May 2011 Australian and New Zealand Higher Education News by ACUMA Incorporated

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Universities called upon to battle slumlords Magill UniSA campus to close: union Post unit acquires Melbourne-based private college Higher Education Base Funding Review - Opportunity knocks Kaplan Australia continues acquisition spree, snaps up Carrick Education with eye on skills shortages Historic bill makes universities open to all Grattan report: UB welcomes debate Massey University optimistic of boost Grattan report is flawed New bill will protect academic freedom Eight guilty to Curtin Uni bribe charges Fast-track teaching program gets green light for WA schools James Cook explores in Singapore Research vigour depends on decentralisation Grey days ahead for academe Unease at new power to curb funded places My Uni ready to test in July Regional VCs slam Grattan Institute report Student debts set to explode Report urges rethink of regional funding PM boosts poor students at uni Door ajar but still needs a push CIT, UC merger a must, Barr says New Zealand: Lean budget for universities A fast start for students as business samples their skills Medical Deans descend on UQ Service exports rise to more than $2bn on back of students Judge declares $27m Flinders University theft 'staggering' Prospect of $35 million for higher education at Port Political Science Universities’ Reaction to Budget 2011 50 people owe $11m in student loans Call for interest to be added to student loans Bringing broad changes University of the Sunshine Coast hit by 'friendly fire' in allocation of funds HECS tweaks will cost the taxpayer Budget 2011: Student loan changes could drive grads away A tricky balancing act $13b for unis as student numbers soar Politics of the short term UK international expert to guide ALTC transition 220 new job and training opportunities for Indigenous jobseekers Macquarie University debate rages on axing uni exams Future of skills training goes bush CQUni's recruitment at risk Australia's skills training needs sharpening for the digital age No sense in relocating Canterbury university Uni in surplus after years of seeing red More spin than spanner - our TAFEs deserve respect Uni funding a ‘bold bid’ Industry backs our skills plan Swinburne Vice-Chancellor takes up office Future is bright

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Universities back TEQSA changes Western Australia in new fight with Julia Gillard on skills funding deal Mildura tertiary education buoyed by budget Sigh of relief at budget outcome Improving Indigenous lives through education and employment Universities with regional campuses biggest winners A (good) work in progress The bush reaps a $4.3b harvest Innovative Research Universities welcomes the Government's continued commitment For regional universities, there is little to criticise in the 2011-2012 Federal Budget. One size does not fit all unis The cost of academic capital Base funding is now the test University of Melbourne model sparks ethics row Mostly good news in budget despite tough times National Union of Students at odds with HECS option Vocational training to be valid alternative Budget winners make their case Labor flunks higher education and research test Universities with regional campuses biggest winners Costs deter offshore students A big tick for TEQSA Student Army initiative wins over Freemasons Education nation - why the Melbourne Model could become the norm Police chief Mal Hyde proposes HECS-style debt payment plan for convicted graffiti vandals University has plans to spread its wings Imagine St Andrews on the Murray University chiefs earning top dollar University Of New England and Pearson Collaborate on a Partnership with Groundbreaking Potential in Distance Education University of New England's lofty online plan HECS discount cut 'must improve access' Uni of Adelaide wants to become Fair Trade university Not-for-profit conference 2011: Towards a stronger not-for-profit sector Upfront discount for HECS faces cut The cookie cutter approach to education doesn't make us happy Fee deregulation could ultimately hit student enrolments, warns Paul Greenfield Are Australian MBAs fail-proof? Government told to pump an extra $310 million into skills training, adopt voucher system Overhaul of VET system 'could fix WA skills crisis' University of Sunshine Coast enrolments to swell Melbourne Uni defends degree shift Education focus for budget, says Gillard Skills Australia report warns of skills shortage Mass university sector is unsustainable Postgraduates shy away from universities Group of Eight Chairman: Global test best for quality Loan repayments lift after appeal VET needs funding upgrade Report sees reform as way to bridge the skills gap The University of Melbourne's medicine program has ranked 15th in the world, according to new rankings Central Queensland University has Bundaberg buzzing Monash dean slams Melbourne University model Last ditch plea for teaching council's survival Indigenous Affairs not consulted on Behrendt chair Bennetts Bookstores Back In New Zealand Hands

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

When universities go begging Higher education news resources from ACUMA Incorporated

Universities called upon to battle slumlords The Sydney Morning Herald May 31 2011 UNIVERSITIES will need to provide housing guarantees to international students when the Australian Human Rights Commission releases its minimum standards for student safety later this year. A draft of the standards, obtained by the Herald, outlines measures to protect Australia's 470,000 international students from inadequate housing, work exploitation and violence.... Full article: http://goo.gl/UzSsb

