Opinion
Tony Wright
For too long, Western Australia has relied economically on its natural resources and the wonderful benefits that it has in terms of agriculture and tourism.
In the remainder of this century, WA needs to focus on developing a modern, knowledge-based economy and transitioning Perth from being a large regional city to being a major international city with a strong and diverse 21st century economy.
Making that transition will create many opportunities for future generations and mean that many of the best and brightest young West Australians stay in WA and develop outstanding careers, rather than having to move to the east coast or internationally to follow their dreams.
I therefore applaud Tertiary Minister Tony Buti and the state government for taking the initiative in terms of proposing a merger of three of the public universities to create a new state university with the clear intention of establishing an institution with the resources and new direction required to be a world-leading, top-100 university.
For too long, state governments have ignored the university sector and considered it a Commonwealth problem.
The four public universities and Notre Dame have battled with each other for students and resources, and the politicians have let them get on with it.
It is fair to say that no clear winner has emerged, and so WA lacks a university that is at the highest level nationally and internationally.
What is one of the important consequences of that? Smart kids with career ambitions outside resources and healthcare leave and move interstate or even overseas to pursue alternative career opportunities, facilitated by a degree at an internationally renowned university.
My children all went to primary school and high school in Perth but then moved to the University of Melbourne for their tertiary studies.
The career opportunities this move generated have fully justified the difficult decision they made.
They were not alone. They all have multiple friends who followed the same path.
The people of WA, and political and industry leaders in WA should be very thankful that the current state government has recognised the importance of having a top-level university and is taking steps to achieve that goal.
This is not the sort of instant gratification initiative that governments are usually known for.
It is an initiative that will extend well beyond the term of the current government and will continue to produce benefits for the rest of this century.
The state needs a top-ranking university that can compete to recruit the top academic talent, the very best international students and win major national and international research funding, as well as retaining the best young WA talent.
A university that genuinely meets the needs of all young West Australians and enables them to become leaders in the 21st Century economy.
A university that can collaborate on an equal footing with the top universities around the world, to undertake major research and social initiatives to address problems that the world faces, for the benefit of West Australians and humanity as a whole.
WA does not currently have a university that competes effectively nationally or internationally.
The Commonwealth government provides most of the funding for the universities, but they are all established under state legislation.
The state government has the opportunity to frame that legislation in a way that clearly establishes the direction that it wants the new university to follow.
It is also an opportunity for the government to engage more strategically with the university moving forward. Both steps are critically important.
This is a major initiative. There will be some pushback. People do not like change, and they generally leap to defend their own self interests.
If the government’s initiative progresses, there will not be as many vice-chancellors and senior university executives, or as many student guild presidents.
However, this initiative is not about individuals, it is about what is best for WA. It is about developing a new state university that can support and underpin a strong, diverse economy for all West Australians.
It is a change that will ultimately benefit academics, students and the community, and support the continued development of Western Australia well into the future.
South Australia has already provided leadership in this area, and it is possible that other jurisdictions will also consider some university amalgamations.
The initiative by the state government in South Australia has shone a brighter light on WA’s failings.
This is the time for industry leaders, politicians and all West Australians to step forward and support the government in this very important initiative. I thank them for having the courage to progress such a major long-term project.
Tony Wright is an Emeritus Professor at Curtin University, having retired at the end of 2020 after teaching as a professor at the School of Physiotherapy for more than 20 years, and serving as the head of the school for more than a decade. He has long been an advocate for merging WA’s public universities.