The university system is under severe stress on four fronts. Student-staff ratios are blowing out, export income is evaporating, access to research grants is at demoralisation levels and universities are struggling to replace an ageing academic workforce.
"The higher education sector is facing a perfect storm," director of the University of Melbourne's Centre for the Study of Higher Education Richard James says.
Source: Healy, G. 2010, Universities facing crisis of confidence, The Australian, October 23. Available at: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/universities-facing-crisis-of-confidence/story-e6frg6zo-1225942072796
Required:
Read the above article, identify three more media or academic journal articles that explained similar phenomena, and then write a report addressing the following requirements:
1. Prepare a list of the factors that are assumed to have contributed to the perfect storm in the higher education sector in Australia.
2. As a student studying accounting information systems (AIS), identify and explain the salient factors affecting the business processes (transaction cycles) of a university during the perfect storm.
3. Explain how a well-designed Accounting Information System can help university management in taking strategic decisions reducing the impact of the perfect storm.
Presentation:
Use the report format to address the above requirements. Marks will also be provided for an executive summary, a conclusion, grammar and references.
Word limit: 2,000 words (approximately).
Marking guideline and assignment submission criteria
Requirements
Description and analysis
Allocated marks
1
List of the factors that are assumed to have contributed to the perfect storm.
3
2
Explanation of the salient factors affecting the business processes (transaction cycles) of a university.
6
3
Role of the AIS in helping University