FED: Coles Institute an Aussie first in education Kemp

AAP General News (Australia)
04-14-1999
FED: Coles Institute an Aussie first in education Kemp

By Debra Way

CANBERRA, April 14 AAP - The federal government today hailed a partnership between Coles
supermarkets and Deakin University as an Australian first in education and training
initiatives.

Education Minister David Kemp said the new body, to be known as the Coles Institute, would
operate from the university's Toorak campus in Melbourne.

"The Coles Institute represents the sort of progressive initiative that recognises the
increasingly important links between industry and our universities," he said in a statement.

From August this year, Deakin University's private arm, Deakin Australia, will be able to
provide some of Coles supermarkets' 52,000 employees with nationally recognised training and
education courses through the Coles Institute.

Under the unique partnership, Deakin Australia and the Coles Institute will offer
nationally recognised courses to take a retail trainee through to a postgraduate degree.

It will also offer executive and management development programs and technical training.

But National Union of Students president Jacob Varghese said the new partnership was a
cause for concern.

"The Coles Institute will train staff of Coles Myer according to the needs of that
company," he said.

"There is nothing wrong with that. But NUS believes that an institution in which complete
control over curriculum is in the hands of private industry, should not be run by
universities."

The NUS was particularly opposed to the conferring of degrees by Deakin University on
students at the Coles Institute, he said.

"Moves like this one entrench the privatisation of higher education. NUS is fundamentally
opposed to such measures."

Mr Varghese said it was no surprise that Deakin was looking to bolster its budget.

"After massive cuts to university operating grants, universities are forced to look for
funding elsewhere, he said.

The NUS was also concerned that public funds, material and staffing resources could be
channelled into the Coles Institute at the expense of Deakin University students.

Dr Kemp said the Institute would keep Australia at the forefront of educational and
industry initiatives.

AAP daw/sc/it

KEYWORD: DEAKIN

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