Magill UniSA campus to close: union CityMessenger May 301 2011 BREAKING NEWS: THE University of South Australia’s Magill campus has been earmarked for closure but not for at least five years. National Tertiary Education union UniSA branch president Kevin Rouse confirmed discussions had been held surrounding the closure of the St Bernard’s Rd campus.... Full article: http://goo.gl/0zFMw Post unit acquires Melbourne-based private college The Australian May 31 2011 THE education arm of the US-listed Washington Post Company, Kaplan, has bought Melbourne-based major private vocational college Carrick, taking advantage of the international student market fall that earlier this year brought Carrick close to financial collapse.... Full article: http://goo.gl/zfFQk Higher Education Base Funding Review - Opportunity knocks The Age May 31 2011 THE federal government's Higher Education Base Funding Review, chaired by Jane Lomax-Smith, reports in five months. Submissions have closed. The review is working out what to do. It is a vital moment. Rarely has so much hung on one report. After two decades in which ad hoc policy and partial indexation have run down Australian higher education, the brief of the review is.... Full article: http://goo.gl/XqtW9 ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Kaplan Australia continues acquisition spree, snaps up Carrick Education with eye on skills shortages SmartCompany.com.au May 31 2011 Kaplan Australia has snapped up vocational and higher education group Carrick Education Group for an undisclosed sum, just weeks after its purchase of registered training organisation Franklyn Scholar. Carrick, which offers college-based vocational and higher education programs and calls itself a leader in private education, was founded by Catherine Carrick in the late 1980s. Kaplan has flagged a threemonth strategic review of Carrick's operations, which will not be rebranded.... Full article: http://goo.gl/D83J8 Historic bill makes universities open to all Media release: Senator the Hon Christopher Evans May 26 2011 Legislation introduced into Parliament today will deliver on the Gillard Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commitment to open up the opportunities of a university education to a broader range of Australian students. The Higher Education Support Amendment (Demand Driven Funding System and Other Measures) Bill 2011 is fundamental to the Australian Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reforms to ensure that all Australians have the opportunity to gain a university education.... Full article: http://goo.gl/vMlrE Grattan report: UB welcomes debate The Ballarat Courier May 27 2011 THE University of Ballarat has welcomed the debate expected to be generated by a study calling into question the federal government spending on regional universities. Vice-chancellor of the University of Ballarat, Professor David Battersby, said the Grattan Institute report on Investing in Regions: Making a Difference provided some questioning propositions.... Full article: http://goo.gl/cvHMk Massey University optimistic of boost Manawatu Standard via Stuff.co.nz May 28 2011 Massey University is optimistic a new government agency will succeed in boosting the number of international students coming to the country. "We are supportive of any initiative that increases the international awareness of educational opportunities in New Zealand," spokesman James Gardiner said.... Full article: http://goo.gl/cB0Bw ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Grattan report is flawed The Western Advocate May 28 2011 THE conclusions of the Grattan Institute report fly in the face of detailed and comprehensive work on regional higher education and economic development from around the world, according to Charles Sturt University Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Goulter.... Full article: http://goo.gl/jm2lX New bill will protect academic freedom The Sydney Morning Herald May 27 2011 ACADEMIC freedom would be explicitly protected under legislation introduced by the Gillard government yesterday. The proposals honour a commitment made by the Labor Party before last year's election and follows lobbying by the National Tertiary Education Union.... Full article: http://goo.gl/7vNBv Eight guilty to Curtin Uni bribe charges The Sydney Morning Herald May 25 2011 An eighth man has pleaded guilty to bribery charges over the faking of English language competency test results at Curtin University in Perth.... Full article: http://goo.gl/or34S Fast-track teaching program gets green light for WA schools WA Today May 27 2011 Critics of the fast-track program says it undermines those who had completed teaching degrees. A program that launches top-ranking university graduates into teaching positions within months will be rolled out across WA next year, addressing shortages the state government has struggled to fill.... Full article: http://goo.gl/jy45P James Cook explores in Singapore The Australian May 24 2011 In a strategic move to protect its Asian export markets from increasing regional competition James Cook University has bought out the previous partner in its Singapore campus. ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

The deal completed this week means the campus is now wholly owned by a JCU company incorporated in Singapore. Vice Chancellor Sandra Harding (pictured) describes the deal as a move to an integrated university, with Singapore joining JCU's campuses in Townsville and Cairns.... Full article: http://goo.gl/fmPYD Research vigour depends on decentralisation The Australian May 25 2011 OVER-CONCENTRATION of research funding in elite universities risks weakening higher education systems and research productivity, according to a specialist in the US sector. Australia was as vulnerable as the US, said Sean Gallagher, chief operating officer of the University of Sydney's US Studies Centre.... Full article: http://goo.gl/5XH1s Grey days ahead for academe The Australian May 25 2011 THE ageing of the population is a concern across Western nations. It is especially significant in large parts of western Europe and Japan. Australia isn't immune from the phenomena but, compared with some of our developed world partners, government policy in recent decades has worked towards helping to avoid a crisis in the future.... Full article: http://goo.gl/YOzK8 Unease at new power to curb funded places The Australian May 25 2011 A FEDERAL government plan to retain the power to slow down the supply of undergraduate places under the new demand-driven system is causing unease among vice-chancellors who are seeking clarification of the circumstances under which such powers could be used. Universities Australia chief executive Glenn Withers said there were concerns the powers meant universities could be left high and dry if a future minister or government put.... Full article: http://goo.gl/bMw6j My Uni ready to test in July The Australian May 25 2011 THE federal government has yet to decide whether to include private providers on the My University website. ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

HES understands concerns have been raised with the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations about students confusing private higher education courses with those provided by a university.... Full article: http://goo.gl/Xsuci Regional VCs slam Grattan Institute report The Australian May 25 2011 David Battersby, vice-chancellor of the University of Ballarat, says the Grattan Institute's report on investing in regions is selective and sometimes contradictory. EXTRA spending on universities and regional campuses in smaller cities should be redirected to help students study at larger campuses in the capital cities and the largest regional satellite and coastal cities, according to a contentious report on regional development. The Grattan Institute's report Investing in Regions: Making a Difference includes a focus on universities and concludes they do not promote higher rates of tertiary education participation and attainment or help retain skilled young people in the region.... Full article: http://goo.gl/0d0Pa Student debts set to explode The Adelaide Advertiser May 24 2011 THE Federal Government expects to lend an extra $170 million to Australian students. It is set to do this in higher education contributions, once caps on places are removed in January, with the value of total student debts set to explode by about $2 billion each year. It forecast subsidised undergraduate student numbers would grow (arguably conservatively) from 469,428 nationally this financial year to 517,000 by 2014-15.... Full article: http://goo.gl/CEZ7D Report urges rethink of regional funding AAP via The Sydney Morning Herald May 24 2011 Billions of taxpayer dollars being spent in rural and regional areas are failing to deliver promised economic development, a new report says. The Grattan Institute report, Investing in Regions, showed government money spent in slow-growing regions not only fails to accelerate growth in these regions but may hinder national economic growth.... Full article: http://goo.gl/cPkl0

