World Refugee Week by calling for those on temporary protection visas and asylum seekers to be eligible for federal government assistance to meet ...
More »Labor’s pledged institutes sound like old college system
Federal Labor has announced an election plan that would create a new tier of higher education – one that looks strikingly similar to the college system universities absorbed 25 years ago. Shadow minister for higher education Kim Carr has announced that Labor ...
More »HECS architect says student loan threshold could be lowered
Two higher education policy heavyweights have found unlikely common ground. HECS architect Bruce Chapman and the Grattan Institute’s Andrew Norton have agreed that the tertiary student loan threshold could be lowered. Norton, Grattan Institute higher education program director, is pushing ...
More »Education focus necessary beyond elections: McGraw-Hill boss
Focus on education must last beyond federal elections, the chief executive of a multinational educational publisher has argued. David Levin, from McGraw-Hill Education – one of the ‘big three’ educational publishers – said education, unlike elections, is always around. It shouldn’t be pandered ...
More »The $8000 question: Whom did Labor consult on VET FEE-HELP cap
Federal Labor has refused to disclose details of whom it consulted for its VET FEE-HELP cap, though it certainly didn’t talk to two of the major industry groups representing TAFEs and private education providers. The $8000 question now is, Whom did Labor consult? ...
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