Higher education leaders and policy makers in Australia are facing a lot of hard decisions right now. 

The New Social Contract Podcast spoke with UTS Vice-Chancellor Professor Attila Brungs  and Shadow Minister for Education and Training Tanya Plibersek to find out their different perspectives on the purpose and role of universities in the 21st century. 

There are lots of factors contributing to the uncertainty in the tertiary sector at present - will international students return? How much debt can be sustained? What will happen to research funding? 

But one thing that would make it easier to act in the present, is a clear plan for what universities should do in the future. What are universities in Australia for? The answer to that question will shape the kind of system we get. 

*Note: The interview with Vice-Chancellor Professor Attila Brungs took place on Tuesday June 9 2020. 

The interview with Tanya Plibersek, Shadow Minister for Education and Training took place on Tuesday June 16 2020. 

Higher education leaders and policy makers in Australia are facing a lot of hard decisions right now. 
The New Social Contract Podcast spoke with UTS <a href="https://www.uts.edu.au/about/university/senior-executive/vice-chancellor-and-president">Vice-Chancellor Professor Attila Brungs </a> and <a href="https://www.tanyaplibersek.com/">Shadow Minister for Education and Training Tanya Plibersek</a> to find out their different perspectives on the purpose and role of universities in the 21st century. 
There are lots of factors contributing to the uncertainty in the tertiary sector at present - will international students return? How much debt can be sustained? What will happen to research funding? 
But one thing that would make it easier to act in the present, is a clear plan for what universities should do in the future. What are universities in Australia for? The answer to that question will shape the kind of system we get. 
*Note: The interview with Vice-Chancellor Professor Attila Brungs took place on Tuesday June 9 2020. 
The interview with Tanya Plibersek, Shadow Minister for Education and Training took place on Tuesday June 16 2020.

The New Social Contract seeks to contribute to a national conversation on how the relationship between universities, the state and the public might be reshaped as we live through the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us as we discuss the kind of higher education sector our society needs. 



Episode One is dropping Monday 4th of May 2020. 



This podcast is hosted by Associate Professor Tamson Pietsch and produced by Impact Studios at the University of Technology Sydney. 



For show notes and transcripts visit: https://www.uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/initiatives/impact-studios/projects/new-social-contract-podcast 



News grabs in the trailer feature the voices of: 



Linda Mottram,Journalist on PM , ABC ‘Fears Australian universities could collapse in wake of COVID-19’ 



Alison Barnes, National President of the NTEU on Sky News ‘Govt university package all 'smoke and mirrors' 



George Megalogenis, Author and Journalist on Radio National Big Ideas ‘The purpose and future of the university (part two)’ a broadcast version of an event presented by the ANU College of Law and the ANU Centre for Law, Arts & the Humanities, that was curated and facilitated by Natasha Cica of Kapacity.org at the National Library of Australia on 17 March 2020. Tamson was invited to participate in this talk as an expert in the history of universities, an area she’s been working on since 2004. 



Brian Schmidt, Vice Chancellor, ANU on PM, ABC ‘Fears Australian universities could collapse in wake of COVID-19’ 

The New Social Contract seeks to contribute to a national conversation on how the relationship between universities, the state and the public might be reshaped as we live through the COVID-19 pandemic. Join us as we discuss the kind of higher education sector our society needs. 
 
Episode One is dropping Monday 4th of May 2020. 
 
This podcast is hosted by Associate Professor Tamson Pietsch and produced by Impact Studios at the University of Technology Sydney. 
 
For show notes and transcripts visit: https://www.uts.edu.au/partners-and-community/initiatives/impact-studios/projects/new-social-contract-podcast 
 
News grabs in the trailer feature the voices of: 
 
<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm/fears-australian-universities-could-collapse-in-wake-of-covid/12134658">Linda Mottram,Journalist on PM</a> , ABC ‘Fears Australian universities could collapse in wake of COVID-19’ 
 
<a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6148931486001">Alison Barnes, National President of the NTEU on Sky News</a> ‘Govt university package all 'smoke and mirrors' 
 
<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/bigideas/the-purpose-and-future-of-the-university.-part-two/12101262">George Megalogenis, Author and Journalist on Radio National Big Ideas</a> ‘The purpose and future of the university (part two)’ a broadcast version of an event presented by the <a href="https://law.anu.edu.au/event/60th-anniversary-celebrations/idea-university-crisis-or-adaptation">ANU College of Law and the ANU Centre for Law, Arts &amp; the Humanities</a>, that was curated and facilitated by Natasha Cica of Kapacity.org at the National Library of Australia on 17 March 2020. Tamson was invited to participate in this talk as an expert in the history of universities, an area she’s been working on since 2004. 
 
<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/pm/fears-australian-universities-could-collapse-in-wake-of-covid/12134658">Brian Schmidt, Vice Chancellor, ANU on PM,</a> ABC ‘Fears Australian universities could collapse in wake of COVID-19’

Advertisement