Australian breakthrough could turn regenerative medicine on its head
Melbourne biologists have teamed up with British mathematicians to devise a computerized recipe for reprogramming adult cells. This new program eliminates the need to rewind cells to their embryonic stage before using them to fight disease. Senior author Jose Polo said the approach would massively accelerate research and treatment by taking the guesswork out of producing regenerative tissues. “Every cell has the potential to become another cell,” Said Dr Polo. “But now it will be much easier to go from one mature cell type to another.” Click here for full article.
Australian agricultural school enrolments at a record high
Throughout Australia there is a growing demand for agricultural education, with enrolments at agricultural schools and colleges at a record high. The current boom in Australian agriculture and the scope of career prospects is thought to be driving the surge in enrolments. Graeme Harris, head agriculture teacher at the Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School in Tamworth, said the increase in enrolments was driven by the vast career opportunities that agriculture had on offer. Click here for full article.
Australian teacher shortage fears
The number of teachers leaving the profession has increased at a time the student population is also on the rise, prompting concerns Australia could be facing a teacher shortage. A recent report by the Australian Council for Educational Research found that somewhere between 30 and 50 per cent of teachers give up their job within their first five years in the profession. The population of school students is expected to increase by 26 per cent by 2022 and more teachers will be needed, or class sizes will once more need to become larger. Click here for full article.
Literacy, numeracy getting businesses down
Poor literacy and numeracy skills are plaguing Australian employers to the point where it is affecting businesses, a report has revealed. International research has found nearly half of Australians have literacy skills below a level considered to be the minimum to operate effectively and work and in society. “Occupations with highly educated workers are expanding much more rapidly than other occupations,” The Australian Industry Group chief executive Innex Willox said on Monday. “So the master of literacy and numeracy is increasingly more important to meet the challenges of this evolving economy.” Click here for full article.