News & Views item - September 2006

 

 

AVCC Acts to Begin Reformation Based on PhillipsKPA Report. (September 5, 2006)

   

 

 

It was the middle of last month that the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee received the final report they had commissioned from PhilipsKPA concerning the possible reorganisation of the AVCC.

 

The primary reason for instigating the report was the real danger that the Group of Eight universities was showing significant signs that it was ready to break away from the AVCC because of what it perceived as marked differences of its primary objectives compared to those being espoused by the Committee as a whole.

 

As is evident from the media release, while a beginning has been made to implement recommendations put forward in the report, yesterday's meeting has not addressed the concerns of the Go8. In fact only three of the vice-chancellors of the Go8 were present, and the Go8 vice-chancellors are scheduled to meet in Canberra on Thursday, September 7.

 

AVCC president and vice-chancellor of Wollongong University Gerard Sutton speaking to The Australian was upbeat saying, "I see this as a maturing of the body and acceptance that there are some issues on which the Universities Australia will be able to make comment for the sector as a whole. There will be other issues on which individual groupings will be asked to make comment and in some cases individual institutions."

 

Professor John Hay, vice-chancellor of The University of Queensland, was one of the three VCs from the Go8 who were present at yesterday's meeting, and he told The Australian the three Go8 vice-chancellors at the meeting and one of their representatives had voted for the overhaul.

 

As to the name change from Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee to Universities Australia we'll just have to wait and see as to what's in the name.

 

If nothing else, the move to a more professional organisation ought to bring some degree of reward.