NEWS campusreview. com. au
Education minister introduces new reform bill following end-of-year defeat in Senate.
The education minister, Christopher Pyne, has introduced a revised version of his government’ s higher-education deregulation reforms to parliament after the Senate voted in December to reject the package announced as part of May’ s federal Budget.
Despite further amendments – including the establishment of a fund to help smaller universities transition and handing
Trade agreement should lead to more students, academics moving between the two countries.
Pyne regroups
monitoring of fee price gouging over to the ACCC – the Coalition bill was voted down 33 – 31 the final week of sitting for the year.
PUP senators Glenn Lazarus and Zhenya‘ Dio’ Wang joined former colleague Jacqui Lambie and independent Nick Xenophon – along with the Greens and Labor – to reject the reform bill.
In a statement released prior to the Senate vote, Universities Australia – which had been a keen supporter of the overall intention of the reforms – reiterated its call for further amendments to the legislation, saying that whilst the Coalition’ s concessions on the bill had been a“ step in the right direction” they were not sufficient to warrant upper house approval.
Universities say higher education will be one of the big winners in Australia and China’ s historic free trade agreement( FTA), which will expand mutual recognition of qualifications between the two countries.
As part of the deal, finalised in Canberra in December, the education minister, Christopher Pyne, signed a pair of arrangements, including a new mobility scheme, which his office said highlighted the central role of China within the New Colombo Plan.
Pyne’ s office said the Australia-China Memorandum of Understanding on Student, Researcher and Academic Mobility would“ support the implementation of the New Colombo Plan in China from 2015 and facilitate greater mobility of students, researchers and academics between Australia and China”.
Pyne also renewed the existing Australia- China Arrangement on Higher Education Qualifications Recognition.
“ In order to realise the full potential of international education [ for ] Australia, it must be a two-way street, with Australian
“ Whilst the creation of a very modest structural adjustment fund, a guarantee that fees for domestic students will be lower than for international students, and changes to the Government ' s original proposal on student loans are [ steps ] in the right direction, these fall far short of what is required,” UA ' s statement read.“ In addition to the retention of the CPI interest rate for student loans, Universities Australia reiterates its position that a substantial moderation of the proposed 20 per cent cut to higher education funding, so as to put downward pressure on fees, a $ 500 million structural adjustment package, and the establishment of an independent expert panel to oversee the implementation of the changes are required.
“ Universities Australia encourages the Senate to insist on these amendments as a minimum condition for passing the bill.”
Following the defeat, Pyne introduced a revised version of the reforms – including additional amendments cross-benchers called for – to the House of Representatives. The bill was expected to be considered by the Senate in early 2015. ■
China FTA – for the win!
students increasingly engaging with China,” Pyne said.“ Australia’ s future leaders will need to work closely with their Asian counterparts and immersing themselves in study and life in Asia is the best way to develop a close and strong mutual understanding.”
The agreements were applauded by Universities Australia as a means of enhancing and expanding“ international marketing opportunities for Australian education providers in China”.
“ Our already extensive knowledge partnership with China shows just how strong our universities’ desire and commitment is to doing business together – to teaching each other’ s students and to collaborating in research and scholarship,” UA chief executive Belinda Robinson said.“ Since 2003, formal university agreements with China have grown by 171 per cent, to 1237, in 2014. The value of these agreements to Australia – in terms of productivity, trade, foreign relations and cultural understanding – is immense. Today’ s FTA will help extend this partnership.” ■
4