The Coaldrake Review of provider category standards is expected to stick with the existing definition of a university

Peter Coaldrake has told an Australian Financial Review conference that a “possible landing point” of his review is that; “the undertaking of research is, and should remain, a defining feature of what it means to be a university in Australia.”

The former QUT vice chancellor is reviewing standards for the Commonwealth.

He set out five issues/possible outcomes.

* “a simplification of the current provider categories.”  These are, HE providers of which there are now 12 accredited and 120 not, Australian universities (forty), Australian university colleges (0) a single “Australian university of specialisation, overseas universities (two), and overseas university of specialisation (0).

* universities “are over categorised, while all other HE providers are grouped in a single undifferentiated category.” (i)

* “a new category should be created to serve aspiration, destination, or progression purposes for the highest performing higher education institutions which are not universities. A measure of self-accrediting authority status should be considered for these providers.”

* “the undertaking of research, is, and should remain, a defining feature of what it means to be a university in Australia”

* “quality and scale of research should be included in the provider category standards, with quality requirements augmented over time”

Reaction: Initial responses yesterday were quietly pleased. Universities Australia thanked Professor Coaldrake for “his careful and considered work” and “looked forward” to the review. “Universities welcome the emphasis on the combination of research and teaching — that is a foundational part of the Australian university system,” CEO Catriona Jackson said.

The Independent Higher Education Australia lobby was more expansive, welcoming the possibility of, “an additional HEP category recognising quality and based on self-accrediting authority.” However, IHEA called for continuing the university college category, arguing there is a reason why no institution occupies it.

“The current status and transitional requirements of a track-record in self-accreditation and cycles of review and plans to achieve the Australian University category within five years effectively have made the category unattainable, particularly within the relatively short life of the current standard.”

“University college” “has “broad recognition as attaching to degree conferring institutions in Australia’s international markets.”