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

PM boosts poor students at uni The Australian May 24 2011 JULIA Gillard has claimed victory in boosting the number of students from poor families entering university. The Prime Minister invoked the spirit of former Labor leader Gough Whitlam, who abolished university fees, as she said Labor policies had delivered a 15 per cent increase in the number of students receiving Youth Allowance while they studied.... Full article: http://goo.gl/hdZ5j Door ajar but still needs a push The Age May 24 2011 Professor Larissa Behrendt is chairwoman of the government's new review into indigenous higher education. SURVIVING university has traditionally meant adapting to new learning environments, rather than the other way around. So why does Deakin University offer degree programs tailored for indigenous people? Full article: http://goo.gl/flFUM CIT, UC merger a must, Barr says The Canberra Times May 23 2011 Canberra's university and TAFE sectors must enter into a marriage of convenience if they are to survive, Education Minister Andrew Barr has warned. The ACT Government has commissioned a report on how an amalgamation between the University of Canberra and Canberra Institute of Technology could best occur.... Full article: http://goo.gl/e7ij0 New Zealand: Lean budget for universities University World News May 22 2011 The government budget announced on Thursday left New Zealand universities treading water in their efforts to remain internationally competitive, with a 2% increase to government subsidies for degree and postgraduate enrolments.... Full article: http://goo.gl/czw6H A fast start for students as business samples their skills The Australian ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

May 20 2011 Connecting students and employers is easier EMPLOYERS are happy to hire students to work on projects and placements, the trouble is finding ones who are studying relevant skills.... Full article: http://goo.gl/TbHWZ Medical Deans descend on UQ University of Queensland News May 21 2011 In the first forum of its kind, on Tuesday, 24 May 2011 The University of Queensland will host over 30 Medical Deans and senior staff from 15 Universities in Australia and New Zealand, plus Australian Medical Council and ACER representatives, to discuss a national assessment of medical students.... Full article: http://goo.gl/EH7Lm Service exports rise to more than $2bn on back of students The Advertiser May 19 2011 DRIVEN by education, South Australia's export earnings from services exceeded $2 billion last year. Total earnings were $2.113 billion for 2010, up $95 million on the year and the second year in a row to crack the $2 billion mark, the ABS reported yesterday.... Full article: http://goo.gl/3WfhU Judge declares $27m Flinders University theft 'staggering' AdelaideNow.com.au May 20 2011 THE crimes of a cashier who stole $27 million from Flinders University defy belief, a judge says. District Court Judge Mark Griffin said he was surprised the university had not "missed 27 cents" during Christopher Fuss' two-year fraud.... Full article: http://goo.gl/lglrT Prospect of $35 million for higher education at Port Port Macquarie News May 20 2011 OUR area could get an almost $35 million suite of tertiary education facilities. There is a $20 million seed funding commitment from the federal governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Education Investment Fund that was one of the concessions Lyne MP Rob Oakeshott negotiated with Labor in return for his support to form government.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/C7Ptn Political Science The Age May 20 2011 AS FOOTBALL tipsters go, Ian Chubb is not exactly a rival to those at the top of the tipping ladder. But as an advocate, he is someone you want in your corner. His loyalty to what he regards as his turf is as fierce as that which he displays to his beloved Sydney Swans - which is saying something. Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Peter Coaldrake loves that, regardless of form, his friend and colleague will always tip the Swans.... Full article: http://goo.gl/fq828 Universities’ Reaction to Budget 2011 Press Release: Universities New Zealand - Te Pokai Tara May 19 2011 Universities New Zealand – Te Pokai Tara is pleased that the government has recognised the important contribution higher education makes to New Zealand’s future growth. Today’s budget announcement provides for a 2 percent increase in the funding rate for all degree and postgraduate courses, despite the government’s financial constraints.... Full article: http://goo.gl/HHXLG 50 people owe $11m in student loans Stuff.co.nz May 19 2011 With changes poised to be made to the student loan scheme in today's Budget, figures show there are 50 borrowers responsible for at least $11 million of debt. Tertiary Minister Steven Joyce has voiced concerns about debtors struggling to repay loans. But the students' union says it does not want to see high balances used as justification for restricting loan access.... Full article: http://goo.gl/Vq4AN Call for interest to be added to student loans TVNZ May 19 2011 A Dunedin academic says New Zealand can't afford an interest-free student loan scheme. With student debt standing at just under $12 billion and most of that interest free, the government has indicated it will look at chasing that money in the Budget.... Full article: ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

http://goo.gl/rBVuc Bringing broad changes The Australian May 18 2011 THE recent federal budget is unlikely to have a big direct effect on higher education, but it may affect it indirectly with further moves towards a system of tertiary education entitlements available similarly to vocational and higher education students. Vocational education is complicated and opaque even to insiders, but the budget is making broadly three significant changes to it. The most prominent is the new national workforce development fund.... Full article: http://goo.gl/gg5aP University of the Sunshine Coast hit by 'friendly fire' in allocation of funds The Australian May 18 2011 UNIVERSITY of the Sunshine Coast vice-chancellor Greg Hill calls it being hit by friendly fire, but a $1.1 million cut to his budget as a result of changes to regional loading is going to hurt one of Australia's smallest universities.... Full article: http://goo.gl/ylhjZ HECS tweaks will cost the taxpayer The Australian May 18 2011 CHANGES to the student loan system will increase the number of people opting for loans subsidised by taxpayers, according to economist Bruce Chapman. "In the short term, the government will get more money because although fewer people will pay up front, they'll pay a greater amount," said Professor Chapman.... Full article: http://goo.gl/zHUJs Budget 2011: Student loan changes could drive grads away Stuff.co.nz May 18 2011 Stuff talks to a student about his hopes for the 2011 Budget. By "tinkering around the edges" with the student loan scheme the Government risks making it harder to keep graduates in New Zealand, students say. Tomorrow's Budget is expected to target the country's ballooning student debt, which is now $11,6 billion, according to the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations (NZUSA) .... Full article: http://goo.gl/Ug3fy ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

