Economics forum looks at creating balanced nation
[ UniNews Vol. 14, No. 5
4 - 18 April 2005 ] By Laura A’Bell
Business, political and academic leaders and thinkers gathered at the University of Melbourne last week to consider major economic and social challenges facing Australia in 2005 and beyond.
They participated in the third Eco-nomic and Social Outlook Conference – Sustaining Prosperity: New Reform Opportunities for Australia – presented by the University’s Melbourne Institute of Applied Economics and Social Research (MIAESR) and The Australian.
Among broad questions discussed were how Australia should move to extend expansion of its economy, confront demographic challenges such as ageing, and tackle areas of entrenched disadvantage to further spread prosperity.
University of Melbourne speakers included the Vice-Chancellor Professor Glyn Davis, Professor John Freebairn and Professor Jeff Borland (Economics), Professor Ross Williams, Professor Peter Dawkins, and Professor Tony Scott (MIAESR) and former dean of Education Professor Brian Caldwell.
Professor Williams and Professor Dawkins presented a paper highlighting Australia’s need for a level playing field for both universities and students.
They suggested a number of long-run funding principles which, if adopted, would allow universities more freedom to choose their size and discipline mix ensuring student preferences were more closely met.
Their recommendation was that there may need to be transitional arrangements put in place including, for example, caps on prices that could be gradually relaxed.
Conference papers can be downloaded from the Melbourne Institute’s website http://www.melbourneinstitute.com
|
|
