Category Archives: Australian universities

University of Sydney one of 15 higher education institutions not to have a position on the voice

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Indigenous faculty members say the leadership of Australia’s oldest university could have been ‘much braver’

The University of Sydney is one of 15 Australian higher education institutions that have neglected to take a position on the Indigenous voice to parliament, as pressure mounts on the sector to step up its support ahead of the referendum.

Of Australia’s 41 universities, 25 have backed the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the constitution, and 15 have withheld from a view. The University of Newcastle will reveal its position next month.

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Fraudulent course providers face closure in Labor’s international education crackdown

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Under reforms to sector, foreign students will also need more savings to study in Australia to mitigate cost-of-living increase

Dodgy course providers could be shut down by the federal government as part of a sweeping crackdown on rorts in the embattled international education sector.

A package of reforms, to come into effect immediately, aims to reverse an uptick in exploitation and fraud that risks causing reputational damage for Australia’s higher education system.

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‘Tone deaf’: MPs call for University of Sydney to return gambling research money

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Independents Zoe Daniel, Andrew Wilkie and others say university’s Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research’s funding from casino and gambling companies should be scrapped

The University of Sydney’s reputation has been tarnished by its partnership with Australia’s biggest sports gambling companies, according to multiple federal MPs who want hundreds of thousands of dollars to be immediately returned to bookmakers.

The university has announced its Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research will be funded by a $600,000 investment from the International Centre for Responsible Gaming, which the university has described as “a global leader in research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling”.

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AMA tells University of Sydney to ‘read the room’ over research funded by gambling industry

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Head of Australian Medical Association says university should 'reflect on the credibility’ of industry-funded studies

The Australian Medical Association has demanded the University of Sydney “read the room” and reconsider its decision to accept hundreds of thousands of dollars from the gambling industry, while the Greens want the money immediately returned.

The university’s Centre of Excellence in Gambling Research was launched this week after receiving a $600,000 funding commitment from the International Center for Responsible Gaming (ICRG), which the university has described as “a global leader in research and education on gambling disorder and responsible gambling”.

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University of Sydney gambling research centre bankrolled by casinos is ‘troubling’, experts say

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Institution says companies won’t ‘constrain or edit’ research, but public health expert Sean Cowlishaw calls funding relationship ‘unprecedented’

Public health experts have criticised the University of Sydney for accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars from some of the world’s biggest gambling companies and casinos, which are bankrolling a new research centre that will examine their conduct.

But the researchers and the university believe the partnership will produce more useful research that limits consumer harm, and one of the gambling companies involved has warned against “emotional rhetoric” from critics.

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UK should embrace foreign students or lose them to rival countries, warns Ucas chief

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Many institutions have become increasingly reliant on higher fees from international students to help cover costs

Britain should warmly welcome international students joining universities across the country or risk losing out to the US, Canada and Australia, the higher education admissions chief has said.

The intervention came amid concerns that domestic students hoping to begin undergraduate courses this autumn could lose out to international applicants. Some courses in clearing in the run-up to A-level results day this week are available only to overseas students.

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Senator says treaty ‘the only way forward’ – as it happened

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Julian Leeser, the former shadow minister for Indigenous affairs and yes campaigner, has reassured ABC Radio that the voice to parliament is a “safe change” with cross-party support as the referendum draws nearer.

“Right from the beginning of my participation in this debate, I’ve called for a higher standard of debate and I’ve said that we should focus on issues of people,” he said.

I was proud to put my signature to the yes case. The yes case provides a positive reason for voting … It speaks to the practical results from change. It explains why recognition makes a difference to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. But it’s a safe change. It’s a change supported by people from all sides of politics.

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Australian universities report finds quality of education eroded by ‘long-term underfunding’

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New report reveals 83% of respondents are concerned universities’ focus on profit is undermining education standards

Decades of declining public funding for universities and the increasing corporatisation of the sector has further eroded working conditions for staff and the quality of education for students, according to a new report.

Of the 1,002 respondents in the report by the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work, 83% said they were concerned universities’ focus on profit was undermining education standards.

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Teenager ‘racially assaulted’ by former University of New England vice-chancellor, court told

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Prof Brigid Heywood has pleaded not guilty to assault and offensive behaviour for allegedly wiping her spit on the girl’s face

A teenager who was allegedly subjected to offensive conduct by the former vice-chancellor of the University of New England has told a court she was “racially assaulted”.

Prof Brigid Heywood is alleged to have licked her finger and wiped it twice on the teenager’s face and made comments about her skin colour at an International Women’s Day event in Armidale on 8 March 2022.

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Magistrate in assault case against former University of New England vice-chancellor showed ‘lack of objectivity’, court told

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Prof Brigid Heywood is accused of wiping her spit on a teenager’s face during an International Women’s Day event in 2022

The former University of New England vice-chancellor Prof Brigid Heywood’s legal team have applied for the magistrate hearing her assault case to recuse himself, claiming he displayed a “lack of calmness and objectivity”.

Heywood, a British-Australian biological scientist, is alleged to have wiped her saliva on a teenager’s face and commented on her skin colour at a council-run International Women’s Day event in March 2022. She was a panellist at the event.

