Today the Minister for Education, the Hon Julia Gillard MP, invited universities to apply for the first round of funding under the new Diversity and Structural Adjustment Fund.
This fund promotes greater specialisation among providers, better responsiveness to labour markets and diversification in the higher education sector.
The Australian Government has allocated $206 million to encourage greater diversity in the higher education sector by encouraging universities to develop strategies to support their unique missions and areas of strength.
Key priority areas for 2008 include:
- building capacity to meet student and employer demand, and labour market needs;
- supporting diversity and specialisation, dual sector activities and learning and teaching performance;
- higher education provides in regional and smaller metropolitan areas for structural reform with relevance to labour markets and teaching and learning; and
- community service projects.
Proposals that will enhance outcomes in graduate employability skills are particularly invited under learning and teaching performance.
Community service projects that facilitate, develop or enhance philanthropic effort, or which facilitate social inclusion through activities to raise student aspiration, or which support student skill development through community engagement are also encouraged.
Applications for expressions of interest close at 5.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time on 12 May 2008.
Further information on the program, including the Expression of Interest application form, can be found at www.dest.gov.au/highered/dsa