CommonwealthReviewofFundingClustersUWSSubmission.pdfVIP

Commonwealth Review of Funding Clusters UWS Submission 26 February 2007 Commonwealth Review of Funding Clusters UWS Submission Summary The DEST review aims to examine the current allocation of discipline groupings to CGS funding clusters, including the number of clusters and funding relativities between clusters. The DEST discussion paper assumes that both student contribution (HECS) bands and total CGS funding amounts will remain unchanged and that only the CGS clusters themselves will be reviewed. While UWS welcomes the review, this submission argues that these limitations are inconsistent with its aims. The current 12-cluster funding model used by DEST is very complex to manage (for higher education providers and for DEST). It also creates potentially significant annual variability in funding outcomes, at both institutional and national levels. Combined with fluctuations in student demand by course, institution and across the sector, these features of the funding model make effective planning very difficult. To reduce this complexity and instability in funding, UWS recommends that the Commonwealth: 1. provide an agreed CGS funding grant on a three-year rolling cycle, rather than annually, based on the institution’s discipline-based cluster profile in previous years, and periodically reviewing that profile. This would allow for movement of student load between clusters without financial penalty; 2. allow greater institutional f