In Australia, the inception of veterinary technology, as a higher education discipline underpinning an emerging, mid-tier paraveterinary field, reflected global trends for more highly educated veterinary paraprofessionals to meet changing societal demands. In this study, veterinary technology graduates were surveyed about their experiences in the…

In Australia, as in the UK, much of the skills debate in research education has reflected a deficit model, whereby candidates are deemed to be in need of supplementary training. In response to the demands of employers and governments, most universities have added employability skills to postgraduate curricula, while simultaneously boosting their…

It is argued that ethics should be taught in general and subject-specific curricula in Australian universities and that recent developments in Australia give ethics-enhanced priority. Current initiatives and specific administrative and instructional issues are discussed. An interdisciplinary approach to applied ethics instruction is advocated over…

Argues that the current move at Australian universities toward instrumental programs of work-based learning threatens the existence of the liberal university, where knowledge is pursued predominantly for its own sake. Four dominant discourses--the liberal, the utilitarian, the reformist, and the liberal-vocational models--are identified as forces…

Two central features of Australian universities are a strong research base and structural organization reflecting a close relationship between teaching and research. Current policy deliberations have produced research policy recommendations for increased centralization, coordination, selectivity, and concentration of research and funding that are…

The question examined is whether there are real differences between Australian universities, traditionally academically oriented, and colleges of advanced education (CAEs), intended to be vocationally oriented. Now that some CAEs duplicate some university functions, overlap in academic ethos, function, and impact on students is suspected. (MSE)

An inquiry concerning the future of Murdoch University, Western Australia, is considered, as are the resulting recommendations. After a description of the university's establishment, growth, and present circumstances, postsecondary education in Western Australia and the demand for higher education are considered. A number of adjustments to the…