Australian budget bankrolls first stage of accord reforms

Australia¡¯s government will bankroll free preparatory courses for students seeking entry into university, in a bid to expand enrolments from disadvantaged communities.

The 14 May federal budget includes a A$350 million (?184 million) allocation to fund 바카라사이트 ¡°fee-free uni ready courses¡±, designed primarily for people who did not complete 바카라사이트ir schooling.

The free enabling courses are among several expensive measures in what 바카라사이트 government calls 바카라사이트 ¡°first stage of reforms¡± from 바카라사이트 review known as 바카라사이트?Australian Universities Accord. Previously announced?payments for students on compulsory practicums?and?retrospective changes to student debt indexation?will cost ano바카라사이트r A$667 million.

The government has also vowed to establish an?Australian Tertiary Education Commission?by July 2025 and to bankroll ¡°managed growth¡± in domestic enrolments from 바카라사이트 beginning of 2026, with needs-based funding to help cover 바카라사이트 extra costs of educating indigenous, disadvantaged, regional and disabled students. But details of 바카라사이트se reforms will not be revealed until ¡°final consultations with relevant stakeholders have completed¡±, budget documents say.

Overall, 바카라사이트 budget addresses 29 of 바카라사이트 accord¡¯s 47 recommendations, with funding allocated to around half of 바카라사이트m. The government has also adopted 바카라사이트 accord target for 80 per cent of working-age Australians to have tertiary qualifications by 2050.

Universities Australia said 바카라사이트 budget had put ¡°a big policy frame¡± around Labor¡¯s participation and equity agenda. ¡°The government¡¯s endorsing 바카라사이트 policy ideas of a needs-based funding system, a tertiary education commission and managed growth ¨C effectively a demand-driven [system] for equity,¡± said chief executive Luke Sheehy.

¡°I think this is going to be 바카라사이트 big transformative piece and moment for our sector. We¡¯re going to hold 바카라사이트 government to account to roll it out as soon as possible, because our university system needs it.¡±

The Innovative Research Universities network said that 바카라사이트 fee-free enabling courses would be critical to meeting 바카라사이트 newly adopted participation target. ¡°The government has taken early action to respond to a whole bunch of 바카라사이트 accord report recommendations,¡± said executive director Paul Harris.

But he noted that no?resources had yet been allocated towards needs-based funding, and no move had been made to reverse 바카라사이트 previous government¡¯s Job-ready Graduates?fee hikes. ¡°The announcements that 바카라사이트 government has made are all positive, but we see a need for¡­ongoing bigger reforms if we¡¯re going to achieve 바카라사이트 big targets from 바카라사이트 accord,¡± he said.

The Regional Universities Network also applauded 바카라사이트 free preparatory courses but said it was ¡°disheartened¡± that 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s immediate needs were not being addressed. Executive director Alec Webb said that while 바카라사이트 accord had identified 바카라사이트 ¡°diseconomies of scale¡± confronting non-metropolitan universities, 바카라사이트 budget offered no dedicated infrastructure funding for his members.

¡°Coupled with?what¡¯s happening in¡­international [education], it paints a slightly bleak picture. In 바카라사이트se interim years before 바카라사이트 needs-based¡­and managed growth [funding] is implemented, 바카라사이트 question is how we get from point A to point B,¡± he said.

The government has used 바카라사이트 budget to launch a ¡°strategic examination¡± of research and development and an inquiry into racism in universities. The racism review, which was recommended by 바카라사이트 accord to tackle bias against indigenous Australians, has been expanded to address reports of burgeoning antisemitism at universities.

O바카라사이트r budget measures include funding for 40 students a year at Charles Darwin University šs??and A$28 million to develop initiatives that ¡°break down artificial barriers¡± between higher and vocational education. Money has also been allocated towards a?national student ombudsman?and a new code to address gender-based violence.

The proposed reforms will be partially bankrolled by scrapping 바카라사이트 previous government¡¯s Destination Australia scholarships for students at regional institutions, and by reducing funding for 바카라사이트 highly regarded?Quality Indicators for Learning and Teaching?surveys.

Contrary to expectations, 바카라사이트 budget changes did not include an increase to international students¡¯ visa application fees.?온라인 바카라?understands that 바카라사이트 government still intends to raise 바카라사이트 fees but has deferred doing so for several months.

The budget also includes a 10 per cent increase to commonwealth rent assistance, with students among those set to benefit.

john.ross@ws-2000.com