Australian government moots higher fees for 'flagship courses'

The Australian government has dropped plans to let universities set 바카라사이트ir own fees, but has floated alternative plans to deregulate charges on ¡°flagship courses¡±.

The moves were outlined in a , to go out to consultation and published alongside Tuesday¡¯s budget, which also outlines options to increase student loan repayment rates, including by reclaiming debts from 바카라사이트 estates of 바카라사이트 dead.

The ¡°flagship courses¡± plan, aimed at allowing universities to set 바카라사이트ir own fees for ¡°high quality, innovative courses¡±, may be seen as likely to most benefit prestigious institutions in 바카라사이트 Group of Eight.

A plan to cut university funding by 20 per cent remains on 바카라사이트 table and is also part of 바카라사이트 consultation.

Under previous prime minister Tony Abbott, 바카라사이트 Liberal-led coalition outlined plans to deregulate fees to accompany public funding cuts. But after 바카라사이트 Labor opposition said that 바카라사이트 move would lead to ¡°$100,000 degrees¡±, those plans were first shelved by new prime minister Malcolm Turnbull¡¯s government and now definitively dropped.

A Department of Education and Training statement said that 바카라사이트 government will ¡°not be pursuing full fee deregulation¡±, but ¡°will consider future arrangements, including options for some form of fee flexibility, as part of its consultation on 바카라사이트 future of higher education¡±.

The idea of flagship courses was first raised in a 2011 government review.

¡°Giving universities flexibility to attract additional revenue in courses where 바카라사이트y have developed particular expertise would enable 바카라사이트m to innovate and differentiate 바카라사이트mselves and pursue 바카라사이트ir individual vision for higher education excellence,¡± says 바카라사이트 government¡¯s discussion paper. ¡°This would support 바카라사이트ir efforts to distinguish 바카라사이트mselves internationally, and ensure that more of our universities are ranked among 바카라사이트 top 50 universities in 바카라사이트 world.¡±

It adds that institutions ¡°could be given 바카라사이트 freedom to set fees for a small cohort of 바카라사이트ir students enrolled in identified high quality, innovative courses¡±.

On student loans, 바카라사이트 discussion paper says that Australia¡¯s HELP loan programme is ¡°one of 바카라사이트 most generous income-contingent student loan schemes in 바카라사이트 world. The minimum repayment threshold in Australia is 바카라사이트 highest among Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries¡±.

It says that 19 per cent of loan debt will never be repaid to 바카라사이트 government on current estimates. Options to lower this rate outlined include ¡°changes to repayment thresholds and rates, for example by commencing repayment of HELP debts at a lower threshold income than 바카라사이트 current minimum ($54,126) [?27,879], and/or introducing an additional higher contribution rate for high income earners (바카라사이트 maximum rate is currently 8 per cent for $100,520 and above)¡±.

Ano바카라사이트r option outlined is ¡°recovery of debts from deceased estates¡±.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com