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education links e-news on higher education[ background ] [ index ] [ previous issues ] [ subscribe ] Issue 15
Systemic Infrastructure Initiative FundsThe first round of applications for funds from the Systemic Infrastructure Initiative have been called for, with applications due at the end of August. The Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Dr David Kemp, recently approved guidelines for the Initiative, which was initially announced by the Government earlier this year as part of Backing Australia’s Ability – An Innovation Action Plan for the Future. The Government announced in Backing Australia’s Ability that $246 million would be allocated over five years “to upgrade the basic infrastructure of universities …”. University infrastructure comprises the ‘overhead’ resources essential for undertaking high quality research and research training projects or programs. It includes: the operation of facilities such as libraries, computing centres, animal houses, herbaria, and experimental farms; the purchase, hire, installation and maintenance of equipment; telecommunications; and salaries and services for support staff. This initiative will provide funding to upgrade the systemic infrastructure of universities to meet demonstrated needs. Funding will be provided for innovative approaches that link or expand access to shared facilities, such as libraries, information and communications technologies, specialised equipment, technical and administrative assistance. Those eligible to apply are restricted to universities and other higher education institutions specified in Tables A and B of the Higher Education Funding Act 1988: www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/hefa1988221/index.html
Universities can submit one proposal each, and an unlimited number of collaborative proposals. The proposals may request funding for a maximum of three years. There is no set limit on the level of Commonwealth funding that can be requested. The Systemic Infrastructure Initiative guidelines can be found on the DETYA Internet site at: www.dest.gov.au/highered/research/sys_research.htm Proposals will be called for in rounds held for each year of the funding. Applications for this current round of funding, which will be paid to universities as a part of their operating grants in early 2002, are due by COB Friday, 31 August 2001. Summit on the Humanities and Social SciencesPublic debate about recent Government initiatives, such as the National Innovation Summit and Backing Australia’s Ability, has tended to focus on the importance of science and technology in contributing to innovation and Australia’s future economic competitiveness. However, the discussion has tended to downplay the significant complementary roles of the social sciences and humanities, which provide the organisational, legal, and economic frameworks that are critical to innovation, and which contribute to our understanding of our social and cultural institutions and of the social consequences of change. Against this background, the Commonwealth is supporting a major two-day summit at the new National Museum of Australia in Canberra to explore and promote ways in which the humanities and social sciences can and do contribute to twenty-first century economies. The summit is being hosted by the Academies of the Humanities and Social Sciences and the Business Higher Education Round Table on 26 and 27 July. Attendance at the summit will be on an invitation only basis. Further information about the Summit can be obtained from the following web site: 2001 Profiles MeetingsProfiles UpdateIn E-news No.7 (10 April 2001) we described the educational profile negotiated with institutions each year as the Commonwealth’s major accountability mechanism and an important step in the process of making allocations for the next year of the funding triennium. What Happens Next?The 2001 Profiles round is about to get underway in earnest. DETYA has already received Profiles submissions from most universities and Research and Research Training Management Reports were arriving in numbers last Friday. The next stage is for Commonwealth representatives to meet with officials at each of Australia’s higher education institutions. The visits begin on 31 July, at the University of New South Wales, and continue to 18 October, when the host will be the Northern Territory University. In most cases, visits will be to the main campus of the university. Last year we visited many regional and outer metropolitan campuses. Institutions will be visited by one of three DETYA teams led by:
What Will be Discussed?This year’s profiles agenda covers:
In addition to the formal meetings, the DETYA team will see examples of innovative developments in teaching delivery, research or student administrative practices at each institution. Project on Learning Outcomes and Curriculum DevelopmentUniversity courses that aim to prepare graduates for careers using Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have diversified and expanded in recent years. Disciplines with a strong focus on ICT include Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering and Business. Nevertheless there is a concern that industry will face a significant shortfall of graduates with relevant ICT skills in the near future. This emerging issue will be examined in a project to be conducted by a Monash University team lead by Associate Professor John Hurst. Associate Professor Hurst’s team has won funding from the Australian Universities Teaching Committee (AUTC) to report on learning outcomes and curriculum development in ICT. In making its report, the project team will consider:
The AUTCThe Australian Universities Teaching Committee (AUTC) was established in 2000 as part of the Government’s commitment to promoting quality and excellence in university teaching and learning in Australia. The AUTC has a brief to identify emerging issues in teaching and learning in Australian universities. It administers a grants programme designed to identify and support effective methods of teaching and learning and seeks to promote the dissemination and adoption of such methods across the higher education sector. E-news is progressively covering all of the projects receiving AUTC funding. Publications & WebsitescorrigendumCorrigendum for higher education series report number 37In the publication Factors Associated with Completion of Research Higher Degrees, the last paragraph in 1.7 under ‘Help to publish and disseminate research findings’ should read as follows: “Dinham and Scott (1999) in a study of thirteen countries, found a lack of support……..” to grab a copyInternet versionsMost of our publications—from October 1996 onward—are available in full on the DETYA website at: www.dest.gov.au/highered/repts.htm Hard copiesCopies of most of our publications can be purchased from AusInfo’s Government Information Bookshops. Locations and contact details for the AusInfo bookshops are available at: www.dofa.gov.au/ausinfo/infoaccess/ia_infoshops.htm EnquiriesGeneral enquiries about publications can be emailed to websites
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updatesDETYA’s website has new information posted to it on a regular basis. You can keep up with changes via the free Site Change Subscription Service (SCSS). This Service notifies subscribers of significant updates and additions to DETYA websites. how it worksInterested parties need to register to the subscription service. Registration involves providing your email address and selecting the parts of DETYA’s website you wish to be notified about. what it doesOnce registered, subscribers will be sent a weekly email (usually on Monday evenings) with a brief description of any changes and the address for such pages. At www.dest.gov.au select Site Change Subscription Service Copyright© Commonwealth of Australia 2001 This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in whole or in part for study or training purposes subject to the inclusion of the source and no commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those indicated above, require the written permission from the Commonwealth available through AusInfo. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Manager, Legislative Services, AusInfo, GPO Box 1920, Canberra ACT 2601. The views expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Education, Training and Youth Affairs. Contacte-news on higher education editorial enquiries: e-news on higher education Full PDF
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