A tricky balancing act Peter Coaldrake in The Australian May 18 2011 FIVE decades ago, less than 1 per cent of the working population in Australia held a degree. It was widely recognised that the nation needed more tertiary graduates and that the system at the time was too small for the job. Expansion was achieved with a binary system of universities and colleges.... Full article: http://goo.gl/LsAWF $13b for unis as student numbers soar The Sydney Morning Herald May 18 2011 THE federal government is increasing spending on higher education as universities brace for more than 500,000 undergraduate students next year. New analysis to be released today shows funding for teaching, learning and research is set to rise to $13 billion next year, up from $8 billion in 2007.... Full article: http://goo.gl/J8T1t Politics of the short term The Australian May 18 2011 IN Westminster systems such as ours where Treasury rules the roost, the budget is the pre-eminent political document. The realities of power, votes, jobs and resources are coded on the basis of financial symbols each May. And with government on a knife-edge and every decision a potential battle for survival, all the politics become short term. So does the budget, including higher education and research.... Full article: http://goo.gl/sSV7D UK international expert to guide ALTC transition Media Release: Senator the Hon Christopher Evans May 17 2011 The Tertiary Education Minister, Chris Evans, has appointed an international expert, Ms Alison Johns, to assist in the transition of programs from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) into the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.... Full article: http://goo.gl/Sf935 220 new job and training opportunities for Indigenous jobseekers ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Media release: Senator the Hon Mark Arbib May 17 2011 220 Indigenous Australians will be provided with training and jobs in Aged Care and Child Care by 2013 thanks to the Gillard Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Indigenous Employment Program. Minister for Indigenous Employment and Economic Development Mark Arbib today welcomed the announcement of The Replay Group NSW and VIC 2011 Indigenous Employment Program.... Full article: http://goo.gl/8ehdd Macquarie University debate rages on axing uni exams The Australian May 17 2011 MACQUARIE University has held a lively internal debate about the merits of becoming Australia's first university to abolish exams. In a paper that generated horrified protests from some colleagues, Macquarie's arts dean, John Simons, said: "Students would probably achieve more of their potential if they were freed from the pressure of examinations." Full article: http://goo.gl/14ia4 Future of skills training goes bush The West Australian May 17 2011 Australia's future success will depend to some extent on its ability to develop rural and regional areas. About a third of the population lives outside capital cities and more people need to be attracted to the regions.... Full article: http://goo.gl/Duzlw CQUni's recruitment at risk The Morning Bulletin May 17 2011 CQUNIVERSITY Vice-Chancellor Scott Bowman is disappointed by a legal ruling that he believes may jeopardise the university's recruitment of indigenous students. The university was refused permission from the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal to make the position of indigenous recruitment officer exclusive to Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.... Full article: http://goo.gl/YwsA0 Australia's skills training needs sharpening for the digital age Australian Computer Society via The Australian May 17 2011 ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

A PAPER accompanying the federal budget, "Building Australia's Future Workforce", reflects the government's ongoing attention to our human capital. It is important to develop a skills policy and a skilled professional workforce that can adapt to the global economy.... Full article: http://goo.gl/prFkp No sense in relocating Canterbury university The Press, New Zealand May 16 2011 Lyndon Thompson waits for a physics class at Canterbury University's "tent city", which temporarily took shape after parts of the Ilam campus was damaged in the February earthquake. Permanently relocating the whole university to a restored central Christchurch is not the answer, argues ViceChancellor Dr Rod Carr.... Full article: http://goo.gl/hw4gB Uni in surplus after years of seeing red The Canberra Times May 17 2011 The University of Canberra has posted its biggest ever operating surplus of just over $9 million - having clawed its way back from a $17 million deficit in four years. According to its 2010 annual report, which was published online yesterday, the university has turned its financial fortunes around under vice-chancellor Stephen Parker.... Full article: http://goo.gl/L3IkD More spin than spanner - our TAFEs deserve respect The Age May 17 2011 Our TAFEs deserve respect LAST week's federal budget was meant to be about skills and training — and the government says it is investing $3 billion into training to prove it. There is some new money, but most of it is recycled or redirected from existing programs.... Full article: http://goo.gl/u7TNT Uni funding a ‘bold bid’ The Goulburn Post May 16 2011 WHAT’S the smartest way to seek Regional Development Australia funding for a Canberra University campus in Goulburn? How much would be enough from RDA - which would need to be matched from non-government sources - to see the uni dream become a reality? ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/jxLdW Industry backs our skills plan Chris Evans in The Australian May 16 2011 DELIVERING skilled workers as the economy continues to strengthen is our key economic challenge. The present supply-driven system will not meet the looming skills shortage. That's why government is taking decisive action to reform the system and work in partnership with industry to meet the nation's skills demand.... Full article: http://goo.gl/CxE3J Swinburne Vice-Chancellor takes up office Swinburne Media Centre May 16 2011 Professor Linda Kristjanson has today commenced her role as Swinburne University of Technologyâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s third Vice-Chancellor and President. Professor Kristjanson, formerly Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Development at Curtin University, says that she is eager to immerse herself at Swinburne and get to know its students and staff.... Full article: http://goo.gl/edNXh Future is bright LaTrobe Valley Express May 12 2011 REGIONAL Australia has emerged as one of the big winners from a tough Federal Budget following the announcement of $4.3 billion in new rural health and infrastructure spending initiatives. Among the big ticket items for regional Australia in the Gillard Government's first budget were $1.8 billion in regional health infrastructure spending and $110 million for regional university campuses.... Full article: http://goo.gl/HYdE1 Universities back TEQSA changes The Australian May 11 2011 Peak university bodies are backing a Senate committee's call for changes to the proposed national university regulator and have called on Tertiary Education Minister Chris Evans to adopt its core proposal. As Andrew Trounson reported in Higher Education Online on Tuesday, the Senate's education committee has proposed amendments to legislation to establish the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/49w7D Western Australia in new fight with Julia Gillard on skills funding deal The Australian May 12 2011 WESTERN Australia is again shaping as an obstacle to Julia Gillard's national reform agenda, warning it will not be "blackmailed" into signing a $7 billion federal skills funding deal tied to performance targets. The resource-rich Liberal-governed state has proved a thorn in the Prime Minister's side, forcing her to redraft her national hospitals funding agreement in February and refusing to support.... Full article: http://goo.gl/1OgiB Mildura tertiary education buoyed by budget ABC.net.au May 12 2011 There was a fair bit of money in this week's federal budget for higher education and skills training, and it seems the Mildura and Swan Hill region is in a good position to benefit from this. The loading for undergraduate students in regional campuses has just about doubled. La Trobe University, which has more regional students in Victoria than any other university and a campus.... Full article: http://goo.gl/Q9dGx Sigh of relief at budget outcome University World news May 13 2011 Facing a multi-billion dollar black hole in its budget strategy and the prospect of oblivion at the next election, Australia's minority Labor government nevertheless brought some joy to the nation's vicechancellors and their academics when it handed down its annual budget on Tuesday. Although the government had warned it would present a "tough" budget and bring the country into surplus within three years, despite predicting a AUD$23 billion deficit (US$25 billion) over the next 12 months, the government has treated universities quite well.... Full article: http://goo.gl/Seuwm Improving Indigenous lives through education and employment Media Release: Hon P Garrett, Hon Jenny Macklin May 10 2011 Young Indigenous Australians will be encouraged to stay in school and to make the transition to work, through a $257.6 million investment in education and training.

