LATEST ARTICLES

Demand for ‘more enriched’ education puts pressure on state system

Demand for ‘more enriched’ education puts pressure on state system

Increasing numbers of Australian families are choosing to have their children educated in independent schools, potentially indicating a loss of confidence in the chronically under-resourced state school system. Demand for places at Reddam House independent school in Sydney is the highest since the school was established in 2001, says principal Dave Pitcairn. “We have never seen a …read more

Single-sex schooling debate continues

Single-sex schooling debate continues

The shift to co-education by two of Sydney’s traditional all-boys’ independent schools – Cranbrook in the city’s east and Newington in the inner west – has upset some parents and alumni and again stirred the debate on the benefits and disadvantages of single-sex schooling. Certain research suggests that girls do better in single-sex schools – where …read more

‘I thought I had dementia’: How menopause crimps income and super

‘I thought I had dementia’: How menopause crimps income and super

Unwell for years with headaches, brain fog, anxiety, achy joints and repeated infections, Vicki Smith didn’t realise most of her health problems were connected to menopause. Now 52, she looks back on her years of debilitating health issues with regret. She repeatedly sought medical assistance and even consulted a specialist women’s health GP, but she thinks doctors’ …read more

Solving the worker shortage with overseas recruits

Solving the worker shortage with overseas recruits

Care provider Concept Care goes to extra lengths to help new employees to immigrate to Australia and start a new life. Disability care workers recruited from India, Nepal, the Philippines, Nigeria and Tonga have been sponsored and assisted with visa requirements, travel, accommodation and other support to smooth the way into a new career in Australia, …read more

‘Support and empower’: How coaching can bring out the best in staff

‘Support and empower’: How coaching can bring out the best in staff

Coaching has become a routine part of professional life at therapeutic apps company Mindset Health. The 40 or so employees at the multimillion-dollar start-up explore their personal and professional development in regular one-on-one coaching sessions with the company’s in-house coach, Jess Franklin. The program has earned Mindset Health this year’s top spot in the Health category of …read more

‘Essential to open STEM door to the widest diversity of Australians possible’

‘Essential to open STEM door to the widest diversity of Australians possible’

Defence is working to inspire young minds with the wonders of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and encourage children, adolescents and adults from all backgrounds to pursue STEM careers. The pipeline of STEM professionals is notoriously slippery, with students and young professionals falling away as their circumstances change or the study burden becomes too onerous.

New global frictions drive push to AI world

New global frictions drive push to AI world

Australian defence experts have been hard at work developing responsible artificial intelligence defence systems, galvanised by increasing geopolitical friction during Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. “The nature of modern conflict, with the overwhelming amount of information for the warfighter and the use of autonomous systems, brings to the fore the need for advanced technologies such as …read more

Strategic advantage key to ADSTAR conference

Strategic advantage key to ADSTAR conference

ADSTAR 2024, the Australian Defence Science, Technology and Research summit, will feature the latest developments in next-generation defence science and technology, from hypersonic missiles to artificial intelligence-enabled autonomous uncrewed systems to the limitless possibilities of quantum computing. Focused on emerging science and technology, the biennial Defence symposium hosted by the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) …read more

The most popular postgraduate courses in Australia revealed

The most popular postgraduate courses in Australia revealed

University courses in health-aligned subjects were again among the most popular choices of postgraduate students this year, according to a university and government data. But cost-of-living pressures and a post-pandemic desire for better work/life balance appear to be biting, with enrolments for some areas of study well down on their pre-COVID-19 peaks.

‘The hardest years of my life’: How Simon survived the relentless work-study struggle

‘The hardest years of my life’: How Simon survived the relentless work-study struggle

Simon Wood held down a full-time job as a paralegal during most of his full-time post-graduate law degree. “They were definitely the hardest years of my life,” he says. “It was quite a juggle, but I managed to make it through by having that set-up, the three semesters that RMIT offered.” With the increasing timetable flexibility …read more