Postgraduate Association Activities and Resources

On 13 March 2008, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, announced a major review of Australia’s higher education system which will examine and report on the future direction of the higher education sector, its fitness for purpose in meeting the needs of the Australian community and economy and the options for ongoing reform. [From the DEEWR website]

Resources to assist in academic advocacy, grievance resolution and advice.

Examples of postgraduate publications, including magazines, newsletters and updates.

The Graduate Junction Explained

The Graduate Junction is a brand new website designed to help young researchers make contact with others who share similar research interests, regardless of which department, institution or country they work in. The Graduate Junction has been developed by two doctoral students at the
University of Durham, UK. Since its launch in May 2008, The Graduate Junction has proved very popular with research students and academics alike. Within the first two weeks 2000 students registered in the U.K. and the news spread to over 40 countries.

The Government is providing $500 million in 2007-08 for higher education institutions to undertake capital projects to support improved teaching and learning, research and students' overall higher education experience. Priority areas will be information and communications technology, laboratories, libraries and student study spaces, teaching spaces and student amenities (Higher Education 2020 Newsletter, Department of Education, Employment and Workplace relations (DEEWR), Issue 2, May 2008).

The Discussion Paper The Impact of Voluntary Student Unionism on Services, Amenities and Representation for Australian University Students was released February 18th, 2008. The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) welcomes the release of the discussion paper, and the associated consultation process undertaken by Minister Ellis with the assistance of The Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).

Often, the best thing about a postgraduate degree is the stuff you don't hear about when you
enrol, says Nigel Palmer.
At the most basic level, what many people expect from a postgraduate degree is the
qualifications, skills and experience that will help progess their careers. Many prospective
postgrads are focused on how getting a degree will make them more competitive in the job
market.
However, many students feel short-changed by the time they make it to the end of their studies.
Often the most valuable things students get out of their postgraduate degrees are the things you

A good course will help you discover skills you didn't know you had, and be good value for
money. So shop around, says Nigel Palmer.
POSTGRAD study should be a mix of getting what you expect plus a little of the unexpected
along the way.
In picking the appropriate course, you're entitled to expect to get value for money - especially if
you are thinking of enrolling in a fee-paying degree, which most postgraduate courses are. And
these certainly aren't cheap.
It is hard to get a read on the quality of a course based simply on the university's marketing

July 1st 2007 marks VSU "one-year-on". CAPA has completed its survey: The Impact of VSU on Postgraduate Students. The final report is now available:

Key findings:

As of July 1, 2007 at least 8 universities no longer have an independent postgraduate student organisation. Of the 20 Postgraduate students associations that responded to CAPA's 2007 questionnaire:

- 8 are receiving less than 50% of their pre-VSU funding, including 4 that are receiving less than 5%.
- While 70% have some funding support from their university, many have conditions attached including some that