Back to the future for higher education reform

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) welcomes the defeat of flawed Higher Education and Research Reforms (HERR) bill which was rejected by the Senate yesterday evening for a second time.

“The Senate and the Australian people have sent the Minister for Education and Training a clear message – that the government’s reforms are not the future of higher education in Australia.  A user pays system with its focus on private over public benefit has been debunked” said the National President Harry Rolf.

“This is a victory for Australia’s postgraduate students, who would have been impacted by both university fee deregulation and the new fee on research degrees found in the HERR bill.

“If real reform is to be achieved the minister and Australia’s universities cannot continue to dismiss the voice of Australia’s students. Students both postgraduate and undergraduate are major stakeholders – not simply customers who obtain a degree through financial transaction.

“The future of higher education in Australia must be shaped through consultation for the benefit of students, the community and Australian society – not only the budget bottom line. CAPA will continue to fight alongside its allies for a better higher education system.

“Despite the minister’s assurance that he will resurrect the higher education reform package for a third time, current and future students can wake up this morning to what can be a brighter future for Australia’s higher education system” concluded Harry Rolf.

ATTACHED: MEDIA RELEASE Back to the future for higher education reform 18-3-2015

CONTACT:

Harry Rolf, National President
Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA)
president@capa.edu.au

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) warns that the damaging $173.7M cut to Research Training Scheme (RTS) funding and the associated new fee on research degrees included in the Higher Education Research Reforms bill (HERR) have not been dropped, or even mentioned in the Minister for Education and Training’s last minute attempts to ‘create a clear choice for [the] Senate’.

“It is concerning that the damaging effects of a $173.7M cut to RTS funding and a new fee of up to $3,900 (pa) for Research Masters and Doctorate (PhD) degrees are being ignored by the minister” said the National President Harry Rolf.

Postgraduates studying at Australian universities contributed 57% of the higher education sectors Research and Development (R&D) person years of effort in 2012 according to Australian Bureau of Statistics R&D data. R&D like research infrastructure is a major contributor to innovation, which is tipped to drive economic growth in Australia over the next 50 years, providing a counterbalance to ageing populations, climate change and rising income inequality according to the OECD.

“Cutting RTS funding by $173.7M and introducing a fee of up to $3,900 (pa) for a research degree will damage the capacity of Australia’s universities to train the next generation researchers, and prevent the best and brightest from pursuing a research degree. It will undermine Australia’s research capacity.

“Even Universities Australia is concerned, saying at the recent public hearings held by the Senate Education and Employment committee that the RTS cut will likely undermine Australia’s research capacity. How can the minister continue to spin these reforms as vital when such significant issues persist” concluded Harry Rolf.

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations continues to oppose the HERR bill’s reforms, and urges the Senate to look beyond the ministers spin to the issues that persist.

ATTACHED: Higher Education and Research Reforms will damage Australia’s research capacity 17-3-2015

CONTACT:

Harry Rolf, National President
Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA)
president@capa.edu.au

This year marks the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration.  Despite two decades passing, significant gender inequalities remain.  Important issues for CAPA include the proposed deregulation of higher education, and introduction of fees on research degrees.  And while women represent around 56% of higher education students, they remain significantly underrepresented in senior higher education leadership roles.  IWD provides an opportunity to examine the significant social and financial inequalities which remain in a broader context impacting higher education and the wider community.

This years’ theme, ‘make it happen’ highlights the need to commit to gender equality and the continuing importance of International Women’s Day.  While we are not there yet, 2015 provides an opportunity to bring issues that affect women into clearer focus, particularly those affecting participation in higher education ensuring we have a strong voice.

~ Joanne Ruksenas, Women’s Equity Officer, CAPA

#makeithappen #IWD2015 #NotThereYet