Legislation to deliver Adelaide University through merging the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia will proceed in Parliament on Oct. 19 after securing crucial cross-bench support.
South Australia’s Connie Bonaros MLC and Sarah Game MLC supported the Adelaide University Bill on Oct. 18 after a parliamentary committee found the amalgamation would likely advance the state’s economic and social interests.
During the committee’s three-month inquiry, it received more than 80 submissions and heard evidence from 50 academics, students, experts, business and community groups.
It found the merger would increase South Australia’s (SA) university international ranking, attract more international students, and reduce research intensity and collaboration barriers.
SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said the new university would contribute half a billion dollars annually to the state’s economy while delivering better student opportunities.
Mr. Malinauskas said the benefit “sits starkly against the risk of doing nothing and watching our high quality; small universities get swamped by international competitors.”
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“We have big plans to grow the state’s economic complexity to boost the standard of living for every South Australian; fundamental to this task is improving our education and research outcomes,” he said.
However, the committee heard evidence of 116 associated risks, including potential staff health and workload pressures and worker attraction and retention issues.
“While the committee is presently satisfied that all practical measures have been taken in preparing the risk assessment, the committee calls on the universities to monitor, evaluate and sufficiently invest in the ongoing actioning of the risk management analysis,” the report said.
Therefore, the government would increase the new university’s $100 million (US$63 million) student support fund to $120 million to prioritise regional students.
Further, it committed $30 million for measures to attract international students, a $200 million research fund and purchased $114.5 million in university land.
The government would appoint an independent higher education expert to ensure transparency, economic benefits, and risk management advice.
‘Save Lives’ Through Improved Research
Ms. Game said she supported the merger because it benefited everyone, not just those wanting to attend university.“It was important to me that any decision improved access to university for regional students and people from low socio-economic backgrounds,” she said.
“This new university will improve the state’s research capabilities, which can save lives.”
Further, it would deliver a nation-leading curriculum and world-class research excellence, according to the university chancellors.
The University of South Australia Vice Chancellor David Lloyd said the merger would have higher national and international value than anything achieved individually.
“We envision it to be a place for outstanding educators, researchers and innovators that will consistently rank in the top 1 percent of universities worldwide,” he said.
Meanwhile, the University of Adelaide Vice-Chanellor Professor Peter Høj said combining research capabilities will support the state and nation.
“Planning for and co-creating the new university will commence immediately, in partnership with staff and students and working collaboratively with our broader stakeholders,” he said.
Shadowy Decision-Making, Australia Institute Says
However, The Australia Institute, a left-leaning think tank, said the government pledged nearly $445 million towards the merger without taxpayer’s awareness, sparking concerns it was to attract more revenue from overseas students rather than to improve education.The Institute argued university councils make decisions about public funding but are not required to release meeting minutes, denying the public the ability to understand reasons behind the decision-making.
Postdoctoral Research Manager Morgan Harrington said Australian taxpayers fund our universities and are entitled to understand how decisions are made.
“At the moment, university councils are free to make significant decisions without proper transparency or accountability,” Mr. Harrington said.
Reforms should require university councils to publish meeting minutes and ensure university staff and students elect council members from candidates with education and public sector expertise, according to the Institute.
Greens Move to Cap Chancellor Salaries
Meanwhile, the Greens party were on board with the government to publicly release the merger case.
Greens university spokesperson Robert Simms said, “These are public institutions, they’re not secret societies, and the public has a right to access that fundamental information, mainly when talking about investment of millions and millions of dollars.”
“At a time when staff in our state’s university sector are facing so much uncertainty, it’s appalling that Vice Chancellors are continuing to receive exorbitant salaries,” he said.
“Australian Vice Chancellors are some of the highest paid in the world; meanwhile, their staff are subject to ongoing casualisation and wage and job cuts.
“Uni bosses shouldn’t be paid like corporate CEOs.”
