National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU)

On 13 March 2008, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, announced a major review of Australia’s higher education system which will examine and report on the future direction of the higher education sector, its fitness for purpose in meeting the needs of the Australian community and economy and the options for ongoing reform. [From the DEEWR website]

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) will launch a major campaign tomorrow, Thursday 24 July, under the banner of “Our Universities Matter – Investing in People and Society”.

Details of the launch are:

THURSDAY 24 JULY 2008, 12.45 PM

KALEIDE THEATRE,
RMIT UNIVERSITY, SWANSTON ST MELBOURNE (enter from Swanston St)

LAUNCH PARTICIPANTS:

Professor Margaret Gardner, Vice-Chancellor, RMIT University (host)

Dr Carolyn Allport, National President, NTEU
Sarah Cole, Victorian President, National Union of Students (NUS)

THE Government's higher education review will be pointless unless the sector starts to confront the crisis in academic staffing, recruitment expert Rohan Carr has warned.

Dr Carr, who was at the Sydney conference where Education Minister Julia Gillard announced the review last month, said an increase in funding would do little if universities could not find enough good academics to teach.

And the timetable of the review was too leisurely, given the acute shortage of academic talent in an ageing sector.

A SHARP increase in the age of academic staff and a looming rush to retire will create a shortage of university teachers just as two waves of school-leavers engulf post-secondary education.

The percentage of the academic workforce aged over 50 increased from 26 per cent in 1991 to 39.8 per cent in 2006, according to University of Adelaide research fellow Graeme Hugo.

The oldest baby boomers would pass 65 in 2011, so the exodus of baby boomer retirees would gather momentum during the second and third decades of the century, Professor Hugo said.

The House of Representatives Industry, Science and Innovation Committee has announced an inquiry into the contribution that Australian universities make to Australian research training, and the challenges those universities face in recruiting, training and retaining quality research staff.

A report card on the higher education policies of the Coalition and Labor parties released by university staff and students on Tuesday has failed the Howard Government for its record on universities.

The report card, prepared by National Tertiary Education Union, the National Union of Students and the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, awarded Labor a pass on the basis of the well targeted but limited commitments announced during the campaign and its stated commitment to build on these in office.

A report card on the higher education policies of the Coalition and Labor parties released by university staff and students on Tuesday has failed the Howard Government for its record on universities.

The report card, prepared by National Tertiary Education Union, the National Union of Students and the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations, awarded Labor a pass on the basis of the well targeted but limited commitments announced during the campaign and its stated commitment to build on these in office.

NTEU is a specialist national union solely representing staff in tertiary education. In all Australian universities, NTEU represents academic and research staff, general staff, ELICOS teachers, and staff of Student Unions and university companies. In Victoria, NTEU represents TAFE general staff and all staff in Adult Education. NTEU is growing steadily and has over 26,000 members.

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations expresses its support and solidarity with the National Day of Protest Action called on June 1 by the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU).

"It is in the interests of all groups in the sector to unite in the struggle against the concerted effort of this Government to erode the rights of students and staff alike. These attacks threaten the independence of universities to collect student services fees, fund student organisations and negotiate their own employment arrangements," said CAPA President Stephen Horton.

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations calls upon Australia's 226,612 postgraduates to walk off campus along side their academic and general staff colleagues on October the 16th, as the National Tertiary Education Industry Union launches national strike action in protest at the government's proposed reforms of the higher education sector. The reforms include harsh industrial requirements.

"Minister Nelson, and the recently re-shuffled Tony Abbott, have put forward proposals for industrial reform which won't be tolerated," said CAPA President Benjamin McKay today.