Wilkie gives reluctant support to weaker pokie reforms
Watered-down poker machine reforms designed to protect problem gamblers will go ahead after Tasmanian Independent MP Andrew…
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Monash VC calls for fee deregulation in universities
Giving universities the power to charge more for their top courses would ensure they could offer a “premium” education…
Push to quantify social impact of science goes global
Australia is preparing to join a worldwide push to map the wider social returns on investments in science.
This week Professor…
Australia ranked 8th in the world for higher education
Australia is ranked eighth out of 48 countries in a new global measure of higher education – behind the US, Canada and Scandanavian…
Budget relief for unis, but financial strain lies ahead
Anxiety gave way to relief across universities last night after Labor handed down a higher education budget that maintained…
Efficiency tax will stifle scientific work at CSIRO
A $23-million “efficiency dividend” on administrative costs at CSIRO will inevitably affect the quality of scientific research…
Make gender targets a job measure for managers
Australian businesses should set managers “challenging gender targets” and hold them accountable for the proportion of women…
FWA urges civil suit against Thomson: experts respond
Fair Work Australia (FWA) has recommended civil court action be taken against MP and former Health Services Union (HSU) national…
Wiki founder to build open access site for UK research
The British government has enlisted the services of Wikipedia in a push to make all taxpayer-funded academic research from…
Tens of thousands of students in alternative education
More than 33,000 disenfranchised young Australians are taking part in at least 400 “non-conventional schooling” programs…
Obese women face discrimination in job hunt
People who worry about their appearance are more likely to discriminate against obese people, a new study has found.
Researchers…
Harvard: journal subscription fees are prohibitive
Harvard Library says it can no longer afford the vast cost of academic journal subscriptions, and has advised staff at the…
Open access not as simple as it sounds: outgoing ARC boss
After almost five years at the helm of the Australian Research Council (ARC), Margaret Sheil will this week step down to…
Monash is first Australian university to launch in China
Monash University has become the first Australian institution to receive a license to operate in China, and will start welcoming…
Google boss: let internet flourish to boost productivity
The annual $27-billion boost to Australia’s productivity from internet innovation is at threat from policymakers who would…
Australia could be out of Afghanistan in 12 months
Australia could end combat and training operations in Afghanistan and withdraw most of its troops by the middle of next year…
Australian universities fail on conflict of interest
None of the 27 Australian universities that answered a recent survey about disclosure policies expect their staff to reveal…
Macquarie recruits Australian from Harvard to be VC
The former Dean of the University of New South Wales Medical School, Bruce Dowton, will return to Australia from a position…
Bob Brown’s resignation: experts respond
Senator Bob Brown today resigned as leader of the Australian Greens. He will vacate his Senate seat in June.
Former deputy…
Ex-Treasury boss Ken Henry to head public policy body
Former Treasury boss Ken Henry is headed to the Australian National University, where he will lead a new public policy institute…
Funding giant toughens support for open publishing
One of the world’s biggest science funding bodies will strengthen its support for free online publishing by sanctioning errant…
GLBT Australians suffer from intense anxiety, depression
Nearly 80% of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Australians suffered at least one episode of intense anxiety…
Uni comparison site ‘must be treated with caution’
Students from today can compare Australia’s 39 public universities on course satisfaction levels, staff numbers, drop-out…
Time for Australia to abandon ‘failed war on drugs’
Australia must abandon its failed war on drugs and reopen the debate over legalising and regulating their use, according…
Expat workers have cost Australia $450 million in HECS
Australian university graduates who move overseas to work for long periods have deprived the country of about $450 million…