Parliament has passed the university funding reforms
The Australian Parliament has passed major university funding reforms designed to make higher education easier to get into. The Department of Education says the changes are expected to support an extra 230,000 students to enrol in university over the next decade, backed by an additional $3.6 billion in funding.
Two new funding streams, and who hands out the places
Managed Growth Funding will let universities offer more places, while Needs-based Funding is meant to help students succeed once they have enrolled. The Australian Government will set the total number of Commonwealth supported places, and the Australian Tertiary Education Commissioner (ATEC) will allocate them to universities.
ATEC can also allocate extra places where it considers they are needed to meet demand from disadvantaged students and from regional and remote communities.
Who stands to gain
The department says the university funding reforms are aimed at students who may face barriers to study, including those from low socioeconomic backgrounds, First Nations students and students at regional campuses. Universities are directly affected too, because they receive the new funding and the allocation decisions.
The 2050 target behind the changes
Education Minister Jason Clare pointed to the Universities Accord target for 80 per cent of the workforce to hold a TAFE qualification or a university degree by 2050. He said the only way to get there is to break down the barriers that stop young people from getting to university.
The department page does not give a start date for the changes, so check with your university or the Department of Education before relying on a timeline for the university funding reforms.
General information only, not legal advice. Check the official source before acting.
Source: Department of Education. Licence: CC BY 4.0.
Department of Education
