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An exciting budget
12 May 2007
The Budget package in excess of $5 billion for higher education has come like a bolt out of the blue. There had been no hint whatsoever that this new vision and funding was being considered, and its announcement after a difficult few decades, has surprised everyone. It is probably the most profoundly important statement about how our future is inextricably bound to knowledge, research and education, for over thirty years. The Howard, Costello, Bishop Sheergold team deserve congratulations on the scale of this move, which exceeds anything that Vice-Chancellors thought was politically possible.
Even with such a bold investment there is the usual measure of cynicism from some quarters such as, it’s only a fraction of what’s been taken out of the system, and so on. Frankly, who cares, at this point. There is now a new agenda and new funds and there needs to be strategic cases developed to access those funds.
More has been delivered in the Budget than the AVCC asked for: increased student assistance, increased dollars per student in some courses, and huge increases in future capital works provisions via an Endowment Fund.
Much has been said about making more Australian university activities ‘world class’ and, no doubt, significant sums will be directed to ensure that outcome, hopefully across all universities that have realistic aspirations to develop world class areas. We certainly want the opportunity to elevate our ‘engagement’ and ‘sustainability’ themes to that status.
The Budget information papers, however, also stress that universities should be encouraged to pursue their ‘individual missions’, and again, we will be looking for support to do that in pursuing the ‘Innovation’ agenda.
The Budget papers also emphasise that all eligible students, whatever their background should be afforded equitable access to higher education.
This is an agenda for governmental support which USC will now concertedly address, because the potential is there for us to progress our highest developmental priorities. We have achieved remarkable progress through difficult times, so we ought now to be even more energetic and more optimistic as the future scenario of potentially greater financial support unfolds. There will be exciting times ahead.
Professor Paul Thomas AM is Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Sunshine Coast.