Higher Education Reform Feedback

Higher Education Reform Feedback

Higher Education Group

GPO Box 9880

CANBERRA ACT 2601

By email:

25 July 2016

To whom it may concern:

Deakin University’s response to the Higher Education Options Paper Driving Innovation, Fairness and Excellence in Australian Higher Educationis attached.

Deakin University supports the scope and intent of current policy settings relating to the Demand Driven System (DDS). However, we wish to draw attention to the impact on regional university campuses, in particular those located in thin markets and in regions unable, of themselves, to provide adequate student load to sustain a university campus without substantial external support. While this submission uses Deakin’s own Campus at Warrnambool as a case study, we would argue that the continuing evolution of the DDS will demonstrate that campuses in communities with population sizes less than 100,000 people will prove susceptible.

Our submission also includes a number of practical policy options that would ameliorate the increasingly compromised circumstances of such campuses and contribute materially to sustainable policy settings for higher education in regional Australia.

Yours sincerely

Professor Jane den Hollander

Vice-Chancellor

Deakin University Submission Driving Innovation, Fairness and Excellence in Australian Higher Education

Deakin University

Submission in Response to

Driving Innovation, Fairness and Excellence in Australian Higher Education

25 July 2016

Preamble

Deakin University is pleased to contribute to the Commonwealth’s Review of Higher Education and commends Minister Birmingham and the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training on their inclusive and consultative approach to reform.

Deakin University supports the broad thrust of the Universities Australia submission and takes this opportunity to separately highlight key elements of concern, particularly with respect to our experience in relation to the operation of campuses in small regional communities.

We understand the Options Paper is the first part of a longer consultation phase in the lead up to the 2017-18 Commonwealth Budget. The University looks forward to making further policy contributions and participating constructively where appropriate as the government considers its path forward following the receipt of responses to the Options Paper.

The University’s overarching concern is the urgent need to settle matters on the higher education policy front and achieve agreement across the sector to provide a period of stability. The economic significance of higher education has been amply demonstrated in recent times and this is outlined in detail in the Universities Australia submission.

Deakin University looks forward to being in a position to plan with confidence and takes this opportunity to remind government that ongoing uncertainty causes destabilisation and this is unhelpful at a time when global competition in higher education is rapidly increasing.

Deakin’s responses to the key elements of the Options Paper follow.

Deakin University Submission Driving Innovation, Fairness and Excellence in Australian Higher Education

Opportunity and Choice

Sub-bachelor places and pathways

Deakin supports Universities Australia’s proposal to extend the demand driven system to university associate degrees, advanced diplomas and diplomas.

Deakin has extensive and successful experience with sub-bachelor pathways into courses in arts and business and in some initial teacher education programs such as early childhood, where these pathways have provided a strong opportunity for improved qualifications in this important sector.

Our experience in Warrnambool,where Deakin operates a full service campus,leads us to urge government to prioritise the allocation of sub-bachelor places to smaller regional campuses rather than continuing to allow low ATAR direct entry with the consequential negative impact on tertiary completion rates. Deakin has maintained a minimum ATAR entry of 50 at this one regional campus, believing that this is the lowest rank at which those who are accepted will enjoy a satisfying learning experience and, all other aspects of their lives being equal, will graduate. Since the advent of the Demand Driven System (DDS) school-leavers with very low ATARs now opt for very low-ATAR entry institutions rather than choosing a TAFE pathway. Our enrolments in South West Victoria have consequentially fallen by 40 per cent. Out of approximately 5000 eligible students, the local TAFE Institute only has 300 students at diploma level and our endeavours to encourageits expansion into areas that can articulate into Deakin have not succeeded to date.

It is in this context that Deakin urges the Commonwealth to review the role of pathways into universities. We believe appropriate entry standards should be maintained so that TAFE and other pathways are better used and attrition is reduced, particularly into foundation courses such as nursing and engineering.

Deakin University supports an increased allocation of funded associate degree places to regional campuses.

