1+ week, 5+ day ago (692+ words) Australia's leading scientific research organisation has told staff it will slash hundreds of research jobs, in a major blow to publicly funded science. The CSIRO told staff on Tuesday that between 300 and 350 research jobs would be axed. That equates to about 10 per cent of all scientists employed by the institution, the staff association estimates. Up to 350 jobs will but cut at the leading research centre.Credit: Bloomberg The news comes after about 800 research support jobs were cut last year, along with a number of contractors. Combined, the staff association estimates that equates to cutting the agency's size by a third. "It's huge. That's a lot of people's jobs, and a big impact on science," said Susan Tonks, secretary of the CSIRO Staff Association. She called it "a sad day for publicly funded science". CSIRO chief executive Doug Hilton told this…...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (629+ words) Seven public schools from across Western Australia were named as the best in their field at the state's education awards at Crown Perth on Monday morning. Christopher Lambe, a level 3 science specialist at Grandis Primary School with more than 23 years' experience, was also handed the inaugural Teacher of the Year award. Lambe was one of four finalists who were chosen out of about 40 nominations. "I have a privilege of teaching kids to be curious and trying not to blow them up. It is the best job in the world, and I'll continue doing this until they kick me out," he joked. "I'm very overwhelmed [to win this award]. It's rare that teachers get this sort of treatment " to be put on this sort of a stage so it is an honour. "I am standing on the shoulders of so many…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (34+ words) Will my account disappear completely and the content be deleted? Or will I get it back when I turn 16? What happens if I am mistakenly identified as under 16? The Sydney Morning Herald...

1+ week, 6+ day ago (25+ words) An alarming rise in SA parents abusing teachers and principals has seen new banning laws fast-tracked, coming into effect immediately. The Sydney Morning Herald...

1+ week, 3+ day ago (502+ words) Parents at Brisbane State High School have urged the state government to scrap plans to build residential towers on a prime parcel of inner-city land, calling instead for the former factory site in their catchment to be turned into playing fields. The government-owned land on the former Visy site " at one stage slated to become a broadcasting hub during the Olympics " went to tender for residential development in mid-October. But State High P&C president Chris Dutkowski said so many new homes being built in the catchment would strain enrolments at the partially selective school. Brisbane State High School is predicted to surpass 3800 students by 2029.Credit: Brisbane Times/Dan Peled Just over 2200 students live within State High's catchment, and 92 per cent attend the school, which is required to accept local students because of its state school status. It offers about…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (744+ words) Monash University has ended a $43 million partnership with Woodside Energy, seeking to remove any "ambiguity" about its relationship with the fossil fuel giant. The university's philanthropic partnership " which included naming rights over a building at its Clayton campus " had been the source of sustained criticism by staff and students. The Woodside Building for Technology and Design at Monash University.Credit: The multi-award winning Woodside Building for Technology and Design will now again be known as Building 94, until a new name is selected. The announcement draws a spotlight on the growing tendency for fossil fuel companies to seek partnerships with organisations including universities. Woodside has also engaged in a financial partnership with the WA Museum for 28 years, and has naming rights over Surf Life Saving WA's Woodside Nippers. Some 20 fossil fuel company-funded scholarships have been offered recently across the country, including…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (738+ words) A Hong Kong billionaire has donated $30 million to the University of NSW to build a women-only residential college " the largest philanthropic contribution ever made to the institution for student accommodation. Venture capitalist Solina Chau's donation will house science, technology, engineering and maths students on campus in a bid to foster leadership and community in fields typically dominated by men. Billionaire Solina Chau said she remembered her time at the University of NSW fondly.Credit: Getty Images Chau began a bachelor of commerce degree at UNSW in the 1980s before co-founding Horizon Ventures, one of the earliest investors in Facebook, Spotify and Zoom. She has amassed an estimated fortune of $3.6 billion. "Studying at UNSW was a pivotal moment in my life," Chau said. "I gained insights that guided my life, especially my quests and perspectives in business, for which I am profoundly…...

3+ week, 3+ day ago (609+ words) The University of Canberra wants to become an institution for "tradies, unveiling plans to shave off a year from study for people with certain TAFE qualifications after successive government reviews called for better pathways between vocational education and university. The university's vice chancellor, former Labor leader Bill Shorten, said the change meant people with selected existing diplomas could save up to $12,000 on the cost of some bachelor degrees. Plumber Maric Wichman, 27, left school and enrolled in a bachelor of security studies but dropped out after two weeks.Credit: James Brickwood "We're going to look at people with TAFE qualifications, and we are going to treat their qualifications with parity of esteem, Shorten said. "[The University of Canberra] is happy to be a tradies university. Sydney plumber Maric Wichman, 27, said he finds his job fulfilling, but would like the option of…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (659+ words) The state's richest and most prestigious sandstone university enrolled almost a thousand fewer local undergraduates in 2024 compared with five years ago. But the University of Sydney's shortfall in domestic students was offset by an extra 10,000 international students over the same period, with enrolments skyrocketing above 78,000 last year, according to the latest Department of Education data. First year law student Zayed Tabish, 19, has seen students sitting on the floor in lecture theatres.Credit: Steven Siewert First year law and arts students Zayed Tabish transferred this year from the University of NSW to Sydney, where he saw students sitting on the floor in lecture theatres. "Early on, there was a fight for seats " It forces students online for some lectures," he said. He noted classes for law subjects were smaller, but classes for his arts politics major " which costs $50,000 " had up to…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (626+ words) A new university campus opening in Perth's CBD has driven renewed interest from developers, with figures revealing more student-specific accommodation is in the pipeline to cater for an incoming spike in demand. According to figures from the Property Council, 2514 student beds will soon become available based on developments currently under construction, with a further 721 beds included in approved developments and 3265 more beds under application " a total of 6500 in the pipeline. ECU City will extend from Perth Busport to Yagan Square. At the beginning of 2025, that number was 5354 " meaning 1146 beds have been added to the pipeline over the year. Back in mid-2023, there were just 4200 student beds available across the state. Now the number of beds under application is the highest nationally, just ahead of NSW, which recorded 3123 under application. The beds cater specifically for university students, often international students moving to…...