University workers are fighting for job security and fair pay. But docking lecturers’ pay risks worsening industrial action, UCU activist Dr Antonia Dawes writes
education
It was a shock but no real surprise to read that the multi-national company Inspired Education, which owns Reddam House school in the Sydney’s eastern suburbs, now plans to set up more fully for-profit schools in other areas (Sydney Morning Herald, 27/5). Who thought it would come to this? Where the inexorable march of the Continue reading »
The University Accord has yet to address a future which recognises the huge health and environmental threats to society. It should provide a vision of the university as “A centre of learning to ensure the sustainability of the planet and the human race”. The Universities Accord terms of reference indicated it was “to deliver a Continue reading »
This year’s budget will not set school education alight. It contains too many harsh lights, some bright lights and certain very soft lights. Funding arrangements have endured in the budget that will mean the diminishment of government schools and the expansion of non-government schools. Harsh lights For 2023/4, $28.3 billion will be provided for all Continue reading »
The Australian Academy of the Humanities’ 2023 report into the knowledge capability of Australia’s universities concerning China has brought into sharp relief just how far a fraught relationship with China is permeating national life. Since at least 2017, the rhetoric of Australian political leaders and prominent media commentators has emphasised that Australia faces an existential threat to its security and prosperity Continue reading »
With the NSW election behind us the media is mulling over what Labor has in store for the premier state. The Sydney Morning Herald recently unpacked the agenda of education minister Prue Car. There is much to cheer about, but will she deal with deep-seated problems? The cheers are well deserved. After a promising start, Continue reading »
For someone who is experiencing gambling harm, either due to their own gambling or someone else’s gambling, finding a quality service is often difficult. People with lived experience regularly tell us they struggle to find independent and quality information about what is on offer and the likely outcomes of any referral. The harms from gambling Continue reading »
In a positive development, the University of Adelaide has rejected the adoption of the controversial IHRA definition of antisemitism, because to adopt it would have been potentially counter to “the principles of academic freedom and freedom of speech”, according to the University Council. This topic has been addressed twice in Pearls and Irritations over the Continue reading »
The deficiency of Australia’s Asia literacy — and as a subset, China literacy — has been recognised for decades by successive federal governments. Despite government investments to boost Asia literacy, the result has been dismal. A 2023 report published by the Australian Academy of Humanities highlighted the steady decline in China studies in Australia, especially in universities. Continue reading »
On any measure since the mid 1980’s successive governments both Federal and State have progressively destroyed public education systems. By adopting a neo-liberal ‘rational’ approach to providing education for all we have come to the place where we have: A two-tier education structure that is resulting in a residualised, under resourced public system Overwhelming evidence Continue reading »