ANU has found its visitors book, last signed in 1984, by then PM Bob Hawke. VC Genevieve Bell is using it again, “because I believe in rituals.” FC has no idea how campus critics and their pals in Canberra press and politics will weaponise this but FC suspects they will find a way.
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Chief Scientist Tony Haymet spoke last week at a Canberra meeting on Aus-EU science cooperation, which he thinks is a very good thing indeed. It was an opportunity for him to bow to the Group of Eight, which demands Australia pony-up the price of associate status in the EU Horizon.
Which Professor Haymet did not do, stating he did not speak for the Government before saying not much. “It is no secret that Australia continues to assess the mechanism by which its interactions with Europe will thrive. And the Australian Government has shown it remains open to exploring all opportunities that broaden and deepen our collaboration with like-minded countries.”
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A James Cook U team has produced a nursing e-textbook for their 1,400 students, replacing two texts that students had to buy for a total $250. The JCU original is also universally OA. Looks like an addition to JCU;’s utterly admirable Textbook Affordability Project.
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AI is the alpha IT on the CAUDIT top ten for 2025. The Council of Australasian University Directors of Information Technology state it is, “now embedded into systems and processes to achieve operational efficiencies.” But “the rapid adoption of ‘un-vetted’ AI tools” is a worry. “With little oversight, ICT departments are not aware of all tools being implemented, creating potential data and cybersecurity risks and concerns around technical debt and compliance.”
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FC’s uh-oh! correspondent notices April YTD international student starts. VET is down 20% on 2024, to 68,500. And at 23,000, ELICOS is 44%lower. HE is collectively ok, up marginally to 108,000 but another couple of years like this and ELICOS would be no more.
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The Australian Research Council proposes transforming its grants programme to, “better support researchers at all career stages.”
The final model is based on a discussion paper released in February which proposed six funding schemes, all covering pure basic, strategic basic and applied research.
The ARC reports there were 350 responses, which it has not released. But not to worry, it states feedback from them is incorporated into the final model, now to go to government. It includes,
* a “stand alone” fellowship for early career researchers
* ECRs supported in all schemes
* Project and mentor funding rather than fellowships for MCRs
* a “small percentage” of total funding for researchers at any career stage “to pursue ambitious exploratory research”
* funding continues for collaborative infrastructure
Otherwise, the model announced in February appears intact.
Lobbies and researchers largely left the announcement alone this week, however the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations gamely has a go looking at the new Initiate Grants. CAPA points out that existing five-year Discovery Grants can fund a PhD scholarship for three years, which two-year Initiates will not. “Reducing the number of grants which can feasibly fund a scholarship, will reduce the number of scholarships available,” CAPA tells FC.
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The SA Government does not bang-on about the imminent Adelaide University attracting more international students as much as it used (last year’s election saw to that).But entrepreneurs assume it will, 6,000 more is floated. The State Planning Commission has just approved a 1000-bed vertical student dorm on the Trinity Church site just steps from about to be Adelaide U. It follows approval for the 600-room Crown and Anchor development.
Adelaide rated 28th in the world in this week’s QS world cities for students ranking. Melbourne was fifth and Sydney sixth.
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The first major news could be worse on Max Lu’ s watch as Uni Wollongong VC. The revised admin savings proposal generates $17m-$22m in annual savings from a 100-124 FTE headcount cut. The March version reduced FTE by 155-185 to save $22m-$26m. Management proposes to find the difference in non-salary savings.
Cuts in the March plan that remain, include a faculty consolidation from four to three, university-wide corporate services and a new model for academic/student support. Those that are dropped appear to be keeping admin support in divisions, “strengthened academic support,” for accreditation and curriculum management. Core library services are maintained and update.
But that is not that. A revised change prop for the research portfolio is due early August.
Cuts round two with three to come, follows a ring-full of hits to the academic workforce, culminating in January with $25m in savings from ending altogether Cultural Studies, Japanese Mandarin and Sciences/Technology and “some teaching” in earth sciences, French, Spanish and English language-linguistics.
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Independent foreign policy think-tank, the Lowy Institute has $850 000 from the feds for “the India Chair and related programme of world-class research on India's emerging role in the Indo-Pacific and the world.” It’s twice the largest university funding in this year’s Maitri Grants – Western Sydney U has $425,000 to enhance Australian-Indian agribusiness strategic policy dialogue.