The four private unis announce “a single representative voice”

The Independent Higher Education Association convened its VC’s Dialogue, with the association and member vice chancellors meeting last week.

Member universities are Bond, Torrens and the two recently elevated by TEQSA, Avondale and Uni Divinity.

“The Dialogue provides an opportunity for IHEA university leaders to discuss their shared interests, collaborate on current challenges and support IHEAs unified advocacy for the independent university sector,” association CEO Simon Finn says.

To which purpose the VCs with the heads of other IHEA members also met with Labor shadow education minister Tanya Plibersek.

The VCs Dialogue makes five interest-group alliances of Australian universities, joining the Australian Technology Network, the Group of Eight, the Innovative Research Universities and the Regional Universities Network.

However while all participants in the four public institution groups are also members of umbrella body Universities Australia, Bond U is the only private member of UA,