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

To get young Indigenous people ready for work the Gillard Government will invest in education, training and employment programs to help people to get the skills they need to get a job.... Full article: http://goo.gl/ngMjK Universities with regional campuses biggest winners The Sydney Morning Herald May 11 2011 REGIONAL universities have emerged as the biggest winners from an austere higher education budget, although all universities will be relieved the sector has been spared any significant surprise cuts. Universities had feared the government would delay the commitments it made in the 2009 budget, in response to the landmark review of higher education chaired by former University of South Australia vice-chancellor Denise Bradley.... Full article: http://goo.gl/6f1XR A (good) work in progress The Australian May 11 2011 LABOR swept into power in 2007 on the back of a promise of an education revolution. This revolution is clearly a work in progress and some will debate its success or otherwise in transforming the university sector. But one thing is quite apparent ? the Government remains committed to universities which.... Full article: http://goo.gl/fVoqI The bush reaps a $4.3b harvest The Canberra Times May 11 2011 The budget delivers a $4.3 billion package of initiatives for rural Australia, including substantial wins for education, health and regional infrastructure. But it also sets a $33 million efficiency dividend for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, with 16 jobs set to go in fisheries management, chiefly from the Australian.... Full article: http://goo.gl/Vlb6Q Innovative Research Universities welcomes the Government's continued commitment The Australian May 11 2011 The Innovative Research Universities welcome the Government?s continued commitment to the high quality of the higher education sector as evidenced through this budget. More broadly, the focus on adequate funding for mental health and workforce training in this Budget are to be commended: these are genuinely national priorities and deserve the attention they received.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/Uz4uh For regional universities, there is little to criticise in the 2011-2012 Federal Budget. The Australian May 11 2011 Given the competing budgetary interests in a very difficult funding environment, it is a tribute to the Government that it has remained on task in terms of its regional commitments, especially in tertiary education. The $500 million regional Education Investment Fund remains intact. The $400 million Structural Adjustment Fund continues to have momentum. Loadings for regional universities are increased.... Full article: http://goo.gl/pj8BE One size does not fit all unis The Australian May 11 2011 IT would be reasonable to assume, as many people do, the word university derives from the Latin universitas, meaning the whole, entire, and is related to the universality of knowledge and learning that notionally characterises a university. Reasonable but not quite on the mark. It actually comes from a contraction of the Latin phrase universitas magistrorum et scholarium, meaning a community of masters (teachers) and scholars (students) .... Full article: http://goo.gl/ATIK8 The cost of academic capital The Otago Daily Times May 11 2011 Increasing the economic performance and competitiveness of New Zealand Inc has become the resounding mantra for our times. We can expect to hear more of the same during John Key's pre-Budget speech today. If royalties were issued for every time the necessity of so doing was repeated, the country might be a good deal richer. Unfortunately, mere repetition of the idea - particularly when it is issued without fresh insight into.... Full article: http://goo.gl/wKMPH Base funding is now the test The Australian May 11 2011 THIS Budget continues to implement the Government?s Transforming Higher Education policy. Specifically, the continued increase in indexation provides much needed funds to maintain programs and operations.

