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<br><DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><EM><FONT face=Verdana>Professions Australia Alert No. 136: Professions Australia letters on higher education</FONT></EM></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT face=Verdana>(Professions Australia is a national organisation of professional associations)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT face=Verdana>PA had these letters published today (see below). We are hoping to step up our campaign on higher education. See our submission to the Senate Committee: </FONT><A href="http://www.professions.com.au"><FONT face=Verdana>http://www.professions.com.au</FONT></A><FONT face=Verdana> link through the media release on 'What's New'.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT face=Verdana>Ministers Abbott and Nelson statement on IR aspects of higher education reform can be found at </FONT><A href="http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Nelson/2003/09/n467220903.asp"><FONT face=Verdana>http://www.dest.gov.au/Ministers/Media/Nelson/2003/09/n467220903.asp</FONT></A><FONT face=Verdana> .</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><STRONG><FONT face=Verdana>The Age (Melbourne) letters, 25 September 2003</FONT></STRONG></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV>
<P><B>Losing the plot</B></P>
<P>The higher education debate is running off the rails. Workplace reforms might be part of the picture but they are by no means the main game.</P>
<P>Before the reform of our universities became tangled in the Howard Government's industrial relations agenda, the spotlight was on funding formulas, HECS and allocation of university places. But all these issues are only part of the picture. When will we start to focus properly on what the community - the consumers of higher education - expect from the system? </P>
<P>Students expect equitable access to higher education. The broader community expects that our universities will deliver an equitable supply of professionals across the community: vets, valuers, accountants, architects, pharmacists, engineers, teachers, nurses, etc. </P>
<P>Shortages are appearing across Australia in a number of crucial professions. Many professionals are getting older with no replacements in sight. This information does not seem to be getting through to our higher education decision-makers. The education debate has become a dialogue between the universities and the Government. When will the community have a say?</P>
<P><I>David Stephens, Professions Australia, Canberra</I></P>
<P style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><STRONG><FONT face=Verdana></FONT></STRONG> </P>
<P style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><STRONG><FONT face=Verdana>The Canberra Times letters, 25 September 2003</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P><STRONG>Public voice missing in education debate</STRONG></P>
<DIV>Higher education reform is drowning in rhetoric while missing a key point. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The editorial (CT, September 24) is right to say that workplace reform in higher education is a 'secondary agenda'. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>But it does not follow that the 'real issue' and 'real crisis' is to do with funding.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The point being missed is that our higher education system should ensure that there is a supply of qualified professionals to serve the community across Australia. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Too much of the current debate has focused on means - financing, fees, allocation of places, workplace relations reform - and too little on this crucial objective. The 'real issue' is that we may be producing an oversupply of graduates in some areas and a crippling undersupply in others.</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV>It would be the height of irony if the higher education reforms were to lead to Australia more efficiently spending an increasing flow of money to produce the wrong mix of graduates.</DIV>
<DIV><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV>There are critical shortages in the community of engineers, IT professionals, physiotherapists, podiatrists, veterinarians and other professionals. Many practitioners are ageing and it is not clear where their replacements are coming from. It seems that information about these shortages is not finding its way to our education decision-makers. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The higher education debate has been a dialogue between the Minister and the universities. When will the community be heard?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><EM>David Stephens, Professions Australia, Civic</EM></DIV></DIV>
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