Abstract:
A survey of university staff (union members and non-members) recently conducted by the National Tertiary Education Union revealed high levels of stress as a result of excessive workloads, high staff/student ratios and inadequate government funding of the sector. The changes in higher education over the last three decades have been substantial and widespread. Some have been worthwhile, and the overall expansion in higher education enrolments is to be welcomed. But at the same time there has been a long-term decline in government funding, so that Australia has one of the worst public investment rates in higher education in the OECD. Funding injections by the Rudd government, while necessary, were insufficient to make up for the woeful efforts of the Howard regime.
Details / PDF:
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