[csaa-forum] Meaty issues in education, research

[CHASS]

MEATY ISSUES IN EDUCATION, RESEARCH

CHASS today (Tuesday) welcomes the announcement of the new team that will be
handling education, research and the arts on behalf of the ALP.

CHASS President Stuart Cunningham said the Government had set out a
blueprint for education and research, but many questions of detail remain to
be addressed.

"There are lots of meaty issues before Parliament, and I'm anticipating hard
questions and torrid times in the House before these matters are resolved,"
he said.

"A lot is demanded of our education and research system.  It's going to need
clear leadership - from both sides - if all the issues of funding and
management are to be addressed."

Shadow Ministers with particular relevance to CHASS are Stephen Smith
(Education and Training); Senator Kim Carr (Industry, Innovation, science
and research); and Peter Garrett (Environment, heritage and the arts).

Professor Cunningham said that one of the underlying issues was recognising
the contribution of the humanities, arts and social sciences to the national
agenda.

"Things are changing, slowly, but Government institutions are still behind
the times.  They fail to appreciate just how much our sector contributes to
the economy and social fabric of Australia," he said.

He nominated the creative industries as a potent source of new wealth.  A
new study has shown that more than one third of young Australians on the
"rich lists" had made their money in the creative industries, in areas such
as architecture, advertising, design, film and software.

This is in sharp contrast to the rich list for older people, with less than
one in ten coming from creative industries.  The study was carried out by Dr
Jason Potts of Queensland University of Technology.

"This is the way of the future, and the debate in Australia needs to jump
ahead by twenty years to recognize the new realities," Professor Cunningham
said.  

He said he was looking forward to the debates over the next 12 months, as
issues in education and research came to a head.



For interview:  Professor Stuart Cunningham 0407 195 304

For information:  Toss Gascoigne 0408 704 442

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Mr Toss Gascoigne
Executive Director
Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS)
28 Balmain Cres, ANU, ACT, AUSTRALIA
 
Postal address
PO Box 8157, ANU, ACT AUSTRALIA 2601
 
Ph: +61 2 6249 1995 OR +61 2 6230 7179
0408 704 442 (international +61 408 704 442)
Fax: +61 2 6247 4335
Email: director at chass.org.au
Web:  www.chass.org.au
ABN:  75 017 337 844
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