CSP for all providers

Deakin University does not support CSP for non-university providers (NUHEPS). We had previously been a believer in choice and allowing the market to set the benchmarks but we have altered our position based on the evidence.

The dismal track record of a significant part of this NUHEPS sector (with some singular exceptions), is such that allowing access to CSP within a DDS framework poses an unacceptable risk to Australia’s international reputation at a critical time with respect to our position in the global education market. There is no doubt that much of the negative publicity has been generated by some despicable behaviour which has impactedon TAFE and on the public funded universities. Alongside the calculated abuse of scarce public funds, it is our view the cost is simply too high. A better approach is to consider how best to manage the TAFE and university pathway across the federal/state jurisdictions.

Postgraduate Places

Deakin University supports Universities Australia’s advocacy for an assessment of all reasonable options advanced by both government and the sector on subsidised postgraduate places, according to principles of fairness, equitable access, transparency, public interest and efficiency. We note theurgent need for increased transparency and rules that are focussed on meeting industry demand for postgraduate qualifications and in areas where the nation has interest in ensuring advanced qualifications, for example at this current point in time, cybersecurity.

Fairness and Equity

Support for under-represented students

Deakin strongly supports University Australia’s position that more needs to be done to boost completion rates of students from under-represented population groups.

Of broad interest may be our work to develop an Indigenous Higher Education @Deakin Action Plan to increase Indigenous participation and outcomes. This important work is being led by the Director and senior staff of our Institute for KoorieEducation (IKE) together with senior leaders from all areas of the University. The Action Plan is supported by Academic Board and Council and works alongside our developing Reconciliation Plan, the LIVE the future: Agenda 2020 Plan (Deakin’s Strategic Plan), our Indigenous Employment Plan and our work with Universities Australia on implementing the Indigenous Cultural Competency Framework.

The key performance indicators of theAction Plan are:

1. A University in which all Deakin students and staff have respect for and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, cultures and values.
2. A University in which staff and student numbers represent the whole of Australian population by 2020 (2016: Australia 3.0%, Victoria 0.9; Deakin Staff 82 staff or 0.8%, Deakin Students 606 students or 1.2%). Our current Enterprise Agreement sets specific targets for employment that are encouraged in the Plan and supported by the Deakin University Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recruitment Outcomes Committee.
3. Indigenous communities recognise Deakin as a culturally safe and competent environment for teaching, learning and research. Deakin is the University of Choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students nationally and this is indicated by a growth in enrolments to 1000 students by 2020, retention and success at70% by 2020 and growth in staff numbers to 100 by 2020.
4. Cultural Competency Professional Learning will be completed by all Senior Managers and is part of the Deakin induction for all new staff by 2020.

Deakin recommends that the Commonwealth notes that absolute alignment with key University aspirations and support at the highest levels throughout the whole University community is critical to successfully increasing Indigenous participation and outcomes in higher education.

HEPPP

Deakin University supportsthe position articulated by Universities Australiain its submission welcoming the review of the Higher Education Partnerships and Participation Program (HEPPP).

It is our view that a scholarship scheme could not achieve HEPPP’s breadth of equity and diversity outcomes and is an expensive way of ‘moving the deck chairs’ to save money. Surely, we see the continuing relevance of “A Fair Chance for All’ – that seminal document of the 1990s which set targets (opposed by many) that actually did change access, participation and success ratios? Today, by any head count (and headcount matters), there are more students with disabilities, more students from disadvantaged backgrounds and more students from regional and rural backgrounds who are educated and actively contributing to the wealth of their communities than at any time in our history. We are an exemplar in the world. Why would we now choose to destroy this great piece of work which is not yet completed?

We couldcertainly simplify the system. But once again, tinkering with and reducing intent and dollars seems mean and shortsighted in a world where skilling a greater proportion of the population is essential for social and economic survival.

Supporting the presence of regional universities

Deakin has a Campus at Warrnambool in South West Victoria. In ourexperience, the problem in smaller regional communities is usually not a lack of infrastructure. In fact, with the drift of students to larger centres, it could be argued that there is too much infrastructure in some regional towns.

