TAFE changes risk degree

There are concerns an agribusiness degree at Muresk Institute, Northam, might also disappear, a victim of university competition and politics, as 11 WA TAFE colleges are rationalised into a network of five.

The Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management degree at Muresk is offered by Charles Sturt University (CSU), headquartered at Wagga Wagga, NSW, with the course delivered by CY O'Connor educators.

Inquiries for the degree doubled this year with between 30 and 40 first year students expected to be enrolled when acceptances are finalised this month.

But from April 11, the CY O'Connor Institute will no longer exist.

Three of its campuses, at Northam, Merredin and Moora, will combine with the Goldfields Institute of Technology, Kalgoorlie, and the Durack Institute of Technology campuses at Geraldton, Carnarvon, Exmouth and Wiluna, to form a new Central Regional TAFE.

Narrogin CY O'Connor campus will become part of a new South Regional TAFE spread across 12 sites from Harvey, Bunbury and Busselton east to Esperance.

The Central, South and a new North Regional TAFE of 11 sites in the Pilbara and Kimberley will deliver TAFE courses for regional WA.

Former CY O'Connor Institute managing director John Scott has already gone, sparking concern about the future of the degree course at Muresk.

Mr Scott, who is officially on leave, was credited with bringing an agribusiness degree back to Muresk in 2014 after Curtin University pulled out in 2012.

Mr Scott, who has a Navy background rather than one in education or public-sector administration, was asked to clear his desk at the end of last month as one of 92 staff made redundant by the TAFE reorganisation.

Former dean and inaugural director of Muresk Institute at Curtain University Ian Fairnie said last week he was concerned for the future of the degree course at Muresk now its "champion" Mr Scott was gone.

"He was basically responsible for getting that degree back up and running," said Dr Fairnie.

"After struggling to gets its name and Australia-wide industry reputation in front of WA rural families, and finally being rewarded with a healthy 30-plus first year students at Muresk this year, the highly-regarded Charles Sturt University degree in Agricultural Business Management is without its main champion," he said.

Dr Fairnie said Mr Scott had been industry-focused and attracted a high level of industry support for the degree at Muresk, evidenced by scholarships, work placements and funding for related activities.

"Curtin University ran a degree at Muresk for something like 30 years but they spent a lot of money on their Bentley campus and then for financial reasons pulled out of Muresk and handed it back to the State Government.

"We approached all of the WA universities but none of the locals were interested in taking the degree course at Muresk on.

"He decided we should look wider afield and CSU picked it up.

"Now that there's increasing interest Curtin have recently come around and expressed a renewed interest.

"They have said they are prepared to run courses at Muresk but there is no commitment to run a degree out of there."

Dr Fairnie said his concern was that without Mr Scott, coupled with a much wider administrative role for Central Regional TAFE, the Training and Workforce Development Department might "entertain approaches" from Curtin and other WA universities in relation to the degree at Muresk.

"We could eventually see CSU lose out to the locals who would want to consolidate degrees at their own campuses and just run courses at Muresk," he said.

Department of Training and Workforce Development director general Ruth Shean on Friday confirmed Central Regional TAFE will continue to deliver the Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management program at Muresk in conjunction with CSU.

"Streamlining the administrative functions of the TAFE colleges will strengthen governance and academic leadership arrangements, which will ultimately lead to stronger, more sustainable TAFE colleges, particularly in the regions," she said.

Dr Shean said a new governing council and interim managing director would soon be appointed for Central Regional TAFE.

"They will work with the Department of Training and Workforce Development to determine the final number of positions and most appropriate location for future administrative staff," she said.

BREAKOUT

FORMER Muresk students have their own contingency plan to ensure the institute, which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, remains a tertiary education centre.

Muresk Old Collegians Association (MOCA) honorary secretary Roy Duncanson said the group were developing plans to register Muresk as a private university if needs be.

"Our plans are well advanced, we've been working on them for about five years," said Mr Duncanson, who is executive director and a founder of the Agribusiness Council of Australia.

He said the degree offered at Muresk was the only agricultural degree where undergraduates "actually got to spend some time sitting on a tractor" to gain practical experience.

Mr Duncanson said MOCA was also getting ready to open Muresk House in Teddington Street, Victoria Park, which will promote "all things agriculture" and act as a shop front for Muresk.

MOCA was also the driving force behind the Muresk 90th anniversary celebrations scheduled for Sunday, October 30, he said.