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

The doubling of regional loadings with adjustments to the distribution model, along with confirmation regional universities will be prioritised in the Education Investment Fund, provide real assistance to regional universities. Future growth in research funding is also assured.... Full article: http://goo.gl/FQODl University of Melbourne model sparks ethics row The Australian May 11 2011 UNIVERSITY of Melbourne academic Chris Lloyd has upped the ante in the debate about the Melbourne model by suggesting its rivals are unethical. Lloyd argues Monash and other elite universities perpetuate an unfair system in which children from top private schools get easier access to subsidised places in programs such as law and medicine.... Full article: http://goo.gl/4BNcQ Mostly good news in budget despite tough times The Australian May 11 2011 THE federal government last night delivered on key promises made in 2009 following the release of the Bradley report. As a result the higher education sector will have an additional $7 billion from indexation increases and funding for additional students under the demand-driven system. And a record $9.3bn science and research budget has effectively stemmed outcry from the medical research fraternity, which.... Full article: http://goo.gl/HUgCF National Union of Students at odds with HECS option The Australian May 11 2011 UNIVERSITIES Australia has floated the idea of extending HECS loans to help cover living costs, putting it at odds with the National Union of Students which opposes the measure as a debt trap. In its submission to the Gillard government's review of changes to student income support, UA says the reforms have been only a "temporary fix" and warns that any changes will be ineffective unless.... Full article: http://goo.gl/hXW6R Vocational training to be valid alternative The Australian May 11 2011 IN the OECD's last round of international literacy, numeracy and science skills tests, Australian 15-yearolds were overtaken by students in Singapore, Korea and Shanghai. ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Apart from digging iron ore out of the dirt and drilling oil from the sea, Australia's biggest resource is a skilled workforce, but with Asian countries catching up to our skills, our education system needs to take.... Full article: http://goo.gl/GicMN Budget winners make their case The Australian May 10 2011 THERE was widespread praise for the budget last night, with winners speaking louder than the few outright losers and the cautious keeping their counsel. AFTER rumours of deep cuts early in the lead-up to the budget the medical research lobby was particularly pleased, with Gary Jennings, director of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Insitute strongly endorsing the budget.... Full article: http://goo.gl/AkK2u Labor flunks higher education and research test The Australian May 11 2011 THE Gillard government has flunked the test of its commitment to higher education and research in Australia Once again, higher education is the orphan of Laborâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education revolution. The most concerning aspect of the Budget for the higher education sector was it did not offer any coherent, fully-funded plan for the future and the expansion of the sector.... Full article: http://goo.gl/s6HTE Universities with regional campuses biggest winners The Brisbane Times May 11 2011 REGIONAL universities have emerged as the biggest winners from an austere higher education budget, although all universities will be relieved the sector has been spared any significant surprise cuts. Universities had feared the government would delay the commitments it made in the 2009 budget, in response to the landmark review of higher education chaired by former University of South Australia vice-chancellor Denise Bradley. But, with the exception of a decision.... Full article: http://goo.gl/XS3FJ Costs deter offshore students The Australian May 11 2011

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

THE cultural shift from seeing students as students to viewing them as "customers", as Stephen King, dean of business at Monash University, referred to them in response to my column a fortnight ago, highlights why some academics feel as if they may as well be clearing tables at a resort instead of seeking to impart knowledge to (hopefully) eager young minds.... Full article: http://goo.gl/PF3b8 A big tick for TEQSA The Australian May 10 2011 A Senate committee has backed University Australia's call for the self-accrediting status of universities to be protected. In all the committee has recommended seven changes to the primary legislation for the new national regulator, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. The Australian understands the.... Full article: http://goo.gl/rqpfs Student Army initiative wins over Freemasons Scoop.co.nz May 10 2011 Sam Johnson, the Canterbury University student, who initiated the Student Army in the aftermath of the Christchurch earthquakes, won over Freemasons, A-grade university students from throughout New Zealand and their parents at a gathering in Hamilton where $220,000 in Freemasons Postgraduate.... Full article: http://goo.gl/HJUGe Education nation - why the Melbourne Model could become the norm TheVine.com.au May 10 2011 There's been a bit of tit-for-tat in the papers over the much debated, oft-maligned Melbourne Model recently. First Stephen King, the Dean of Monash's School of Economics, "slammed" (in the parlance of today's media) the Melbourne Model in a blog post, before Melbourne University defended ("counterslammed"?) the idea. As they're probably obligated to do, really. As a news story it's not really news what with taking a blog post probably likely to have been read by some 30 people and then.... Full article: http://goo.gl/ikI6A Police chief Mal Hyde proposes HECS-style debt payment plan for convicted graffiti vandals AdelaideNow May 10 2011 POLICE Commissioner Mal Hyde wants graffiti vandals to pay the damage bill when they have an income - similar to university debts. Mr Hyde has told Attorney-General John Rau offenders should not escape financial penalties simply because they have little or no income.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/ac9eZ University has plans to spread its wings Central Western Daily May 10 2011 CHARLES Sturt University has put in a bid for $29 million in federal funding to establish four new regional university centres next to TAFE campuses in Parkes, Port Macquarie, Griffith and Wangaratta. The “mini campuses” will aim to increase the number of students participating in higher education in smaller rural centres and large regional towns without a major university presence.... Full article: http://goo.gl/zmqBv Imagine St Andrews on the Murray The Age May 10 2011 Morag Fraser: For the benefit of all, regional students should be educated where they live rather than forced into big-city universities. HIGHER education watchers often suffer the anxious curiosity of the little boy who notices that the emperor isn't wearing any clothes. Embarrassing. The emperor doesn't seem embarrassed so what to do? Suffer, and risk asking the obvious questions.... Full article: http://goo.gl/So4Xw University chiefs earning top dollar The Age May 09 2011 VICTORIA'S university chiefs all earned well over $500,000 last year, with most earning more than twice as much as Prime Minister Julia Gillard. University annual reports also show that vice-chancellors enjoyed salary package increases of between $30,000 and $70,000.... Full article: http://goo.gl/HDNNH University Of New England and Pearson Collaborate on a Partnership with Groundbreaking Potential in Distance Education Pearson Australia May 04 2011 The University of New England (UNE) and Pearson has this week signed an agreement to establish a strategic partnership in distance education. The University of New England (UNE) and Pearson –the world’s leading learning company – has this week signed a Heads of Agreement to establish a groundbreaking strategic partnership in distance education with a focus on the online sector. The partnership will enhance the University’s history.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/1kf4o University of New England's lofty online plan The Australian May 04 2011 THE University of New England has announced the most ambitious public-private tie-up yet seen in Australia as the Armidale, NSW, based institution prepares to reassert itself in the distance education market. UNE and education technology company Pearson have agreed in principle to a deal to pursue growth in an expanded online market.... Full article: http://goo.gl/kMWFx HECS discount cut 'must improve access' The Australian May 06 2011 PLANS to slash the HECS discount for students who pay university fees upfront would be justified only if the money saved went towards improving student access, the tertiary union said yesterday. HECS experts expect large numbers to continue to pay their fees in advance despite the reduced discount, generating a government revenue boost of more than $50 million.... Full article: http://goo.gl/tEwIs Uni of Adelaide wants to become Fair Trade university University of Adelaide News May 06 2011 The University of Adelaide will seek accreditation as the state's first Fair Trade university. The move follows the recommendation to the University of Adelaide's Council by the Student Fair Trade Collective, the Adelaide University Union and the University's Ecoversity program.... Full article: http://goo.gl/BHo8n Not-for-profit conference 2011: Towards a stronger not-for-profit sector CPA Australia Refine and revive your financial and accounting strategy by attending this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s conference and lead your organisation towards success in times of change! Full article: http://goo.gl/7noCV Upfront discount for HECS faces cut ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

