Uni sets up safe room for Jewish students
A university in Sydney has set up a high-security ‘safe room’ for Jewish students after some reported feeling at risk due to anti-Semitism on campus.
Higher Education
ARC grant review ‘political repression’
Hundreds of academics have complained of ‘political repression’ in the review of an $870,000 taxpayer grant to a researcher who bragged of ‘bending the rules’.
Clare’s reforms put autonomy to test
Universities are supposed to be autonomous, free to teach and research what they like and left alone to manage their own business. Not any more
Biologist’s ‘alien’ adventure to Antarctica
For biologist Laura Phillips, the Morozumi Range in Antarctica’s east was an ‘alien’, beautiful region to study.
Go8 unis ban Chinese AI app DeepSeek
Australia’s top research universities have blocked Chinese artificial intelligence app DeepSeek from its networks and devices, are considering a ban, or have ‘strongly encouraged’ staff to avoid using the app due to data security concerns.
Commentary
Why students are abandoning arts degrees
Australians starting university aren’t buying what humanities academics are selling, and it’s not just to do with how much they cost.
PhD students need more pay than poverty-line wages
PhD students are living on the poverty line, at the risk of ‘stalling Australia’s research engine’, says Australian Council of Graduate Research president, Professor Louise Sharpe.
Why are Australians shunning studying languages?
Community pressure is keeping geographically irrelevant languagues on life-support.
Message to unis on R&D review: just what is in it for taxpayers?
At the core of university culture is a 1000-year tradition of pursuing knowledge for its own sake and if the community benefits – well that’s a bit of luck.
We can’t afford to kick the can down the road
We can’t have a strong economy without the ideas, products and solutions generated by our brilliant university researchers.
Wise counsel drives UniSA research vision
An indigenous leader gave a university leader this sage advice: Act together, act now and we are unstoppable.
Latest
What have our universities become?
A lurch towards activism and a focus on funding have desecrated our universities. They should once again become safe spaces – for the getting of wisdom.
Hamas massacre ‘was anti-racist’
Monash University is investigating an academic’s provocative speech praising the Hamas terrorist group at QUT’s scandal-stricken symposium against racism.
Abdel-Fattah made ‘anti-Semitic statements’, uni concedes
Macquarie University vice-chancellor Bruce Dowton has conceded his university’s anti-Israel academic Randa Abdel-Fattah had made ‘anti-Semitic’ statements, but said there was limited capacity for disciplinary action.
Ex-judge to review anti-racist forum
QUT and Macquarie Uni will be grilled by parliamentarians in a specially scheduled hearing of the inquiry into campus anti-Semitism.
Student Ombudsman staff trained in anti-Semitism, Islamophobia
The new conflict resolution service expects students to escalate issues about racism, discrimination and gender-based violence.
‘Dodgy college’ approached ALP
Months before a VIP dinner with Anthony Albanese, a foreign student kingpin’s deregistered college was contacting ALP figures for help.
Anti-Israel scholar’s $870k grant probed
The Australian Research Council has flagged ‘significant concerns’ about the conduct of a taxpayer-funded scholar who has called for the ‘end of Israel’.
More undergraduates signing up for teaching: Labor
The federal government has released new data showing more undergraduates are applying to become school teachers than in previous years, as it works to tackle the nation’s crippling teacher shortage.
Expert seeks Magnitsky sanctions on research
A security expert has called for the nation’s sanctions regime to be reformed to protect against threats to un research from overseas actors, labelling the government’s current approach ‘lamentable’.
Shorten’s new salary revealed as VC at Uni of Canberra
Former Labor frontbencher Bill Shorten has doubled his money by parachuting into an $860,000-a-year job as vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra.
Indigenous academic invokes ‘Black Lives Matter’ in racism row
The Indigenous academic who invited anti-Israel activists as keynote speakers at a racism symposium that mocked ‘Dutton’s Jew’ has likened the public backlash to a ‘Black Lives Matter’ moment.
Bishop ‘has confidence’ in V-C
In her first public comments since the upsurge in anti-Semitism that has swept university campuses, Julie Bishop expressed ‘absolute confidence’ in her vice-chancellor.
QUT anti-racism organiser in Jew doxxing link
QUT Carumba Institute executive director Chelsea Watego urged people to isolate Jewish Australian creatives days before the leak burst into public consciousness.
Racism at university: QUT vice-chancellor apologises
Margaret Sheil has apologised for the hurt and offence caused by an anti-racism conference that ridiculed ‘Dutton’s Jew’.
Probe on V-C perks and parties
University vice-chancellors’ pay, lavish parties and office upgrades will be under scrutiny in a new Senate inquiry if parliament resumes next month.
Case for civility, unity and Aussie humour: Westacott intervention
Western Sydney University chancellor Jennifer Westacott says the nation is losing its ability to engage in a contest of ideas.
QUT warned on anti-Semitism
Jewish leaders raised the alarm with the Queensland University of Technology almost a week prior to its anti-racism symposium that it could “inflame” anti-Semitism but went ahead with it nonetheless.
More pain for unis amid cap doubt
See the worst and best placed universities to manage the uncertainty.
University symposium courts anti-Israel critics
The Queensland University of Technology has invited a trio of anti-Israel activists – including academic Randa Abdel-Fattah – to be keynote speakers at a national ‘anti-racism’ conference to mark ‘Invasion Day’.
Union veteran Burrow to cast judgment on uni leaders’ pay deals
Union heavyweight Sharan Burrow has been appointed by the Albanese government to a new university governance board that will probe vice-chancellors’ million-dollar pay packets.
ANU tells inquiry: That’s no Nazi salute
The ANU says its students did not perform Nazi-inspired gestures at a mass online student meeting, while conceding footage ‘on a superficial level’ looked as if they did.
Business opposes bill for free TAFE
After previously welcoming government funding for free TAFE places, the BCA now says it is opposed to legislating it and it should instead be part of the ‘normal budget and policy setting process’.
More uni mergers on cards as our educational institutions struggle
Financial pressures on universities, exacerbated by the unsuccessful bid to limit international student numbers, could prompt more merger discussions, KordaMentha says.
Catholic Uni faces probe after a year of scandal
The Australian Catholic University is facing a compliance probe from the nation’s higher education regulator over ‘management and governance issues’ that, if proven, could result in sanctions or jeopardise its registration.
De facto student cap would be ‘illegal’
A former Immigration Department deputy executive made the claim as the government vowed to manage numbers ‘in a fairer way’ after the Coalition blocked its controversial student caps legislation.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education