On Wednesday evening, education minister Jason Clare announced a wide-ranging review of Australia’s higher education system, saying the sector is the largest it has been since 2008.
The Universities Accord will be responsible for a long-term plan for Australia’s higher education, the minister said.
“It is the first broad review of the higher education system since the Bradley Review — an opportunity to look at everything from funding and access, to affordability, transparency, regulation, employment conditions and how higher education and vocational education and training can and should work together,” Clare said.
Part of the terms of reference include looking into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on higher education and the future of the university research system.
Andrew Norton, ANU professor in the practice of higher education policy, told The Mandarin the broadness of the terms of reference could be seen to be both a strength and a weakness.
“The language in the terms of reference is so broad that few aspects of higher education policy are off the table. This lets the review panel consider how all the different parts of the higher education system fit together and how these relationships can be improved,” Norton said.
“On the other hand, the limited guidance on specific government priorities and directions means that the review panel is going to receive a large variety of suggestions. Trying to turn these into a coherent policy framework will not be easy.”
Norton added that while the system should deliver both skills and participation, those targets should be based on student interest rather than bureaucratically set targets.
“Generally, applications for university follow the labour market, so a flexible system that responds quickly to changing demand is better than trying to meet targets that may already be outdated.”
Meanwhile, a total of six people were named to lead the review, which will be led by Professor Mary O’Kane.
O’Kane is a former public servant, having previously served as NSW’s first chief scientist and engineer in 2018.
She also has experience in the university sector, having served as vice chancellor of the University of Adelaide.
It is the second review this year for O’Kane, having reviewed the NSW floods response earlier this year alongside former NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller. All 28 recommendations of their report were accepted by the NSW government, as previously reported by The Mandarin.
The professor also runs the consultancy O’Kane Associates, which specialises in reviews.
The five other people making up the Accord are:
- University of Western Sydney vice-chancellor Professor Barney Glover
- Macquarie Group managing director and CEO Shemara Wikramanayake
- Former minister for families, community services and Indigenous affairs Jenny Macklin
- University of Technology Sydney law Professor Larissa Behrendt
- Regional education commissioner Fiona Nash
Two former politicians are a part of the review: Labor’s Macklin and the Nationals’ Nash, the latter was a NSW senator.
Here are the members of the Universities Accord team.
Click here for more details https://t.co/rQrSHAgd76 pic.twitter.com/CYV1etTyPf
— Jason Clare MP (@JasonClareMP) November 16, 2022
A ministerial reference group chaired by Clare will provide advice and act as “a sounding board”.
Membership of the group will be announced before Christmas and will be made of student and staff representatives, as well as business, industry, higher education and vocational education peak bodies, the chief scientist and other experts.
The interim report is due to the government in June 2023, with the final report due in December 2023.
Both Go8 and Universities Australia have welcomed the Universities Accord, referencing urgent reform needed for Australia’s higher education system.
Go8 chief executive Vicki Thomson said the review was an opportunity to address systemic reform and create a sustainable plan for the sector.
“What we need is a contest of innovative ideas to ensure we have the right policy framework so Australia can prosper in the future,” Thomson said.
“For example, the Go8 raised concerns about the previous government’s Job-ready Graduates (JRG) package from the outset,” the chief executive continued.
“The JRG has acted as an impediment to skills creation, particularly in relation to STEM courses such as engineering and IT, which are already experiencing critical shortages. Australia cannot afford to waste our limited resources on policies that have proven to be ineffective.”
Reviewing the JRG package is part of the terms of reference for the Universities Accord.
Likewise, Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said there was no time to waste for urgent education reform.
“Getting the policy settings right will support universities in these important endeavours, and to thrive,” Jackson said.
“The Accord is our chance to do this.”
