Simon Marginson

Andrew Norton

Julie Wells

Gwilym Croucher

John Dawkins was Australia's most influential higher education minister. He turned colleges into universities, free education into HECS, elite education into mass education, a local focus into an international outlook, vice - chancellors into CEOs, and most academics into both teachers and researchers. The publication of this volume marks the twenty - fifth anniversary of the revolution that John Dawkins started, creating what became known as the Unified National System of higher education. While John Dawkins' reforms were and often remain controversial, they have had a lasting impact on the shape of university education in Australia. This edited collection of research papers, histories and personal accounts from key players analyses the antecedents, details and legacy of this remarkable period in higher education policy in Australia.

25 Years On

The Dawkins Revolution

Understanding the Universe: The Physics of the Cosmos from Quasars to Quarks explores how all areas of physics, from the very smallest scales to the very largest, come together to form our current understanding of the Universe. It takes readers on a fascinating journey, from the Big Bang and how the Universe has evolved, to how it appears now, and the possibilities for how it will continue to evolve in the future. It also explores the latest exciting developments in the area and how they impact our understanding of the Universe, such as quantum chromodynamics, black holes, dark energy, and gravitational waves. Equally importantly, it explains how we have come to know all of this about the Universe and details the limitations of our current understanding. This book is accessible to all introductory undergraduate students interested in the physical sciences. It prioritises a non-mathematical approach so it can be understood by all students, with only two algebraic equations in the book and any numerical calculations shown are limited to simple arithmetic. Key Features: Combines current understanding of quantum physics and cosmology, and includes the latest exciting developments from the field. Provides an accessible introduction to the topic, focusing on a non-mathematical presentation. Presents a comprehensive narrative on the subject and a coherent story.

The Physics of the Cosmos from Quasars to Quarks

Understanding the Universe

Danielle Wood

Tony Wood

John Daley

Stephen Duckett

Peter Goss

Marion Terrill

Brendan Coates

The Commonwealth Orange Book rates Australiaâs performance against similar countries and proposes policy reforms to schools and universities, hospitals and housing, roads and railways, cities and regions, budgets and taxes, retirement incomes and climate change. It includes Grattan Instituteâs new âInternational Scorecardâ, which shows Australians live longer than most other people, and public debt is relatively low. But our electricity supply is more polluting, less reliable and more expensive than in comparable countries; we lag behind other developed economies on school results; and housing costs and homelessness are relatively high. The challenge for the next Commonwealth Government is to revive Australiaâs proud tradition of enlightened public policy. The next government needs to choose to do less, but deliver more. We can continue to be the lucky country, but we must make our own luck. On school education, it suggests that the government needs to finish off school funding reforms, and set up a national evidence institute, while strengthening incentives for universities to improve initial teacher education. On higher education, it recommends a return to demand-driven funding of universities. Reforms to the HELP loan scheme are needed to help fund this change, and potential increases in funding for vocational education. The government should encourage more students into vocational education, although better funding arrangements for vocational education need careful thought and negotiations with the states. [Overview, ed]

Commonwealth Orange Book

Robin Mearns

While major strides have been made in the scientific understanding of climate change, much less understood is how these dynamics in the physical enviornment interact with socioeconomic systems. This book brings together the latest knowledge on the consequences of climate change for society and how best to address them.

Equity and Vulnerability in a Warming World

Social Dimensions of Climate Change

Andrew Norton

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