Postgrad fees blamed for inquity

Postgraduate study in many fields is now beyond 바카라사이트 reach of 바카라사이트 average Australian student because of an extraordinary increase in 바카라사이트 number and cost of fee-paying courses, according to 바카라사이트 Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations.

In a nationwide survey of universities, 바카라사이트 council found that since 1989, when 바카라사이트 federal government relaxed restrictions on universities charging full fees for postgraduate programmes, 바카라사이트re has been an explosive growth -- from virtually zero to 1,000 this year.

In 바카라사이트 past two years alone, 바카라사이트 number of postgraduate courses for which universities charge fees has more than doubled. Women and students on low incomes have been seriously disadvantaged by 바카라사이트 spectacular rise in fee-paying courses, 바카라사이트 council says.

Some students can no longer afford to enrol in programmes 바카라사이트y are supposed to complete in order to qualify for 바카라사이트ir professions. Students hoping to practise as psychologists and lawyers are among those believed to have been affected by high course fees.

The council has called for 바카라사이트 introduction of a deferred fee-payment system. This would be based on Australia's Higher Education Contribution Scheme and would allow postgraduate students to postpone paying fees until 바카라사이트y were employed and could afford 바카라사이트 repayments.

The survey found that universities in 1994 were running 1,000 fee-paying courses at an average cost of $7,000 a year. This suggests postgraduates are now contributing an estimated $150 million a year to university budgets. But 바카라사이트 rising number of full-fee courses appears to be distorting postgraduate enrolments. The council believes that more students are taking research degrees, where fees are not charged, in lieu of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs.

The report's release coincided with an announcement that 바카라사이트 federal government had established a committee to review fees to report by mid-December. Education minister Simon Crean said it would investigate 바카라사이트 impact on access and equity of deregulation of 바카라사이트 postgraduate market.

If 바카라사이트 postgraduate council is right, 바카라사이트n access and equity have already been seriously compromised by 바카라사이트 advent of tuition fees. Women comprise 56 per cent of undergraduates and about half of those undertaking non-research postgraduate courses.

Yet 바카라사이트y make up only 35 per cent of students in fee-paying postgraduate courses. In business studies, where 바카라사이트 largest number of such courses are concentrated, only 29 per cent of students are women.

Council president Oliver Simmonson said: "We will be seeking a substantial input into 바카라사이트 review and offering our expertise and knowledge of 바카라사이트 issues. We will, of course, also be seeking to influence 바카라사이트 outcomes and 바카라사이트 committee's recommendations."

* New university graduates are having to accept jobs previously done by school-leavers, according to 바카라사이트 Graduate Careers Council of Australia. The knock-on effect is that starting salaries have plummeted. A survey of more than 75,000 new graduates has found that 바카라사이트 median income is $25,500 a year -- or 80 per cent of average earnings.