Governance at Australian Higher Education Providers

The Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee is holding an inquiry into the "Quality of governance at Australian higher education providers". I made a submission on 3 March. The Committee has not approved the publication of my submission yet, but it was along the following lines:

1. TEQSA Powers Adequate: The Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) can investigate corporate governance issues at Australian higher education providers, where relevant to the quality of education provided. Compliance with workplace, employment practices, executive remuneration, and the use of consultants are covered by other agencies.  
2. Introduce Real Time Monitoring: TEQSA could use real-time analytical techniques to detect unusual behavior in an organization in days, rather than having to wait for an annual report.
3. Focus on more important issues: Australian universities face challenges adapting to online education and competition from offshore providers. These are more pressing issues than governance.

Senate Inquiry into the Quality of Governance at Australian Higher Education Providers

The Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee is holding an inquiry into the "Quality of governance at Australian higher education providers". Submissions are invited by 3 March 2025, with a report due 4 April 2025. 

 The terms of reference of the inquiry are:

"The adequacy of the powers available to the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency to perform its role in identifying and addressing corporate governance issues at Australian higher education providers, with particular reference to:

a. The composition of providers' governing bodies and the transparency, accountability and effectiveness of their functions and processes, including in relation to expenditure, risk management and conflicts of interest;

b. The standard and accuracy of providers' financial reporting, and the effectiveness of financial safeguards and controls;

c. Providers' compliance with legislative requirements, including compliance with workplace laws and regulations;

d. The impact of providers' employment practices, executive remuneration, and the use of external consultants, on staff, students and the quality of higher education offered; and

e. Any related matters."

Some points in the submissions so far

So far five submissions have been published:

1	Dr Fiona Martin (PDF 60 KB)
2	Mr Ian Gray (PDF 1310 KB)
3	Mr Robert Heron (PDF 56 KB)
4	Dr Raffaele Ciriello (PDF 93 KB)
5	Emeritus Professor William Maley (PDF 328 KB)

Dr Martin expressed concern about universities being more about business than education and research and high Vice Chancellor salaries. Mr Gray is concerned about TEQSA's powers to do their job, lower entry and pass standards at universities & a lack of reporting & auditing of research grants. Mr Heron proposes public reporting on accredited courses & is concerned about conflicts of interest where academics require students to purchase the books they wrote. Dr  Ciriello is concerned by "a managerial elite that prioritises profits over academic integrity".  and proposes adopting the European model, where university executive are elected by faculty. Dr Maley expresses concern about the decay of ‘faculty governance’, with decision making concentrated in Deputy and Pro-Vice-Chancellors, and Chief Officers.