The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations has welcomed a number of measures in tonight’s Federal Budget that improve funding for the research sector, but has cautioned higher degree by research students not to forget the cuts to research within the recent mid-year budget review.
“Tonight’s Budget has seen a number of positive steps for research funding, including $135 million over five years to extend the Future Fellowships scheme – providing a further 150 fellowships – and $186 million over two years to fund the operation of research infrastructure under the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Scheme,” said Ms Hopper.
“However, no Higher Degree by Research student has forgotten the $1 billion that was cut from the sector as part of the mid-year budget review, with the majority of that cut directly impacting Australia’s researchers,” Ms Hopper said.
As Professor Sandra Harding, Chair of Universities Australia, noted in her address to the National Press Club last Wednesday, universities and students lost a further $1bn in funding just over six months ago as part of the mid-year budget review process.
“The cuts to higher education funding as part of the mid-year budget review in December 2012 included $500 million from programs supporting research excellence, as well as the end of funding for large, nationally significant research projects and programs,” said Meghan Hopper, President of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations.
“CAPA welcomes the announcement in tonight’s budget that the Government will contribute further funding to key research schemes, but they do not add up to the amount lost in the mid-year budget review,” said Ms Hopper.
Meghan B. Hopper, President
Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations
president@capa.edu.au
0421 807 303
