By Cassie Bell
Education Minister, Simon Birmingham, has reappointed the five existing members and introduced one new member to the Higher Education Standards Panel (HESP), to serve over the next two years.
HESP is the legislative advisory body responsible for making recommendations to the minister about university standards.
Members come from various professional backgrounds including politics, law, and business. However, in previous years the panel lacked expertise in areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects).
New Member, Dr Krystal Evans, is the CEO of a scientific networking forum and has had over 15-years experience in the biomedical research sector. Her appointment aims to provide greater insight into scientific industries to panel recommendations.
“We need to support innovation and encourage the take-up of STEM subjects to maintain our world-class higher education system,” Mr Birmingham said.
“Over the next two years the Panel will also work and advise me on a wide range of quality-related issues, including options for improving the transparency of student admissions policies. I want the Panel to explore how to ensure incoming students are ‘uni-ready’.”