Australian outbound mobility is much higher than some would have us believe, writes Stephen Connelly. The article ‘Mobility a one way street’ (CR, 02.08.10) seriously under reports the number of Australian students undertaking international study experiences. The real story is ...
More »Observations of an outsider
Indigenous affairs have moved on in Australia, but Stuart Middleton says there’s a strange undercurrent. I have been in Australia a bit lately - conferences and a holiday. The issue of relations between governments and indigenous peoples has been not ...
More »A touch of climate mange?
Universities can play a key role in balancing the short-term interest and obfuscation that politicians in the climate change debate, writes Joseph Gora. The recent announcement of the ALP’s climate change policy by Prime Minister Julia Gillard was greeted with ...
More »Carrots, sticks or a mix
Is voluntary teacher registration better than a mandatory scheme, asks John Mitchell. Improvements are needed to assessment practices in the VET sector. Research conducted last year by the National Quality Council (NQC) as part of a project entitled Quality of ...
More »Professor Punt
Think tanks and the politics of collaboration
Universities are the breeding ground for ideas. Think tanks are the perfect way to get them mobilized, writes Bruce Muirhead. The term think tank is a particularly vivid paradox. Thinking is intangible. Lightweight. The human brain is said to have ...
More »Vale Professor Alan D Gilbert
BA MA DPhil (Oxon) Hon D Litt (Tas) Hon LL D (McGill, Melb) FASSA, Centenary Medal (11 September 1944 – 22 July 2010) intro Australian and UK higher education lost one of its true leaders last week with the death ...
More »Fewer gates and more revolving doors?
A recent paper on Australia’s research workforce offers a genuinely creative opportunity to rethink the ideal research worker, writes Sharon Bell. The federal government’s discussion paper ‘Meeting Australia’s research workforce needs: A consultation paper to inform the development of the ...
More »VET leadership for times of crisis
Most VET leaders are risk averse, but Larry Smith argues the skills that are encouraged in them are not the appropriate ones for the complex and challenging world they now inhabit. In an environment characterised by devolved business responsibility, increased ...
More »Connected tertiary systems
Will TAFE institutes become subservient in a tertiary system, asks John Mitchell. In recent weeks, several vice-chancellors have spoken out about the future of TAFE institutions and seem to have expressed two points of view. The first, articulated by David ...
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