This study analyses the theoretical cost-savings that might flow from a merger of three of Western Australia's five universities. The results of the study show that an amalgamation would not only reduce costs of operation, but also improve non-current asset use and accountability. Combination reporting also allows the key stakeholders to appraise…

This paper explores the nascent field of risk management in higher education, which is of particular relevance in Australia currently, as the Commonwealth Government implements its plans for a risk-based approach to higher education regulation and quality assurance. The literature outlines the concept of risk management and risk-based approaches…

This paper reviews and examines approaches to determining the financial viability of academic programmes as a critical component of assessing a programme's overall sustainability. Key to assessing the financial viability of a programme is understanding the teaching activities required to deliver the programme and the cost of those activities. A…

The Review of Higher Education Base Funding gives Government an historic opportunity to set higher education funding on a sound footing for the future, and to commit the support needed to achieve its important quality and participation goals. There is a significant funding gap, which has led universities to neglect infrastructure and let class…

In a context of increasing numbers of refugees and asylum seekers globally, recognition of the importance of the school environment for promoting successful settlement outcomes and inclusion for refugee-background young people is growing. Yet schools may be poorly equipped to recognise and respond to the multiple challenges faced by children and…

The purpose of this paper is to examine four case studies on the effects of injuries on adult career development. The four cases are taken from published judgements in the New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory Supreme Courts. Each case is analysed in terms of the person's background, the key issues and the demonstrable impact on…

The free market human capital discourse and its associated material practices now play a significant role in education. This discourse assumes that education is an economic site in which individuals invest in the acquisition of qualifications in order to maximize their future earning power. It demands the full privatization and deregulation of…

Rural Australian health services have great difficulty completing complex competitive submissions for health funding. A collaborative, capacity building approach between a local university and six rural communities in Victoria proved effective in enabling the communities to research their own needs; consult with stakeholders; and develop a…

Although schooling in Australia has been traditionally the responsibility of the states, increased specific grant funding, based on fiscal performance equalization, has led to a more active role for the Australian federal government in influencing education outcomes. A possible consequence is a loss in diversity of the educational system.(TE)

The paper uses data from the United States and several other industrialized nations to evaluate the costs of post-secondary education. Discussed are: variations on the concept of higher educational costs; three cost issues (how much higher education, the unit costs of higher education, and sharing the costs); higher education costs and social…

Using case studies from seven rural and regional areas, this report looks at the impact of schools and vocational education and training (VET) on community capacity. It finds that communities have developed different models to organise school-VET partnerships and that rural areas are more likely to adopt a whole-of-community model, while regional…