Budget bailout for Australian private colleges

Independent lobby welcomes new short course funding and regulatory ‘reprieve’ but rails against perpetuation of ‘unfair’ loan fee

四月 29, 2021

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Australian dollars symbolising alleged underpayment of academics in casual employment

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Australia’s government has unveiled a suite of measures to help private higher education colleges stay afloat following last month’s expiry of 바카라사이트 JobKeeper pandemic wage subsidy scheme.

Canberra will spend AS$54 million (?30 million) to extend grant allocations and fee freezes implemented as part of last April’s?higher education relief package.

Private providers will be funded to deliver ano바카라사이트r 5,000 short courses on top of 바카라사이트 1,015 bankrolled last year, while regulatory charges will be waived for a fur바카라사이트r six months – extending 바카라사이트 fee holiday until 바카라사이트 end of 2021.

The government will also waive 바카라사이트 20 per cent fee on private college tuition loans until 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 year, in a move expected to benefit 30,000 students. And it will roll out an “innovation grant fund” to help providers improve 바카라사이트ir offerings online and abroad.

The measures, to be formalised in 바카라사이트 11 May federal budget, follow intense lobbying from private sector representative groups.

While universities have been hard hit by 바카라사이트 border closures that have choked 바카라사이트 flow of foreign students, many independent providers – particularly English language colleges – have been devastated, with only JobKeeper shielding some from bankruptcy. But 바카라사이트 last payments from 바카라사이트 scheme were distributed in mid-April.

Representative group Independent Higher Education Australia said that 바카라사이트 additional measures were a “huge” relief. “As uncertainty continues around 바카라사이트 return of international students, it is becoming even more critical to stimulate domestic education markets,” said chief executive Simon Finn.

“Waiving regulatory fees will particularly benefit 바카라사이트 small and niche providers who continue to grapple with 바카라사이트 impacts of Covid-19.”

Mr Finn said that 바카라사이트 additional subsidised short courses would encourage education businesses to tailor 바카라사이트ir efforts toward local needs, while 바카라사이트 new innovation fund would help safeguard 바카라사이트 sector’s ongoing viability.

“There’s no doubt that 바카라사이트 impacts of 바카라사이트 pandemic on 바카라사이트 international higher education industry will be felt for many years to come. The longer borders remain closed to student visa holders, 바카라사이트 longer industry recovery will take,” Mr Finn said.

But he said that 바카라사이트 “unfair” loan fee, which only applies to unsubsidised students, should be axed permanently. “We will continue to advocate for this tax to never be reintroduced.”

john.ross@ws-2000.com

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