This report outlines the key issues and priorities for Australia’s 280,000+ postgraduate students in the lead up to the 2010 Federal Election. The report is informed by the efforts of the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) to support improvements and reforms for postgraduates for over 30 years, as well as ongoing engagement and consultation on the interests and needs of this important group.

[Below is an edited version of the information available on the DIISR website].

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) has welcomed the release of the Consultation Paper for informing the development of the Federal Government’s Research Workforce Strategy. The Consultation Paper follows directly from Building Australia's Research Capacity, the Final report from the 2008 House of Reps Inquiry into Research Training and Research Workforce Issues.

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[From the DEEWR website]

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) in consultation with the Indicator Development Group of higher education experts has developed a discussion paper on the framework of indicators that could be used to negotiate targets with universities for the purposes of performance funding for teaching and learning. 

 

Research Workforce Strategy

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The Federal Government's Research Workforce Strategy represents and integrated approach to tackling some of the key sustainability issues facing Higher Education in Australia.  Key aspects of the strategy are outlined below:

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) welcomes the Federal Government’s response to Building Australia’s Research Capacity, the final report from the House of Representatives Inquiry into Research Training and Research Workforce Issues in Australian Universities.

[From the Senate Standing Committee on Education, Employment and Workplace Relations website]

On 17 June 2009 the Senate referred the following matters to the Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committee for inquiry and report:

On 23 April 2008 the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator the Hon Kim Carr, asked the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Innovation to undertake an inquiry into research training and research workforce issues in Australian universities.
The Committee invited interested persons and organisations to make submissions addressing the terms of reference by Friday 30 May 2008.

The stage is set for a series of important reforms in higher education, with a range of reports due between now and the end of the year.

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) has published a summary of important developments for postgraduate students in an Issues Paper released today.