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Mary O ' Kane is leading the Universities Accord review of the higher education system . Picture : Cath Piltz / News Corp Australia .
Inequitable impact
Review submissions urge an end to the uni fee imbalance .
By Tim Dodd
A
new federal government discussion paper on higher education reform acknowledges a strong push from the education sector to change the Morrison government ’ s unbalanced university fee structure which penalise business , law and humanities students with a $ 15,000-a-year impost .
The Australian Universities Accord discussion paper , released February , stated that many options have been put to the review panel to reform the student fee structure , which was announced in the former government ’ s Job-ready Graduates package in 2020 .
As a result of the package , there is an $ 11,000-a-year fee gap between the most and least expensive courses – varying from $ 15,142 a year for the expensive degrees down to $ 4124 a year for teaching , maths , nursing and languages .
“ Some stakeholders have proposed a single contribution rate , while others promote options to rebalance the amount students pay so there is less variation between fields of education ,” the paper stated .
It also said that a major issue raised is the inequitable impact on students , with women and Indigenous people disadvantaged .
“ This is because the fields of study with the highest increases in student contributions , such as humanities and communications , are fields in which these students are over-represented ,” the discussion paper said .
The paper asked for feedback from the public on which parts of the Job-ready Graduates package should be altered and which be retained .
The discussion paper is part of a review of higher education , which the government said will lead to an Australian Universities Accord .
The review is led by former NSW chief scientist and vice-chancellor Mary O ’ Kane , and will give an interim report to Education Minister Jason Clare in June and complete its final report in December this year .
The review has wide-ranging terms of reference , covering almost all aspects of higher education – including access and equity for students , the research system , university governance , the connections between higher and vocational education , and funding .
The discussion paper was presented to the review ’ s ministerial reference group at a closed meeting in Canberra chaired by Mr Clare .
Participants were asked for further input into the review but it is understood that neither Mr Clare or other officials present gave any indication of the direction of the review .
We must grab reform with both hands and be bold in ambition .
Mr Clare addressed the annual Universities Australia conference in Canberra and said that he hoped the policy initiatives which eventually come from the review will get bipartisan backing .
Mr Clare told the conference that he wanted to hear ideas which would “ help reshape and reimagine higher education – set it up for the next decade and beyond ”.
Quoting a line from the musical Hamilton – “ planting seeds in a garden you never get to see ” – he said that it expresses what “ real , long-lasting reform is – it grows with time ”.
“ That sort of reform though , only happens , and only endures , if it is planted in good soil and if it ’ s tended to by bipartisanship ,” he said .
“ That ’ s my hope for this year . That we test each other and trust each other . That we forge a genuine accord .”
Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson will told the conference that the review “ was the biggest opportunity for policy reform in our sector in decades ”.
“ We must grab reform with both hands and be bold in ambition and rigorous in process ,” she said in her opening remarks . ■
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