The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) is considering changing the rules of the Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF).

The proposed rule changes are the result of ongoing allegations made against universities, including Victoria, who have been accused of “gaming the system” in order to gain a higher PBRF Average Quality Score.

A PBRF consultation document released by the TEC suggests that the reporting framework be restructured to exclude certain staff from the calculations that determine a university’s quality score.

TEC General Manager Strategy, Planning & Information David Nicholson stated that “while the Average Quality Score does not affect the amount of funding a tertiary education organization receives from the PBRF the scores are used by individual organizations for marketing and promotional purposes.”

The TEC commissioned KPMG to carry out an audit of the PBRF system. The audit confirmed that subterfuge has been occurring. Mr Nicholson has said that the TEC is taking the issues raised in the audit seriously.

TEU national president, Sandra Grey, who has previously voiced concerns, is pleased with the TEC’s announcements to attempt to change the system for the better.

“TEU has consistently and publicly lobbied the commission about the issue for a long time and we are glad to see that our concerns have been recognized,” Grey said.

“I hope that this review and consultation on performance based research funding will mean that good teachers and emerging researchers at universities can have more job security.”