VET News

Australian Universities Accord - Interim Report Consultation

On 19 July 2023, the Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education, announced the release of the Accord Interim Report.

The Interim Report outlines a vision for the future of higher education. It seeks to build a broad platform for change across higher education in ways that will benefit all Australians. 

In addition to the five immediate actions, the report identifies more than 70 policy ideas the Accord Panel is considering including in their Final Report, and it seeks feedback on them.

The Interim Report is now available. To provide a submission on the further policy ideas outlined in the report, visit the Department's Consultation on the Accord Interim Report page.

1. Establish up to 20 additional Regional University Study Hubs (formerly Regional University Centres), building on the 34 existing Regional University Study Hubs currently operating across the country, and establish up to 14 Suburban University Study Hubs.
2. Abolish the 50 percent pass rule, introduced as part of the Job-ready Graduates Scheme, which has had a disproportionately negative impact on students from poor backgrounds and from the regions, and requires increased reporting on student progress.
3. Extend demand driven funding to all First Nations students who are eligible for the course they apply for. Currently, this only applies to First Nations students in regional and remote Australia.
4. Extend the Higher Education Continuity Guarantee for a further two years to provide funding certainty to universities as the Accord process rolls out, and as part of this, require universities to invest any remaining funding from their grant each year on additional academic and learning support for students from poor backgrounds, from the regions and from other under-represented groups.
5. Work with State and Territory governments to improve university governance. This includes university governing bodies having more people with expertise in the business of universities, and a focus on student and staff safety and making sure universities are good employers.

Following the release of the Interim Report, the Panel invites interested stakeholders to provide feedback and insights through a submissions process.

Please read the Chair’s Update on the Interim Report.

Further details on the Interim Report and how to share your views are available at the Consultation on the Interim Report page.

The Panel thanks all stakeholders who have taken the time to engage in consultations or made submissions.

Date posted Jul 27, 2023