In our view the problem is inadequate recurrent funding stemming from the operational and educational costs of servicing thin markets, areas of declining local student enrolment and consequently, inadequate load.

Deakin supports the DDS but we note that it has had unintended consequences that have impacted adversely. When degree course places were capped, students chose Warrnamboolbecause they lived close by or could not get a place at a metropolitan university.Campus numbers were at about 1,300 EFTSL - not fully sustainable but manageable as part of Deakin’scommunity obligations. When caps were lifted, many prospective students exercised choice and headed for other Victorian cities.Today many Warrnambool school leavers choose Deakin, but increasingly decide on its Geelong or Melbourne campuses rather than studying locally.

An intractable issue is the destruction of the pathways that once fed the Warrnambool Campus. Entry requirements, especially for school-leavers, have become negotiable across the nation. See above for detail of Deakin’s position on sub-bachelor places and suggested solutions to the pathways problem.

Deakin is committed to working with the Warrnambool community to develop a 21st-century education model for Warrnambool that integrates digital delivery and persuades prospective students to choose a pathway more likely to deliver success than a direct entry degree elsewhere at a low ATAR entry point.

But within the context of what has been a constantly shifting policy framework and continued funding uncertainty, even oneof the moreprofitable of Australia’suniversities can no longer manage provision of a full-service regional campus within the present national policy settings.

The current regional student financial loading does not come close to what is required.

If Australia’s regions are to remain competitive, regional communities need a smart, well-educated population. Ensuring regional Australia has a 21st-century sustainable and digitally enabled model of higher education is thus an imperative.

Deakin University therefore asks the Federal Government toconsider:

1. the role of pathways into universities and what the standards should be so that TAFE and other pathways are better used and attrition is reduced
2. an increased allocation of funded associate degree places to regional campuses
3. implementing new operational funding modelsforsmall regional campuses
4. mechanisms and incentives that help ensure regional secondary schools deliver Year 12 completion rates comparable to those in capital cities.

Deakin University emphasises that an infrastructure fund alone will not guarantee the sustainability of regional campuses.

Excellence and Quality

The importance of adequate funding

Deakin University supports Universities Australia’s position that there is no justification for major cuts to university funding. The figures cited in ‘The Case for Change’ section of the Options Paper indicate that government is, per capita, spending a significantly smaller amount of money today on Higher Education Teaching and Learning than it was in 1989. Even allowing for a projected 19% HELP default rate, Australian universities have very efficiently managed significant growth in enrolments and a national transformation in graduate skill levels.

Further, Deakin sees ample evidence that educated graduates generate wealth and jobs. Deakin notes that Australia is already amongst the world’s most expensive higher education markets and the cut proposed is in the context of increased investment in higher education and university research by our international competitors.

Flagship courses

Deakin University does not support the introduction of ‘flagship courses’.

QILT

Deakin supports the Government’s intention to make further improvements to QILT and supports in principle further work on the employer satisfaction survey. It is essential that all parties are confident in the data and the indicators that underpin them. We encourage stronger and more systematic consultation with the sector through the QILT Advisory Group.

Affordability

A ‘fair share’ of costs

Deakin supports the comprehensive review of the cost of delivering quality higher education and the appointment of an expert external panel to oversee this work.Our one caveat is that if we must have another review, then let us at least agree to pay attention to the recommendations.

HELP

Deakin provides conditional support forUniversities Australia’s position on FEE-HELP.Deakin awaits review of modelling on the impact of potential HELP changes to Indigenous students, regional students and women in part time work due to child care etc.

Deakin supports the introduction of repayment mechanisms for overseas residents and the collection of HELP debts from deceased estates.

Deakin also supports the introduction of a renewable lifetime lending limit consistent with the demand driven system.

ends

Deakin University Submission Driving Innovation, Fairness and Excellence in Australian Higher Education