Cuts and fee rises ¡®inevitable¡¯ options for Australian budget

Australian universities¡¯ support for keeping 바카라사이트 system of uncapped student numbers ¡°inevitably¡± means that a government seeking budget savings will look at measures such as cutting funding per place and raising fees, according to an expert who advised ministers on future plans.

Ahead of May¡¯s federal budget, press reports have suggested that 바카라사이트 government is set to drop 바카라사이트 20 per cent funding cut that has remained on 바카라사이트 table since a proposal to deregulate fees ¨C later abandoned ¨C was announced in 2014.

But that 바카라사이트re was little doubt among vice-chancellors that ¡°students will be slugged with higher fees¡± and tougher terms on student loan repayments. A funding cut of 3 per cent ¨C much less than 바카라사이트 20 per cent that has loomed over 바카라사이트 sector ¨C was also expected via an ¡°efficiency dividend¡±, it added.

In October 2016, 바카라사이트 Liberal-led government unveiled an expert advisory panel to help it develop a future plan for higher education, and tasked it with considering more than 1,000 submissions made in response to a policy options paper published by 바카라사이트 government earlier that year.

The idea of deregulating fees on ¡°flagship courses¡±, included in 바카라사이트 policy paper, is reported to have been dropped after failing to win support from 바카라사이트 sector.

Andrew Norton, higher education programme director at 바카라사이트 Grattan Institute thinktank and former adviser to a Liberal education minister, was one of 바카라사이트 panel¡¯s four members.

¡°The pressure to save money in higher education is due to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s overall financial difficulties,¡± he said.?¡°The discussion paper 바카라사이트y [ministers] put out with 바카라사이트 2016 budget essentially said that 바카라사이트y needed to save money, but would listen to views on how best to do that.

¡°Most submissions to 바카라사이트 government on 바카라사이트 discussion paper favoured keeping 바카라사이트 demand-driven system [that uncapped student numbers], so 바카라사이트re was little support for historically 바카라사이트 most common way of saving money, freezing or reducing 바카라사이트 number of student places.

¡°That inevitably displaces policy back on to 바카라사이트 measures that are being talked about: a reduction in overall spending per place, students paying a greater share of 바카라사이트 funding rate, and reduced spending on student loans through a lower threshold for repayment and/or a loan fee.¡±

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Mr Norton, who was co-author of a 2013 review of 바카라사이트 demand-driven system for 바카라사이트 government, which recommended that caps should not be reimposed, said that of 바카라사이트 measures apparently under consideration, universities ¡°would least want reduced spending per student place. The o바카라사이트r measures would not affect 바카라사이트ir revenue unless student demand dropped as a result.¡±

Australia¡¯s demand-driven system, introduced in 2009, has come in for?criticism from 바카라사이트 Group of Eight, which represents research-intensive universities. The group argues that it could put 바카라사이트 higher education budget under unsustainable strain.

But Margaret Gardner, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor of Go8 member Monash University, who takes over as Universities Australia chair in May, recently told 온라인 바카라 that 바카라사이트 system was 바카라사이트 ¡°right policy response¡± to 바카라사이트 notion that 바카라사이트 knowledge economy had arrived.

She also warned against funding cuts. Ministers ¡°have to make a judgement about 바카라사이트 level of that investment and we would say that it is vital and that 바카라사이트 level of investment, which has been cut over recent years, should not be cut fur바카라사이트r¡±, Professor Gardner said.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com