Fourteen Non-Aligned Universities "Prologue" the Imminent Release of the Bradley Review of Higher Education. (December 9, 2008)

A media release from Charles Darwin University yesterday announced: "The Vice-Chancellor of Charles Darwin University, Professor Helen Garnett, joined 13 other vice-chancellors from non-aligned Australian universities in issuing a statement in advance of the report of the Australian Government’s Review of Higher Education (Bradley Report) due this month."

Charles Darwin University's Casuarina campus

The 14 Non-aligned universities

Excerpts from the statement address the following matters:

Our universities are crucial to Australia’s higher education system and to the workability and equity of any future policy prescription applied to that system. We will assess the Bradley Report and the Government’s response against the three fundamental imperatives of:

• social inclusion;

• education and training for a skilled and professional workforce; and

• support for research with impact.

And the statement then continues:

With Regard to "Social Inclusion"

Our universities will look to the Bradley Report and the Government’s response for: major improvement in the support of students, such as extensions of living and accommodation scholarships and greater student income support; systemic change ensuring that funding for teaching and learning takes account of the likely learning support needs of the group of students educated by each university to support equitable outcomes for students from different backgrounds; and avoidance of proposals that have the practical effect of reducing access to or funding of higher education for the disadvantaged and marginalised.

With Regard to "Education and training for a skilled and professional workforce"

Our universities will look to the Bradley Report and Government response for concrete means to: strengthen the contribution of industry and employers to universities; and support those universities with an institutional emphasis upon ensuring the fitness of graduates for employment and life-long adaptability as working professionals.

With Regard to "Research with impact"

We believe research should be funded on the basis of its quality, with strong support should be available for research with demonstrated meaningful application.

Our universities will look to the Bradley Report and Government response for concrete means to support strong research funding for research that engages with current industry and community need.