At the least, all university academics should be seriously engaged in scholarship. Opportunities should be made available for academics in units which are not funded for research to pursue collaborative research elsewhere. National research centres could provide an opportunity for this in some disciplines. We accept, however, that an individual academic can be a good, inspiring teacher without being actively involved in research. There is debate on the purpose of higher education and the place of vocational courses in universities.
Universities are an important element in the production of an appropriately skilled workforce.
Employers see this function as the prime responsibility of universities. Industry associations should be more active in contributing to the design of university courses. The Academy does not argue that vocational courses should not be offered in universities, but such courses should have a strong foundation in rigorous academic disciplines. Otherwise, vocational training should be the responsibility of TAFE or other advanced colleges carrying out non-academic career training. Certain basic science disciplines such as physics are in decline.