Central Queensland University Hit by Government's Plan To Reduce Australia's Research Capability

CAPA has warned that the Central Queensland University and other regional universities will be hard hit by the government's plan to cut postgraduate research numbers. CQU stands to lose over 50 places; nearly 40% of its current research student load.

Speaking at a forum at CQU in Rockhampton today, CAPA President, Bradley Smith, hit out at the reduction of up to 3,500 places nationally and said that "regional Australia can ill-afford to lose R&D and innovation capability".

"Regional Universities are vital for developing the nexus of community, industry, R&D and education in rural and regional Australia".

"Cutting research places is yet another example of this government's dis-investment in Australia's research capability and comes at a time when the need to invest in the 'knowledge economy' is an increasingly urgent imperative".

"Regional, technological and new universities are worst hit with most likely to lose between 15% - 50% of their research load. These universities have invested millions of dollars into building their research and research education capability in the past decade. This policy ignores this maturation and cuts their development off at the knees."

"The government says it wants to "expand opportunities and choice for research students" yet this policy will concentrate students in a small number of metropolitan institutions, thereby reducing opportunities, choices and diversity."

Mr Smith warned that "this policy will only exacerbate the 'brain drain' from rural and regional Australia to the main capital cities."

The cuts come through implementation of the Government's White Paper reforms to research. Currently there are approximately 25,000 places but those in excess of a quota of 21,500 are designated excess, or 'gap places'. The government wants to eliminate these places.

Universities are offered a "choice" of converting their 'gap places' to undergraduate load, or retaining them as research places for re-allocation in a new competitive funding scheme.

Mr Smith said, "universities do not have a realistic choice as all institutions will be substantially worse off financially if they try and retain their 'gap places'. The so-called choice is a cynical, politically expedient approach because it directs criticism of significant cuts in load at universities not the government".