The Australian Technology Network of Universities welcomes the passing by the Senate of the bill to establish the Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC). The amended legislation locks in key outcomes the ATN Universities championed: 1) clearer independence for the new Commission, and 2) a greater focus on research.
ATN Universities Executive Director Dr Andy Marks said that the ATEC is arriving at a pivotal moment.
“Creating the ATEC is a critical step in keeping the Government’s focus on delivering its ambitious higher education reforms, under the Universities Accord. The ATEC will help ensure those reforms remain at the front of the economic and policy agenda.”
“The establishment of the ATEC is also an important moment for the ATN member universities. RMIT, UTS, Curtin, Newcastle and Deakin universities conduct by far the nation’s largest proportion of industry-partnered research. The ATEC will create a framework to recognise these very substantial value-adds to the economy. This is the productivity-boosting mechanism long absent from the Australian tertiary education system,” said Dr Marks.
In addition, ATN Universities looks forward to working with the ATEC in its additional responsibilities for advising on the research and research training system.
“Australia produces high-quality research, and we need to support strong translation of that research into the community and economy as a priority. ATEC’s new role in research should aim for coordination among the various departments and agencies in the research space, which is critical in the face of Australia’s productivity challenges,” Dr Marks said.
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