The Australian May 05 2011 WELL-OFF university students who can afford to pay their fees upfront could lose part of the generous discount they receive for early payment in next week's budget. With the government determined to find savings to offset new spending measures, it was reported last night that a move to halve the 20 per cent discount for the early payment of Higher Education Contribution Scheme fees would save hundreds of.... Full article: http://goo.gl/ZI0uo The cookie cutter approach to education doesn't make us happy The Sydney Morning Herald May 05 2011 The most popular course at Harvard University is not medicine or dentistry. Neither is it engineering or even law. It is positive psychology, the field of psychology that is sometimes dismissed as ''happy classes''. Tal Ben Shahar first offered the class in 2002 and eight students enrolled. By the third year 855 undergraduates attended the course, making it the most popular class at Harvard.... Full article: http://goo.gl/YRcfS Fee deregulation could ultimately hit student enrolments, warns Paul Greenfield The Australian May 04 2011 FEE deregulation in the higher education market could eventually discourage enrolments, but when that tipping point might be reached is unknown, says Group of Eight chairman Paul Greenfield. The University of Queensland vice-chancellor and a proponent of deregulation told a National Press Club lunch that HECS loans were not an issue for students at the moment, but should changes to.... Full article: http://goo.gl/9EUXg Are Australian MBAs fail-proof? BusinessSpectator.com.au May 04 2011 Less prestigious Australian business schools, which have to work harder to attract MBA students, are letting academic standards slip, according to an education expert - and even in the most sought-after schools, it has become the norm to give students a second chance when work is borderline. Dr Gavin Moodie, a higher education policy adviser at RMIT University who has worked in the sector for more than 30 years, says the need for revenue may have encouraged a lowering of academic standards at less prominent, less prestigious business schools, facing lower demand for places.... Full article: http://goo.gl/rNnOw

