Changing higher education for good - just get on with it

?Last week HEDx hosted the Changing Higher Education for Good seminar in Melbourne in the context of the release of the Australian Government’s Education Accord. Addressing themes of equity, innovation and emerging technology, the day flew by with insights and ideas to consider across a range of university types, student cohorts, and time scales.?

The program was packed with leaders in Australian higher education as well as some stellar international guests bringing quite unique perspectives to ideas of inclusion and funding. The takeaway message, initially suggested by the Chair of Universities Australia Professor David Lloyd but taken up enthusiastically by everyone in the room was – just get on with it.

There’s no time to lose. Governments move slowly, and there’s a lot to do, but now that the Accord is out and the sector has clear indicators of the government’s goals and economiy’s need for skilled graduates, there’s really no excuse for inaction. In fact, those universities that wait for the bureaucracy to crank up (ATEC, HEFF anyone?) might find themselves left behind. Because there’s plenty in the works already. Smaller and regional universities have been addressing equity issues for years and have made great strides in access for non-traditional cohorts of students. Emerging technology is being taken up enthusiastically for teaching and research (RMIT has proactively developed their own version of ChatGPT called VAL for students). And Arizona State University and Torrens University in Australia are innovators challenging the dependence of higher education on government funding.

There will be hiccups and unintended consequences of policy and practice along the way, (as USC Vice Chancellor Professor Helen Bartlett asked - does ending early offers support equity outcomes?) but fortune favours the brave.

Thanks to Martin Betts for pulling together a great program of speakers, and to all the wonderful delegates at the seminar who are keen to just get on with it.