There’s a new ranking. But hold the harrumphing – it isn’t of the “top unis for MBAs in water polo admin ” variety

It’s a ranking of masters degrees in global trade, which QS will launch in October.

If it uses QS’ standard measures, including 50 per cent of scores based on invited survey responses from academics and employers, usual methodology caveats apply. But the benefits are way bigger than given university marketers copy. It’s funded by the Hinrich Foundation which advocates “for sustainable global trade” on the premise that, “peace is a natural effect of trade, but only when trade is mutually beneficial and sustainable for peace and prosperity.”

In Features this morning

Angel Calderon (RMIT) on the growth of women in university leaderships and the challenges that continue, “universities need to focus on retaining and attracting academic talent but also ensure systems and robust process are in place which not only encourage but actively nurture women to apply for promotion.”

plus Merlin Crossley (UNSW) on the power of universities to encourage greatness and counter group-think

and  Jacquie Tinkler and Gene Hodgins (CSU) on help for students with mental health issues who choose on-line. Some do so to manage study around their particular condition. This week’s selection by Commissioning Editor Sally Kift for her celebrated series, Needed now in teaching and learning.

with Garry Carnegie (RMIT) on global university rankings – why they are a menace.

Another Senate hearing, another bad for unis

The Economics References Committee inquiry into unlawful underpayment of employees heard evidence from university casual staff yesterday.  One witness, Yaegan Doran has called for, “a regular, independent government audit of the actual hours casual staff work in comparison to what they are paid.” “University managers cannot be trusted to audit their own payment regimes,” he suggests.

The hearing added to the continuing catastrophe that admissions  of underpayment of casuals is for multiple university reputations.  Senator Faruqi (Greens NSW) was not impressed with casual staff reporting how they are treated.

Neither was Senator Scarr (LNP Queensland) as he heard a claim that gift-cards had been proposed as payment for work by casuals. And he had no doubt who was responsible “it came back to the leadership of universities,” he said.

140 journals closed in Australia 2011-20 – HASS disciplines took the hardest hit

Hamid R Jamali, Simon Wakeling (both Charles Sturt U) and Alireza Abbas (UNSW) surveyed editors to establish what happened.  They find that half the journals went “to a very great extent” due to loss of funding and lack of support from the journal owner.

HASS took the hit, with 75 per cent of journals that closed publishing research in the humanities, arts and social sciences – which is a problem for scholars, and society.

As the authors explain, “issues in social sciences, humanities and arts are more likely to have local and national significance and they need local outlets for publications because international journals’ editorial policies might not favour papers on local issues.”

The excellent Parliamentary Library has a new guide to university research funding. It’s by the learned Hazel Ferguson and it’s here.

 by CLAIRE FIELD

They’re the content managers backing digital capability

Recent analysis by global market intelligence firm HolonIQ identified 547 universities which entered into on-line programme management or bootcamp partnerships in 2021. They contend “digital capability is arguably the number one priority for universities and colleges around the world.”

Two OPM leaders in the Australian market, SEEK and KeyPath Education, recently posted their half-yearly results to the ASX.

SEEK’s report included details on the performance of the ‘SEEK Growth Fund’ led by SEEK co-founder Andrew Bassat, which holds their EdTech and other investments. While the fund’s value continues to increase, in the last six months their EdTech investments have performed less well due in part to long-term reinvestment in their OPM, Online Education Services.

OES educates more than 17 000 students across six university partners in Australia and the UK, they are expanding into other markets and have identified that future growth will result from:

* growing the number of courses they offer in their current specialisations

* evolving their product offerings (more short courses, micro credentials and stackable degrees)

* expanding their service offerings (e.g. postgraduate, learning design solutions and managed services), and

* pursuing new partnerships and new geographies.

KeyPath Education achieved double digit compound annual growth over the last three years and in the first half of FY22 had 44 000 enrolments with 37 university partners.

They too are investing heavily in a number of their “historic partnerships”, they are expanding into Malaysia, and making systems investments. Notable from an education perspective is their growth in on-line nursing and other health courses, particularly in the last 12 months.

KeyPath’s growth strategies are similar to OES:

* growing enrolments in current programmes

* signing new university partners

* adding new programmes with existing partners

* expanding into new markets specifically Malaysia and Singapore, and

* pursuing targeted mergers and acquisitions.

The long-term investments and new partnerships OES, KeyPath Education and other OPMs are making will shape the future of higher education (and in time VET), in ways I suspect policymakers are yet to fully grasp.

 Claire Field is the Australian education contributor for HolonIQ. She interviewed KeyPath’s Asia-Pacific CEO Ryan O’Hare on the latest edition of the free ‘What now? What next?’ podcast

More awards from Australia and New Zealand Applied and Industrial Mathematics. * Elliot Carr (QUT) is the outstanding new researcher * James McCaw (Uni Melbourne) is the mid-career medallist * the best student conference paper is by Adriana Zanca, (Uni Melbourne) and Michael Denes (UNSW). CMM reported last week that Phil Broadbridge (La Trobe U) is the ANZAIM medallist.

Anthony Elliott (Uni SA) will lead its EU funded Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence. Its funded for four years, to research AI, Industry 4.0, creative economies and workplace transformations.

Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management welcomes new members of its editorial board, * Catherine Yuan Gao (Victoria U) * Clare Hourigan (Uni Queensland) * Patrick Korbel (Australian Technology Network) * Wei Liu (Uni Alberta) * Andrew Norton (ANU) * Wojtek Tomaszewski (Uni Queensland) * Natalia Veles (James Cook U)

Uni SA announces its way too many to mention research and research support award winners. They are https://unisa.edu.au/research/research-awards/ here.