Central Queensland University’s Vice Chancellor is optimistic about the future of universities in general and CQU in particular, even though reforms to higher education threaten to redistribute funding away from regions and limit university autonomy.

“I’m perhaps more hopeful than others about what the outcomes of the current debate may be,” said Professor John Rickard.

The Vice Chancellor’s comments came during a recent interview with the ABC for an upcoming Four Corners investigation on the university sector. This report is expected to cover the depth of the national university crisis and what sort of education tomorrow’s students can expect.

“With as much as 80% of our funding coming from outside the government I would hope that we would retain our ability to develop strengths in areas that we choose, not the government, given the fact that such a major part of our funding is not from government,” said professor Rickard.

“CQU is fleet-footed, entrepreneurial, innovative and yet sustains high quality... The institution can indeed go forward and conquer the world,” added Professor Rickard, admitting, however, that major challenges still exist.

The Vice Chancellor said a world class reputation had as much to do with the “quality of people and staff who work here” as it does with areas of research excellence and strong industry relationships.

The ABC Four Corners program, to be aired on 27 June 830pm, interviewed vice chancellors (including John Rickard), lecturers and scholars, foreign and Australian students and Minister Brendan Nelson.