Specialisation lacks funds: Democrats
A LACK of government funding is a significant factor in the absence of any world-class specialist universities in Australia, the Australian Democrats have said.
A LACK of government funding is a significant factor in the absence of any world-class specialist universities in Australia, the Australian Democrats have said.
The 2007 Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research rankings, which found there were no outstanding specialist universities, shows there is still much to do in helping tertiary institutions diversify, the Democrats' higher education spokeswoman Natasha Stott Despoja said yesterday.
“The Government has made a lot of noise about fostering diversity and specialisation in the higher education sector, but has not backed that up with the funding required to establish truly world-class capability,” Senator Stott Despoja said.
“Australia is the only OECD nation to have reduced funding for higher education between 1995 and 2004.”
Senator Stott Despoja said the federal Government's offer of $209 million over four years for universities to specialise was not enough.
“The kind of specialisation that establishes world-class excellence does not come cheap,” she said.
“It takes money and a supportive policy environment, and this Government has a history of providing the higher education sector with neither.”
The Democrats are announcing their higher education policy today.
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