Historic support for higher education reforms

Universities across the country have overwhelmingly backed reform to higher education, increasing government support to all students and spreading opportunity to more Australians than ever before.

In an open letter in today’s Australian and the Australian Financial Review newspapers, Universities Australia has re-iterated their strong support for the reform package, with amendments. They have again outlined that reform to Australia’s higher education system is critical to the future health of our universities and future as a skilled and prosperous nation.

Universities Australia (UA) say that the reforms are essential to ensure the funding that “is needed to maintain the quality education students expect”. Furthermore UA CEO Belinda Robinson has said in today’s Australian that “it is not possible for universities to continue to deliver the quality that students and parents expect under a system that remains both financially unsustainable and uncertain”.

Such overwhelming support from higher education leaders reform is unprecedented.

The reforms will bring enormous benefits for students, with the Commonwealth for the first time supporting all undergraduate students in all higher education institutions studying diplomas and bachelor degrees. Furthermore tens of thousands of students from non-university higher education providers (TAFEs and private colleges) will have lower fees because they will have Commonwealth Support and will not have to pay loan fees of between 20% – 25% under VET FEE-HELP and FEE-HELP.

Despite the wave of support for reform to the higher education system Labor and Kim Carr continue to oppose any reform, even dropping hints at Senate estimates at the possibility of winding back the clock and reimposing caps on university places.

“The demand-driven system is for a finite period. It was not indefinite; it was for a finite period until the targets were met. The targets have largely been met or are on the road to being met.” – Senator Kim Carr, Senate Estimates, October 2014.

It’s time for Labor to join with Universities Australia, the Regional Universities Network, the Innovative Research Universities, the Australian Technology Network, the Group of Eight, TAFE Directors Australia, the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, and the Council of Private Higher Education and support these critical reforms.