Media Centre
Media Release
New Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund for universities
Australian universities will have more support for structural reform to
promote greater specialisation, diversity and responsiveness to local labour
market needs under a new initiative in the 2007-08 Budget.
The Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop
MP, said that under the new Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund the
Australian Government will allocate
$209 million over four years to universities that can identify strategies to
better meet student and employer demand. This fund will particularly focus
on addressing the capacity of universities to meet local labour market
needs.
"Priority will be given to universities in regional areas and smaller
metropolitan universities which can demonstrate the greatest need for
structural reform and the greatest input on local labour markets," Minister
Bishop said.
"Institutions could use the funding to diversify, specialise their
disciplines, build on existing dual sector activities, create new dual
sector activities or provide learning and teaching enhancement projects that
will focus on local skills needs."
$67 million in new funding will be provided in the Diversity and
Structural Adjustment Fund. The fund will also incorporate the existing
Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund and some funding from the current
Learning and Teaching Performance Fund.
Funding from the new Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund will be
allocated as grants to universities to support planned structural changes.
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Media Contacts |
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| Minister Bishop’s Office: |
Tory Vidler |
0414 228 727 |
| Dept of Education, Science & Training: |
Virginia Cook |
0412 971 323 |
| Non-media queries: |
1300 363 079 |
Supporting Information
Why is this important?
The Diversity and Structural Adjustment fund will promote structural
reform in universities that will support greater specialisation,
diversity, and responsiveness to local employer needs.
Who will benefit?
The Higher Education sector will benefit through greater diversity
and specialisation in areas of skills needs.
Students and employers will benefit from universities being more
responsive to local labour market needs.
What funding is the Government committing to the initiative?
The total funding is $209 million over the four year period 2007-08
to 2010-11.
This funding includes $30 million in each of the years from the
Learning and Teaching Performance Fund.
There will also be $7.6 million in 2007-08, $4.4 million in 2008-09,
$4.9 million in 2009-10 and $4.9 million in 2010-11 provided from the
Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund.
The funding is part of the Australian Government’s provision of $1.7
billion over four years for Higher Education in the 2007-08 Budget
package, Realising Our Potential.
What have we done in the past?
Prior to the 2007-08 Budget the Australian Government has provided
funding through the Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund. This fund
will be incorporated into the much larger Diversity and Structural
Adjustment Fund.
When will the initiative conclude?
This will run for four years to 30 June 2011.
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