There is no funding for the national university teaching awards in the budget (CMM May 13), perhaps because the feds really needed to save $600 000 allocated to the awards and the on-line learning and teaching research archive.  Although it won’t make much of an impact on this financial year’s underlying cash deficit of $106.6 bn.

Whatever the reason, this means the current round (submissions due September) will be the last – unless individuals and organisations step up, to find funding and organise everything.

Given members of the teaching and learning community worked for free to assess entries, the expertise is available. And some money should be – there is a bunch of consultants and corporates with learning and teaching products and services, that could donate to support awards.

But they will have to be asked.  Question is – who is up to do the asking?