The Group of Eight’s Post

Hi Industry Funded Research Excellent article by Dr John H Howard "Two decades ago, universities were exhorted to prioritise commercialising research outputs and deepen industry engagement. A library of reports followed, underscoring the importance of universities in the national innovation system. However, despite these exhortations, most institutions favoured the immediate financial security of enrolment-driven revenues from domestic and international students." Maybe the reduction of international students will focus university administrators minds on committing to the hard work of engaging with industry and commercialising research which addresses their challenges. Now I would like to think I am not just another member of the peanut gallery hurling abuse but rather a passionate advocate for quality research for the national interest. Over ten years I personally invested about $1M* in efforts to foster university/industry/startup research engagement initiatives, including CRC's and several failed ARC Linkage proposals. So as Nassim Taleb would say I have skin in the game. My individual research colleagues were great but their instutions often failed them, and our industry partners, because it was usually their way or no way. That is not how partnerships work. *Definitely not rich - just a naive individual who sold their house and cashed in their life savings to try and make this model work. #research #researchanddevelopment #innovation #universities #highereducation #RandD Jason Clare MP Sarah Henderson Ed Husic MP Tony Peacock James Riley Peter Roberts

The Australian Financial Review Best Universities Rankings 2024 confirms that Group of Eight (Go8) universities are the nation’s top performing universities delivering on research, equity and graduate employability. The Group of Eight Chief Executive, Vicki Thomson said the results highlighted what is at risk if current Government policy to cap international students is legislated. “There is no doubt that Australia punches above its weight when it comes to quality in both research and teaching. There is also no doubt that a cap on international students, combined with a flawed and distorted funding model threatens our ability to maintain world class outcomes – and that directly impacts our students and staff.”  This year’s AFR ranking confirms Go8 members as the top eight Australian universities for research – reflecting the $8.5 billion annual investment in R&D across the Go8. “Our universities undertake more than 70 percent of Australia’s university research and award half of all domestic research doctorates in Australia,” said Ms Thomson, “That research, and our teaching, is heavily cross subsidised from international fee revenue – a funding model that is flawed and long overdue for change. Read the full media release here: https://lnkd.in/d9htJTd2 Julie Hare Natasha Bita Daniella White Caitlin Cassidy Conor Duffy #HIgherEducation #internationalstudents #research

UUK higher education blueprint for reform. Just released. Several themes worth noting in the Australian HE policy context: * Expanding opportunity * Collaboration across the tertiary sector * World-leading research and innovation * Enhanced regulation * Financial sustainability * Evidence-based impact Universities UK #UnisAccord #HigherEducation #TertiaryEducation #PolicyReform

"We are a destination of choice for students across the world and Australian universities are the cornerstone of our national innovation ecosystem."   University of Sydney Vice-Chancellor and President Mark Scott writes in The Australian Financial Review about proposed legislation that asks universities to fix a housing problem they didn’t create and he calls for postponement of implementation for 12 months to allow for proper consultation.   Scott writes: International students make up only 4% of the Australian rental market. When we had similar numbers of students here in 2019, there was nothing like the current housing shortage.   NAB reported half of Australia’s GDP growth last year came from international students. Not just at universities, but through their participation in travel, tourism, hospitality and allied health services.   Every university understands we need managed growth in international students. We need to be able to work closely with government at a measured pace to develop evidence-based solutions which can be influenced and are addressed by policy.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/gQqPV5Hf

In an op-ed in The Australian Financial Review, The Group of Eight Chair and University of Sydney VC Professor Mark Scott says the landmark Universities Accord final report rightly identifies that increasing investment in higher education and research is essential if we are to have a world class university system, sustain our standard of living and economic prosperity. He applauds the Accord’s focus on equity and its objectives "to fund teaching more appropriately to reflect different student need; to move towards fully funding research; to build more diverse institutions to focus specifically on teaching and research specialisations.” But Professor Scott questions Accord's suggested funding model: “it is perplexing that the only revenue-raising measure proposed is a tax on universities themselves to co-fund a new future fund with the Australian government”. Read the full op-ed here: https://lnkd.in/gpBtYaGT Vicki Thomson Jason Clare MP Sarah Henderson Australian Government Department of Education University of Adelaide The Australian National University University of Melbourne Monash University UNSW The University of Queensland The University of Western Australia #universitiesAccord #highereducation #researchfunding

Australian universities will face significant growth challenges with the proposed reforms to cap international students. This short presentation illustrates the emerging problems of market trends and government intervention on future growth for the Australian higher education sector.

On a fascinating panel at The Australian Financial Review Higher Education Summit on International Education, Monash University boss Sharon Pickering said it was hard to imagine a more uncertain time for unis. She said that universities are being asked to fix a growth issue that is not theirs but a result of the politically motivated aggregation of migration numbers. She worried that the rushed “fix” of international student caps will cause damage to the sector that will take years to recover from especially noting that before COVID, international students usually applied to just one country, now they’re applying to multiple and multiple institutions. The Group of Eight #HigherEducation #internationalstudents #internationaleducation

🌏 International Student Regulations and Outcomes: A $27B industry in Australia 🇦🇺 alone, but is it at a crossroads? 📚 Two groundbreaking studies reveal the complex reality of international education—from policy challenges to transformative impacts on home countries. Swipe through to discover: 🔘 The economic stakes 🔘 The innovation impact 🔘 The hidden societal benefits 🔘 The policy challenges Featuring insights from: Anthony Welch & Maia Chankseliani et al. 🔗 Read their full analysis in the latest issue of 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐸𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: https://lnkd.in/ewPG3tRu

Starting January 1, 2025, the #Australiangovernment will implement a cap limiting #international student enrolments to 40% across all #universities. This new policy aims to enhance the quality and integrity of higher education, ensuring universities remain dedicated to the education of Australian #students. However, this change is significant for #top universities like #Sydney, Melbourne, Monash, Queensland, Wollongong, and RMIT, with the University of Sydney alone needing to cut over 12,000 places.While this move is intended to prevent universities from shifting towards becoming global businesses, it raises substantial concerns about #economic impacts and #budget management. This reform will undoubtedly have wide-reaching effects on both international students and the future of Australian education. How will this #policy reshape the landscape of higher education in Australia? What does it mean for prospective international students? Stay informed and join the discussion as we explore these crucial questions. Stay tuned for more updates! . . . #HigherEducation #StudentCaps #InternationalStudents #AustralianUniversities #EducationReform #StudyAbroad #UniversityLife #EducationMatters

Comprehensive account of the dilemma several governments (UK, Aus, Canada) are facing as they impose limits on flows of international student. Dilemma 1. Education is about sharing knowledge and enhancing global mobility - the new policy settings will encourage the opposite. Dilemma 2. International student fee income has been the answer to the long-term decline in the unit of resource (and the lack of research cost recovery). Cut that income and the sector becomes deeply vulnerable and ever more dependent on the financial support of the state.