FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ms Vicki Thomson, ATN Executive Director

With just days to go before polling day and the outcome of the Federal election far from certain, the nation’s university sector could be mistaken for feeling a little ‘unloved’ as the political parties roll out policy initiatives largely designed to appeal to punters in a handful of marginal seats which will ultimately determine the outcome of what will be a tight race to the finish line.

A train line here, a car rebate there and the mandatory battle over the hearts and minds of parents of school age children are the usual fodder of an election campaign with little long term vision and much self imposed distractions from policy announcements and analysis.

So where will the nation’s universities be positioned on the 22nd August whatever the outcome?

The Gillard Labor Government will no doubt continue to roll out its Education Revolution by way of implementing the Bradley Review of Higher Education reforms. Bradley was a seminal piece of work which will go down in the history books as a significant turning point for higher education in Australia.

It delivered indexation. It provided a framework for increasing participation rates both across the board and from our disadvantaged communities – be they disadvantaged by social or economic isolation. And importantly it placed universities front and centre of the national debate about our future economic and social well being. We can’t have healthy communities, a skilled workforce and an innovative economy without a strong university system.

Both sides of politics have acknowledged this and it must be said that the Prime Minister has been a solid advocate for the sector, particularly during her time as Education Minister.

The Liberal party has indicated that, if re-elected, it will reintroduce full fee paying domestic undergraduate places and the announced changes to the work test for youth allowance is a positive starting point for further discussion about student income support.

However, the fact remains that beyond a few ad hoc announcements we have not had a well articulated long term policy vision for our sector – and the fault for that may well rest in a malaise of apathy towards universities in general.

Ask the average person on the street if they ever consider that ensuring Australia has enough researchers should an issue of national importance and you’d be hard pressed to find many (if any) who would say yes.

The problem is that it’s not an attention grabbing issue. It’s not going to make headlines any time soon and we’re not likely to hear politicians using it as a vote winner over this final week of the campaign. Universities are not seen as vote changers in the community, much less in marginal seats.

But innovation and better economic and social outcomes for Australia can only be achieved by building our nation’s intellectual capacity with an ongoing supply of quality researchers essential to drive that activity.

Beyond R&D, consider the role that research graduates play in our education system. The benefits of a well-educated population are widely appreciated. But who will teach our future those students? The university and VET sector are the biggest employer of doctorates, but with 40% of current academics aged 50+ there will be great competition for research graduates in both the public and private sectors.

Whoever wins on Saturday, we will need to see clear and consistent policy designed to fund and support our universities, both in teaching and research.

We will need to see support for our early career researchers and research graduates. This will be critical to retaining and developing the nation’s research workforce.

An immediate and concerted effort by all stakeholders must take place if Australia is to build the strong innovation system required to support our economy as a whole.

This is a policy that cannot afford to be delayed.