TEQSA announces it has registered Adelaide Uni (no, not Uni Adelaide, the new one) – which is a big news story. The regulator knocking Peter Høj and David Lloyd back would have been a huge one.
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The Government proposes a code to prevent and respond to gender based violence on campus. Universities will resent further government control, but after years of apparent inaction, there is sod all they can do about it. Full story in this edition.
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Universities cross that they are collateral damage in the government crackdown on bodgy international enrolments in crook VET colleges have a review to look forward to. The Australian National Audit Office is assessing, “the effectiveness of the Australian Skills Quality Authority’s fraud control arrangements.” Submissions are open to June 30, with the report to be tabled in Parliament in September.
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Shadow Education Minister Sarah Henderson announces Australian National University officials are called to Senate Estimates, which is, “an important opportunity to test how seriously ANU is treating complaints of antisemitism.”
But which officials? As far as FC can recall, the last time the university was called, back in 2014, then VC, Ian Young turned up to answer questions from Senator Leyonhjelm (Liberal Democrat, NSW). The Senator wanted to know why the University had sold mining shares. Playing the straightest of bats, Professor Young explained it was an investment decision and nothing to do with a position on climate change.
ANU briefers could dig out the transcript for a demonstration of how it is done. But they won’t need to if new VC Genevieve Bell pads-up. She does not appear a person to be bothered by rhetorical bouncers.
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Ed Husic’s musings about tax relief for business that “embrace new technology” (AFR Wednesday) may have been a bit of Treasurer-teasing fun (of which there should be much more). Unless, of course the Industry and Science Minister was floating an idea for his own review of research and development, announced in the Budget. The science establishment wants the R&D Tax incentive replaced, with less money for corporates and more money for universities and the public research sector. But tax concessions for tech kit would get business off the government’s back, a bit, leading up to the next election. And if the $5.7bn R&DTI was included, in whole or part, it could give Mr Husic money for new schemes – he is yet to announce a National Reconstruction Alchemy Fund,
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Uni Queensland announces it owes 9,743 existing and former casual staff $7.88m (collectively, sadly, not individually) for wages they should have been paid under enterprise agreements in force between 2017 and 2023. The cause was those perennials of uni payroll problems, administrators not understanding what management had agreed to on a base rate per shift and that casual academics with a relevant PhD are paid a premium for teaching.
It has taken a while for Uni Queensland to work this out. Back in September 2021, campus members of the National Tertiary Education Union compiled a 180-page dossier of alleged cases of underpayment, by hours and dates worked in specific academic units. A month later, management announced an external review, “to ensure University of Queensland staff continue to be paid fairly and consistently.” And in June 2022, the university reported a clerical error in 2018 had led to casual academics being underpaid; $1m was said to be the total. But reviewing rolled on and on – this week’s announcement dates from the work that started in October 2021.
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Deakin U also announces it has stuffed up people’s pay, or “inadvertent underpayment” as VC Iain Martin puts it. A “misapplication of marking formulas” means sessional academics, HASS schools are mentioned, were not paid for “actual hours” worked. It started with the 2017 Enterprise Agreement but while there is no word on how many and how much, the university is finding out. Professor Martin says the University has advised the Fair Work Ombudsman, to which critics respond, which university hasn’t?
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DFAT invites submissions for “a new roadmap” on economic engagement with India, to “build on” Peter Varghese’s “landmark strategy” back in 2018. Things have changed since then. Mr Varghese warned; “India is unlikely in the medium term to loosen restrictions that prevent foreign universities operating standalone campuses in India.” However, that was prior to the Aus-India FTA and India’s national government allowing international universities to set up in-country. Deakin U and Uni Wollongong are already operating. But they are yet to find out for sure whether Mr Varghese was right on another prediction, “even if regulations are eventually relaxed, foreign universities face a historical reluctance from Indian parents to pay large sums of money for their child’s education in India.”
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Charles Sturt U announces a new Melbourne campus, in partnership with ed services giant Navitas. From next year, it will teach local and international students UG and PG business, IT and accounting degrees. It’s back to big-city biz after a brief absence – CSU had a study centre in Marvellous M, managed by Study Group Australasia, which closed in ’22. Announcing that exit, CSU announced, “it looks forward to delivering an outstanding experience for international students and researchers at our regional campuses,” – undoubtedly the experience is outstanding but perhaps for not quite as many internationals as the university had hoped. Which raises a question for regulator in waiting, ATEC. Will Melbourne based students, and those at its Sydney twin, count as regional or metro for the CSU international cap? (See separate story in FC)
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Flinders U announces planning and surveying degrees, to be developed with the SA State Government. Apparently, there was previously no UG degree in the State, which would have posed a problem for what VC Colin Stirling says will be “the SA building boom in the decades ahead.” Courses are to be in conjunction with the Planning Diploma launched by the State Government last Summer, in a collaboration between local government and TAFE SA.
