Page 3348 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 22 September 2015
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
give them the tools they need to thrive in a competitive global education market. As Dr Bourke outlined in his contribution, the results of this approach are very clear. The ACT’s role as a strong partner has played a part in the rise of both the Australian National University and the University of Canberra up the ladder of the world’s elite universities.
Their joint strengths were reinforced by the recent launch of a joint ANU-University of Canberra double degree in science teaching, where from 2016 the final year Bachelor of Science students from ANU will be able to study for a Master of Teaching from the University of Canberra at the same time, with final-year classes credited for both awards, allowing students to gain their science and teaching qualifications six months earlier.
A thriving university sector is fundamental to Canberra’s economy in an era where we can no longer rely just on the federal public sector. Higher education and research institutions add $2.75 billion in value to our city’s economy each year and create approximately 16,000 full-time equivalent jobs. This represents nearly eight per cent of our gross state product and eight per cent of our employment.
A large proportion of this economic activity is generated by students, both interstate and international, and the growth in international student numbers is largely responsible for the ACT’s 8.5 per cent annual growth in services exports over the last five years. So it is simple—we must work closely with our higher education providers to maintain this growth rate, whilst ensuring the services and accommodation are in place to support them.
We are working to attract even more undergraduate and graduate students to the ACT. For example, I recently announced that the children of international research students studying in Canberra will have their public school fees waived, to keep Canberra competitive and to attract the world’s best and brightest research students to make our city home.
I also hosted the vice-chancellors forum last month, where we agreed that the implementation of the goals set out in our revised business development strategy would be an important part of the forum’s future activities. The strategy lays out exactly what we will do to help our higher education and research sector, including bringing a strong economic development focus to our relationship with the sector, working to promote our city as Australia’s higher education and research capital and dedicating a senior executive to champion the sector across the ACT government and prioritise economic development outcomes.
At the forum we also discussed the commonwealth’s goal of doubling the number of international students studying in Australia by 2025, as well as bringing about a substantial increase in the offshore and online delivery of education. By working closely with the vice-chancellors forum members, we will maximise the returns to Canberra from these policies. This VC forum is one example of the ACT’s efforts to work with the higher education and research sector, to grow its presence and strength in the ACT for the benefit of the entire community.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video