Higher Education Issues Paper: Review of Regional Loading – Issues for Regional Provision. (December 24, 2004)

The federal government has "released an issues paper to encourage discussion within the Australian higher education sector about the best way to fund flexible and sustainable regional higher education.

Senator Kim Carr, filling in for Minister for Education Julia Gillard said in his media release:

The Review of Regional Loading – Issues for Regional Provision is part of the Australian Government’s ongoing commitment to Transforming Australia’s Higher Education System and response to the Bradley Review.

The Review of Regional Loading will examine the cost of providing quality teaching and learning in regional Australia as well as current funding arrangements, with the aim of developing a new, more logical basis for funding.

The review will also consult with universities and other stakeholders, invite written responses to the issues paper released today, and commission research on costs of regional higher education and models of good practice.

A high-level reference group has been established to provide guidance for the review.

Professor Richard Larkins AO is the Chair of the group.

Other members are:

Professor Sandra Harding, Vice Chancellor James Cook University,

Professor Ian Goulter, Vice-Chancellor Charles Sturt University,

Ms Virginia Simmons, CEO Chisholm Institute of TAFE and

Ms Paddi Creevey, Chair of Challenger TAFE and Mayor of Mandurah.

The 11 page issues paper is available online:

The Review of Regional Loading - Issues for Regional Provision
( PDF 366KB | RTF 310KB)

It lists 13 discussion points which are listed below. It is not unlikely that the outcome of this assessment will have the most profound effect on Australia's higher education sector since the 1987 Dawkins green paper.