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Teen felt ‘degraded and belittled’ by former University of New England vice-chancellor, court told

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Prof Brigid Heywood has pleaded not guilty to charges of assault and offensive behaviour over an alleged incident in March 2022

A teenager who was allegedly assaulted and subjected to offensive behaviour by the former vice-chancellor of the University of New England at an International Women’s Day event last year has told a court that the incident left her feeling “ degraded and belittled”.

Prof Brigid Heywood, 65, a British-Australian biological scientist, is alleged to have wiped her saliva on a teenager’s face and commented on her skin colour at a council-run International Women’s Day event on 8 May 2022. She was a panellist at the event.

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Federal budget on track to smash surplus forecasts as cash balance hits $19bn – as it happened

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Melbourne hit by magnitude 4.6 earthquake

Melburnians were shaken by a magnitude 4.6 earthquake at 1.32am.

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Banks stick to rate hike predictions – as it happened

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Historical societies say banning hate symbols could impact history preservation

Historical societies are also concerned about the proposal to ban Nazi and Islamic State symbols, AAP reports. They worry it will limit education and the preservation of history, and impact memorabilia value.

Modellers need to be able to purchase these items (and) symbols, let alone the basic right of Australian citizens to partake in the legitimate hobby of collecting modelling military items.

The words inscribed on the Islamic flag are sacred words and written by Muslims on a daily basis.

These words are taken directly from our scripture, the Holy Quran, and therefore cannot be subject to a ban.

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Australian universities to offer ‘microcredentials’ in key areas to address skills crisis

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The 28 short courses are designed to provide qualifications to up to 4000 students by 2026

Australian universities will offer almost 30 short courses in the key areas of IT, engineering, science, health and education in an attempt to curtail Australia’s skilled worker shortage.

The 28 courses, or microcredentials, from 18 universities are designed to teach targeted skills that are more relevant for employers.

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Crossbench welcomes Labor review of student loan ‘quirk’ that added hundreds to debts

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Education minister stands by three-decade high indexation rate of 7.1% but acknowledges need for minor reforms amid backlash

Critics of soaring indexation on student debts have welcomed the education minister’s commitment to look into an accounting quirk in the way loans are indexed which could save graduates hundreds of dollars in repayments.

Hecs debts rise annually with inflation on 1 June, but loan repayments aren’t processed until tax returns are lodged, which can be months later. This means indexation is applied to portions of debts already paid – often by thousands of dollars.

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GPs aiding international student agents to exploit Australian visa ‘loophole’, inquiry hears

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Agents earn extra commission by shuffling foreign students between providers in what Labor calls an unethical ‘shadow economy’

Labor has vowed to crack down on the unregulated world of international education agents after revelations that general practitioners may be involved in student recruitment schemes.

Foreign agents have been used by Australian universities for decades to drive enrolments and assist students offshore with application processes and accommodation.

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Australians who lost welfare under 1990s student loan scheme have cause for class action, expert says

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Andrew Grech says action could be pursued if implications of SFSS loans were misrepresented to people when they signed up

Recipients of a dumped welfare scheme that enticed low-income students to trade away their right to welfare have cause to mount a class action, a senior legal expert says.

The Australian government is still chasing $2bn of debt from more than 140,000 former students who signed up to the student financial supplement scheme (SFSS).

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Lack of pregnancy care for international students in Australia may lead to ‘reluctant abortions’, inquiry told

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Advocates say people on student visas, who are initially ineligible for reproductive healthcare, risk dropping out if they fall pregnant

International students are being denied pregnancy care, leading to them dropping out of university, having “reluctant abortions”, and or undertaking sex work to pay for antenatal care, advocates say.

Those on student visas are not eligible for Medicare and instead must take out overseas student health cover (OSHC). The terms of that cover – agreed via a deed between the federal government and insurers – exclude any pregnancy care for the first year.

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Opposition leader says no federal intervention needed – as it happened

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Albanese added he is concerned about Assange’s mental health.

There was a court decision here in the United Kingdom that was then overturned on appeal that went to Mr Assange’s health, as well, and I am concerned for him.

It’s frustrating. I share the frustration. I can’t do more than make very clear what my position is.

… I think that the Assange case needs to be looked at in terms of what occurred, what the allegations are, and whether the time effectively that has been served already is in excess of what would be reasonable if it were proved that this had occurred.

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First major bank passes on rate hike – as it happened

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Asked whether he would swear allegiance, Albanese replied he “will do what is entirely appropriate as the representative of Australia” promising to “engage in that spirit” by swearing the oath – as he has done 10 times when sworn in to parliament and as a minister.

Albanese noted that Australians had voted at the 1999 referendum to remain a monarchy, but acknowledged that Australians have a “wide range of views” on whether to become a republic.

I think that Australia should have an Australian as our head of state, I don’t shy away from that. I haven’t changed my views.

But my priority is constitutional recognition – I can’t imagine going forward, for example, going forward as was suggested by some legitimately that we should be having another referendum on the republic before that occurs.

All Australians wish King Charles well regardless of the different views of people will have about our constitutional arrangements.

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