Question Time

CARNEGIE MELLON UNIVERSITY

The Hon. T.A. JENNINGS (15:16): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before directing a question on the subject of Carnegie Mellon to the minister representing the Minister for Employment, Training and Further Education.

Leave granted.

The Hon. T.A. JENNINGS: As members would be aware, there are two schools of the US non-profit, private university, Carnegie Mellon, that came to Adelaide with considerable funding from the state government and less, but also considerable, funding from the federal government. The H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management and the Entertainment Technology Centre were those two schools.

The Entertainment Technology Centre has closed down after two years, due to low enrolments resulting from difficulty competing with the courses that are already offered at a very high standard at the University of South Australia in this state. Premier Mike Rann said about the Entertainment Technology Centre when it was set up that it would produce graduates who would work for the likes of Disney and Spielberg and enormously benefit the creative industries in South Australia. Clearly, this has not eventuated. I would note also on that point that our own home-grown Disneys and Spielbergs have often found the need to move out of this state to continue their creative technology industries.

On 29 June 2005, minister Holloway, in reference to the H. John Heinz III School of Public Policy and Management, said, 'This government'—the Rann government—'wants the best qualified public administrators in the country, and that is why we will support them to go to the best courses.' And of course they are the ones who will. Of the 247 students who have graduated from CMU in Adelaide since 2006, 100 have been paid public servants on 75 per cent government scholarships. CMU's enrolment levels are not meeting the targets. Heinz college aimed for 200 students this year. They are very far off that, with only 109 students so far. This is only an extra 29 students on the first year.

Despite government claims that enrolments are rapidly rising, they are rising by about six students per year. That is six students per year. Over the four years that the university has been operating in Adelaide, only 135 students have graduated. A small number, given the cost of $43 million. It is no surprise that enrolments are low, of course. A one-year Master of Science in Public Policy and Management or a one-year Master of Science in Information Technology would set you back more than $65,000.

Premier Mike Rann also claimed that Carnegie Mellon would help to turn Adelaide into a university town, saying in The Advertiser, 'We are trying to sell our state as a university city.' Premier Rann has, indeed, succeeded to some extent. Since the arrival of Carnegie Mellon we have also welcomed Cranfield and University College London to our small city. The state government is also supplying University College London with $4.5 million of support. UCL has designed its courses for mid-career professionals who come in on a fly-in/fly-out basis. The course fee, excluding flights and accommodation, is $64,500 for two years—cheaper, I note, than Carnegie Mellon—

An honourable member interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order! I remind the honourable member that matters of interest are tomorrow.

The Hon. T.A. JENNINGS: —but still out of reach of—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Ridgway can sit there in silence.

The Hon. T.A. JENNINGS: —most South Australians. I point the minister to the statement made in The Australian on 23 June 2010 by Peter Coaldrake, the Universities Australia chairman, regarding Carnegie Mellon University. He said that CMU 'to date hasn't had a demonstrable impact on the local or international scene. It has had an indifferent impact.' Peter Coaldrake said that the ultimate success of CMU in Adelaide was to be judged on key measures such as asking whether it has addressed unmet demand, boosted diversity or raised quality. I ask the minister:

1. Has it done any of these things?

2. How long will it be before South Australians see a benefit from the enormous amounts already paid out to a university that has such, according to Peter Coaldrake of Universities Australia, an indifferent impact?

3. How will Adelaide become a university town if most of the students are flying in and flying out? How does that provide sustainable educational benefits for South Australians?

4. Would not that money have been better spent transforming South Australia's own universities to a world-class standard?

5. At what point will the South Australian taxpayer start seeing a benefit from this funding to an apparently failing institution?

The PRESIDENT: The honourable minister should ignore the opinion and the debate in the question.

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for State/Local Government Relations, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for the City of Adelaide) (15:21): I might as well sit down. I thank the honourable member for her important questions. Indeed, a key priority for this state government and also the Adelaide City Council has been for Adelaide to be known as a learning city.

The government and council are, and have been, working very hard together to attract universities and students to Adelaide. We know that South Australia offers outstanding educational opportunities and, particularly, wonderful lifestyle opportunities here which we work very hard to package attractively to overseas students.

I am advised that South Australia continues to outperform other states. Nearly 34,000 students from overseas were based here last year—which is a 20 per cent increase from 2008—and our growth is significantly higher than the national rate of 16.8 per cent. You can see that a lot of that hard work and investment have yielded quite impressive results that we should all be proud of. We know, of course, that this contributes significantly to our economy. I am informed that forecasts predict that this sector has the capacity to earn almost $2 billion in exports and employ more than 14,500 in South Australia by 2014.

We know that Adelaide has developed a reputation for the quality of our education and our educational institutions. It is obviously a priority of this government to continue to develop that and to work with our institutions to continue to enhance that very valuable reputation. In relation to the specific questions referred to by the honourable member, I am happy to refer them to the relevant minister in another place and bring back a response.