After months of HE sector-wide criticism of legislation to create the regulator, Charles Sturt University (CSU) Vice-Chancellor Renée Leon backed it Tuesday.
“Regional Australia continues to face critical skills shortages and demand for local study options is rising. This is why ATEC matters to regional Australia,” Professor Leon announced in an official university statement, released as the House of Representatives passed the Australian Tertiary Education Commission bills, Tuesday.
Professor Leon warned that regional communities, “face persistent skills shortages in critical fields including health, education and agriculture, among others” and that ATEC “is one of the keys to unlock this crisis.”
And she described the “Accord’s promise” as to, “ensure that every Australian – no matter where they live – can access high‑quality tertiary education and contribute to a thriving regional Australia.”
She also proposed improving the Bill, with “a small number of targeted amendments.” She particularly called for ATEC’s leadership to include a designated commissioner for regions and welcomed Fiona Nash’s appointment as one of its interim leaders. Ms Nash is also the national Regional Education Commissioner. The former National Party minister was CSU’s strategic advisor, after leaving the Senate.
Overall, Professor Leon’s is a rare statement of even qualified support for ATEC; and does not detail the spread of CSU’s concerns as set out in its submission to the Senate inquiry now underway. The university warned there that the legislation as it currently stands, does not deliver on the original proposal recommended by the Universities Accord report.
“The ATEC that would be established by these bills falls short of this vision and overlooks many important dimensions of Australia’s higher education system, including sustainable funding, research and research training, infrastructure, and international education,” Professor Leon stated.