Executive Director's Comment
Executive Director's 2012 Budget summary
11 May 2012
2012 Budget decisions
SAVINGS measures
The Government targeted its savings at student benefits avoiding
reductions to universities' revenue.
1. Student contribution for science and mathematics units
The Government announced in December 2011 that from 2013 new students enrolling in science and mathematics units from 2013 would be charged up to the Band 2 rate, and no longer be limited to the national priority rate. The Budget has extended the change to existing students, bringing forward the full saving.
Funding Higher Education
30 April 2012
Base Funding for Higher Education: Exploring the possibilities
Monday 30 April 2012 - The Centre for the Study of Higher Education held a national seminar on the Base Funding Review for higher education. The IRU Executive Director's presentation is attached.
Comment on the background papers to the Base Funding Review
26 April 2012
Base Funding Review: background papers
The Government has released the background papers for the Base
Funding Review:
- an assessment of the externality (public good) value from higher education (Chapman and Lounkaew).
- an assessment of the private rate of return.
- an analysis of the impact of changes in student contributions on application numbers
- the analysis of the costing study
Priorities are Demand Driven
5 March 2012
Opinion piece - The Australian Financial Review - Monday 5 March 2012
The Report of the Base Funding Review poses a major challenge for universities and Government to respond to. We need to use it to improve universities' capacities to meet the standards set for, and expected of, higher education over the long term....
Response to Frank Furedi Article - The Australian 4 Feb 2012
9 February 2012
The Australian Thurs 9 Feb 2012
More students may not make us smarter but then nor will fewer (Frank Furedi, The Weekend Australian Inquirer 4-5/2, p2). It depends on what they learn. Mr Furedi's analysis is based on some mis-readings of the changes to university funding and some interesting assumptions.
It is not accurate to state that universities are subject to a supply led initiative. The Government has set a long term goal for graduate numbers but it has not set universities target numbers to enrol. To the contrary it has removed the university targets and allowed universities to respond to demand from applicants. If there is no increase in demand there are no extra places.
Report on the Base Funding Review - Initial Analysis
14 December 2011
The base funding review report is a significant analysis of the complex questions about how best to support high quality education in our universities. The IRU is considering the report in detail to understand all its proposals for reform both individually and in operation together. This will form the basis for our engagement with the Government and other interested parties over 2012 and beyond.
Some initial analysis follows.
Update on the Government's reform program
3 October 2011
The past three months have seen further development of the Government's reform program across many areas.
Post Budget Analysis
9 June 2011
The political and economic imperatives for a tight 2011 budget removed any prospect for any major announcements of benefit to universities. Instead the 2011 Budget maintained the Government's support for the reform program it outlined in 2009 across teaching and learning and research. It was a budget night where no news was likely to be good news.
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