“ The NTEU is concerned that business is more important than education in the way the university is being run today,” Thomson said.“ This appointment represents a further distancing of the senior management of the university from core activities: research, education and support for students.” ■ diary
news
University of Sydney picks business leader
Belinda Hutchinson
By ANTONIA MAIOLO
Current QBE Insurance Group chairman Belinda Hutchinson is replacing Marie Bashir as the chancellor of the University of Sydney following the end of Professor Bashir’ s second term in December last year.
Hutchinson, who graduated in economics from the university in 1976, said she felt honoured and privileged to be elected as chancellor. She has previously worked as executive director of Macquarie Group, and as vicepresident of Citibank in project and corporate finance. She sits on the boards of several business and philanthropic organisations and is the president of Chief Executive Women, a memberbased organisation comprising 240 of Australia’ s women leaders.
Hutchinson said world-class tertiary education and research are critical to the economic and social future of Australia, adding that she was excited to work with the whole university community.
But critics have raised concern over the university’ s move to appoint a leader from the business world rather than an academic.
Michael Thomson, the University of Sydney branch president of the National Tertiary Education Union, said the university’ s decision to appoint Hutchinson suggested that university management“ values buildings over staff and students”.
“ The NTEU is concerned that business is more important than education in the way the university is being run today,” Thomson said.“ This appointment represents a further distancing of the senior management of the university from core activities: research, education and support for students.” ■ diary
Australian Academy of Science 2014 awards now open
The Australian Academy of Science’ s 2014 honorific awards of medals and prizes for early career and career researchers and 2014 funding for research conferences, travelling fellowships for resident Australian and overseas scientists, and research on endangered Australian native vertebrate animals are now open. Awards are generally open to all scientists resident in Australia. Closing dates are the 29th July 2013 for honorific awards and the 31st August 2013 for funding awards. Criteria and forms for each award are available here www. science. org. au / awards
University-TAFE deal scuppered
By ANTONIA MAIOLO
The federal government has rejected the University of Canberra’ s plans to offer degree courses in Melbourne through a partnership with Holmesglen TAFE.
Last year, the University of Canberra( UC) announced that its Holmesglen operation would be known as the University of Canberra Melbourne( UCM). The university planned to offer 11 degrees directly to Melbourne students, taught on the Holmesglen campus.
But the university recently confirmed that the federal government had vetoed the expansion of its campuses into Melbourne. A UC spokesperson said the government had indicated it would not support face-toface teaching in Melbourne more than two and a half months ago, but“ the reasons for this are really a matter for them”.
The spokesperson said, however, that the government would consider a renewed request for 2014 as part of the Compact federal funding discussions for 2014-2016. In the meantime, UC is offering some courses in distance education mode to students in Melbourne pending Compact discussions:“ There is a demand in Melbourne for the kind of professional education the University of Canberra offers, and for seamless pathways to university for Holmesglen students.”
The spokesperson said UC planned to increase its student numbers by 50 per cent over five years and“ working with tertiary partners is one of our strategies to achieve this”. ■
10 | Issue 2 2013