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Government told to pump an extra $310 million into skills training, adopt voucher system SmartCompany.com.au May 04 2011 A new voucher system for vocation education and an overhaul of employment subsidies are just two of the recommendations contained in the newly released Skills Australia report, in which it lays out a plan for the Government to address the upcoming skills shortage. According to reports, the Government has taken some of the recommendations and used them for next week's Budget.... Full article: http://goo.gl/D6RHx Overhaul of VET system 'could fix WA skills crisis' WA Today May 04 2011 A more level playing field between vocational and academic choices is needed. The seriousness of Western Australia's skills crisis may be downgraded, following bipartisan support for a major overhaul of the national training system. The state is expected to greatly benefit from an overhaul of the vocational education and training sector as recommended in a comprehensive report released by Skills Australia yesterday.... Full article: http://goo.gl/V2heS University of Sunshine Coast enrolments to swell Sunshine Coast Daily May 04 2011 STUDENTS from a low-socio economic background will be the focus for the University of the Sunshine Coast during the influx of student enrolments expected from next year. USC vice-chancellor Greg Hill said encouraging disadvantaged students from the Sunshine Coast and surrounding areas to enrol at USC was a personal mission for him as the university prepared for an uncapped student enrolment system.... Full article: http://goo.gl/lUCRX Melbourne Uni defends degree shift The Age May 04 2011 MELBOURNE University's vice-chancellor has hit back at claims by a senior Monash University academic that changes to the way degrees are structured has driven students away from the state's oldest institution. Glyn Davis - who led Melbourne through the introduction of the new course structure that sees undergraduate students complete generalist degrees before moving on to professional courses such as law and medicine at a graduate level.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/Vo4HE Education focus for budget, says Gillard The Sydney Morning Herald May 03 2011 Prime Minister Julia Gillard says education and training will be the budget's top priority, as she unveiled a new plan to help thousands of students with disabilities. A week out from the federal budget, Ms Gillard visited a Canberra primary school to announce a $200 million plan for more speech and occupational therapy, technology, teacher aides, health professionals and.... Full article: http://goo.gl/D72Aq Skills Australia report warns of skills shortage The Sydney Morning Herald May 04 2011 THE federal government's skills advisory body has called for a shake-up of the vocational education and training system to meet looming skill shortages. A report released yesterday by Skills Australia warned Australia risked squandering the economic opportunities of the resources boom unless it addressed unmet demand for skills. And it warned greater investment in skills was vital to address the ''structural mismatch'' between job growth and.... Full article: http://goo.gl/JXEiO Mass university sector is unsustainable The Australian May 04 2011 IN the countdown to the uncapping of university places next year there is rising concern that the present unified system of higher education will be stretched to breaking point. At the centre of the warnings is unease another mass expansion of higher education delivered by academics strongly engaged in scholarship and research isn't financially sustainable or even desirable.... Full article: http://goo.gl/HZHve Postgraduates shy away from universities The Australian May 04 2011 LACK of confidence among budding academics that a university career would be satisfying, revealed in the sector's biggest survey, reflected the perception universities were under significant financial pressure, according to research leader Les Field. Professor Field, chairman of the Group of Eight and Universities Australia committees of deputy vicechancellors (research), said.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/Py4Ub Group of Eight Chairman: Global test best for quality The Australian May 04 2011 IN a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra today Group of Eight chairman Paul Greenfield will call for a new, internationally benchmarked system to measure higher education quality. "We are off the pace," the University of Queensland vice-chancellor will say, zeroing in on Australia's relatively high student-staff ratios as a key indicator that action is needed.... Full article: http://goo.gl/59FPU Loan repayments lift after appeal Stuff.co.nz May 04 2011 Student loan repayments have increased $2.5 million since Kiwi graduates living overseas were urged to support the Christchurch earthquake. New Zealander of the Year Sir Paul Callaghan launched an appeal in March to the more than 85,000 expatriates with students loans, particularly the 35,000 behind in their repayments.... Full article: http://goo.gl/L29aR VET needs funding upgrade The Australian May 04 2011 RESERVE Bank governor Glenn Stevens recently talked about the "challenges of prosperity". The most critical of these challenges is having sufficient qualified people to meet our enterprises' skills needs. If we don't the inevitable result will be an explosion in wages that will lead to inflation and a subsequent rise in interest rates, compromising our economic performance and our standard of living.... Full article: http://goo.gl/J5IBq Report sees reform as way to bridge the skills gap The Australian May 04 2011 Chris Evans says the report will have the same impact on vocational training as the Bradley review had on higher education. Picture: Gary Ramage Source: The Australian CALLS for a shake-up of the funding of degree programs, specifically in TAFEs and private providers, to be eligible for commonwealth support, received a fillip yesterday with the release of a blueprint for the reform.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/GkCLK The University of Melbourne's medicine program has ranked 15th in the world, according to new rankings The Australian May 04 2011 WARNING against the dire consequences of any cuts to Australia's health research budget, global university rankings company Quacquarelli Symonds has released its league table for medicine, with the University of Melbourne topping the local list, and coming in at world number 15.... Full article: http://goo.gl/L2PaJ Central Queensland University has Bundaberg buzzing News-Mail.com.au May 03 2011 CQUNIVERSITY is reporting tremendous growth with a 9% increase in enrolments since 2008 – quite a feat for a university that was labelled “unviable” in 2009. Government figures reveal the university has grown from about 5462 undergraduate Commonwealthsupported places in 2008 to 6130 this year.... Full article: http://goo.gl/CIjoY Monash dean slams Melbourne University model The Age, Australia April 29 2011 A senior Monash University academic has slammed rival Melbourne University's undergraduate model, calling it ''one of the best things to ever happen to Monash'' because it had pushed more students to study there. The Melbourne Model, introduced in 2007, shifted vocational degrees to graduate courses and created generalist undergraduate degrees in areas including arts, biomedicine, science and environments. Since the model was introduced, Monash's share of first preferences has steadily climbed, pushing ahead of Melbourne's.... Full article: http://goo.gl/aw5qC Last ditch plea for teaching council's survival The Australian April 29 2011 SHADOW universities minister Brett Mason has made a last-minute appeal for the Australian Learning and Teaching Council to given a reprieve. "There is a strong consensus across the higher education sector that abolishing the ALTC for the saving of $9.5 million a year is a false economy,'' he says in a letter to tertiary education minister Chris Evans.... ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand Locked Bag 1333, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia Tel: +61 3 6324 3935 || Fax: +61 3 6324 3670 || admin.acuma@acuma.org.au http://www.acuma.org.au || http://twitter.com/acumainc || http://www.scribd.com/acumainc

ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

Full article: http://goo.gl/5uz9H Indigenous Affairs not consulted on Behrendt chair The Australian April 29 2011 HIGHER Education Minister Chris Evans did not consult Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin about the appointment of academic lawyer Larissa Behrendt to head the government's review of indigenous higher education. Ms Macklin is understood to have learned of the appointment only when it was announced publicly, the day news broke that the indigenous lawyer had slurred community-based Aboriginal leader Bess Price.... Full article: http://goo.gl/QyKve Bennetts Bookstores Back In New Zealand Hands Voxy.co.nz April 30 2011 An iconic brand and 30 jobs have been saved following the acquisition of the Bennetts Bookshops chain by a family-owned New Zealand company. The newly formed Bennetts Bookstores Limited announced today it has purchased the Bennetts bookshop from the voluntary administrators of Whitcoulls Group Limited.... Full article: http://goo.gl/MHwDg When universities go begging The Sydney Morning Herald April 30 2011 The cash drip that international students have supplied the Australian university sector is drying up and even the most traditional institutions are being forced to adapt. Gone are the long days on campus, stretched out under the canopy of a jacaranda. Today's student is more likely to be tapping at a laptop or grabbing takeaway before the next class or shift at work.... Full article: http://goo.gl/dCTJP Higher education news resources from ACUMA Incorporated: Full daily updates for ACUMA members Limited daily public updates Monthly public higher education news summaries Â&#x192; Â&#x192;

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ACUMA Inc.: the Association representing tertiary campus service organisations in Australia & New Zealand May 2011 NZ & Australian Higher Education news

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