Stephen Matchett

Clare to introduce ATEC legislation last sitting week of the year. The Senate numbers must be already sorted

Unaccountably forgotten something important that happened in Australian higher educ and research 2013-23? Chances are Campus Morning Mail can jog your memory, The CMM archive is live for another year @ shorturl.at/btr5k

US on verge of a digital transformation. WSJ reports driverless taxis nearly the new normal. NYT story on OpenAI embedding products in educ. Meanwhile Donald Trump carrying-on like Napoleon III, practising for a very analogue coup, with troops on the streets of LA

In the worst timing since I last danced the WA uni annual reports are out, listing VC salaries - Curtin and UWA's are a million plus. Just about the only issue in the election will be why VC pay should be half that.

Jacqui Lambie's bill including a cap on VC pay is sent to a Senate committee, report date August 1. You can bet the inquiry will continue after the election if she is re-elected.

Whatever will Minister Husic's R&D review consult.industry.gov.au/strategic-ex... conclude? It's public day one and they already have, more govt and industry spending - only arguments for the rest of the year are how much and who should spend it

NTEU on track to do what it said it would at ANU, meeting tomorrow on holding no-confidence vote in Chancellor Bishop and VC Bell. Uni representative called it a "cheap stunt" in December-if it happens the outcome could be v expensive for management

Victoria U nails it with recruitment campaign. CQU not so much shorturl.at/wY7Od

Double whammy for uni executives. The day after Jason Clare announces governance oversight council his colleague Senator Sheldon proposes upper house inquiry, including VC pay and staff underpayment. Brilliant politics - managements scrutinised and union happy.

Unis Aus makes it clear will work with Jason Clare's new University Governance Council. What will the Group of Eight announce? (no, they will not secede)

ANU executive team issues statement of support for VC Genevieve Bell. Not something needed by leaders who have everything under control

ANU announces Chancellor and VC awards. Presumably including no one about to be restructured out

Ye Gods! Rome had the year of four emperors and now Uni Canberra has one of four vice chancellors. Won't Bill Shorten feel at home when he takes over in February, just like a Labor branch brawl

Suggestions the govt can't set VCs pay forget that back in the 70s and 80s the Academic Salaries Tribunal used to make recommendations

88 per cent of ANU staff voting knock back management prop to cancel long scheduled December pay rise. Contrasts with the '21 financial crisis when staff approved (just) a 12th delay on a pay rise.

Mary O'Kane signs off: the Accord is in, with 47 recommendations for change. Says she "looks forward" to release in "due course." Likely to be early Feb

Still wondering what the govt wants from the Accord? The Employment White Paper spells it out, "tertiary education needs to deliver the skilled workers for the jobs of the future."

OECD @ rb.gy/et6n8reports Luxembourg and Netherlands had the largest share of 18-24 year-olds in education in 2022. Colombia and New Zealand had the lowest. So what's not going on across the ditch?