![]() ![]() The decline in mathematics and statistics is alarming and needs urgent action, with universities accepting responsibility. The recent developments at the University of Southern Queensland, in particular, deserve the strongest condemnation and should be vigorously opposed. Despite some modest but very welcome additional federal government money received since the review, the profession continues to decline as the full value of the additional federal support fails to be passed on to the relevant departments, and the higher level administrators at a number of universities continue to pursue policies that do not support the profession. It was starkly demonstrated that unless the situation is rapidly turned around, a severe and perhaps permanent destruction of the nation’s mathematics and statistics infrastructure looms. That review documented clearly the sustained neglect and chronic underfunding of the mathematical sciences by governments, and the lack of support for these disciplines within universities in the internal competition for resources. I was the Executive Director of the National Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences Research in Australia, which reported in December 2006. It is to be hoped that the new Federal government will move quickly to reverse this trend, and that universities will once again revert to their priority of hiring high quality academics, so that there will once agin be time and opportunity to offer top quality teaching, as well as conducting research and engaging with end-users, rather than adding to the already overblown administrative ranks. To some extent this is an inevitable result of the market forces driven educational industry that is slowly replacing what was once a world class tertiary educational system. Unfortunately this is only the latest example in a saga of cuts in mathematical sciences staffing, primarily at regional universities, but also at some of the larger, more established universities, my own included. ![]() Richard Merkin Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Professor Peter Gavin Hall, Federation Fellow,Īs an Australian expatriate mathematician, I agree with Terry’s sentiments, both in general and specific terms. These comments sum up well the problems caused by training professional mathematicians and statisticians by giving them only minimal problem-solving skills.įinally, Terry, a word of thanks from all of us in Australia for your help in bringing the problems here to a wider audience. This leads to graduates who lack sufficient theory to understand the assumptions and limitations of the various techniques and hence are unable to extend the theory or apply it in new situations as required.” “We have noted a disturbing trend where some universities are placing too much emphasis on the practical application of statistical techniques…and leaving the student without a proper understanding of the underlying statistical principles. To illustrate the issues involved, let me mention that in a submission to the 2006 review of mathematical sciences a major employer of mathematical scientists addressed the issue of training professional statisticians using service courses, which provide primarily problem-solving skills: For example, the suggestion that the teaching of mathematics and statistics can be safely limited to service courses is being raised in a number universities, and flies in the face of rapidly increasing demand for properly trained professionals in these areas. The problems at USQ bring to a head the difficulties facing mathematical sciences departments right around Australia. ![]() Leaders in the Australian and expatriate mathematical community. For comments from leaders in computer science, statistics, engineering and industry, as well as the USQ community, please see this page. This is a selection of comments on our online petition from the Australian and international mathematical community, including the heads of several mathematics departments. ![]()
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