Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Carr, the Minister representing the Minister for Education. Can the minister update the Senate on the government’s reform program for Australia’s higher education system? In particular, how is the government making the system more accessible to all Australians who can benefit from a university education? What is the connection between improving higher education outcomes and creating new economic opportunities?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bilyk for her question. The Australian government is making historic changes to the way universities operate and the way they are funded. It is investing $491 million over four years to create a student centred system and to increase student numbers in the higher education sector. From 2012 universities will be funded on the basis of student demand. This will enable an extra 50,000 students to start university in 2013 and will give us 217,000 additional graduates by 2025. The government will provide a Commonwealth supported place for every domestic undergraduate student accepted to be eligible in an accredited higher education course offered by a recognised public higher education institution. This is a better system for students. It will ensure that universities cater to their needs and deliver a quality education. It is also a better system for the community. Universities will no longer receive funding for places they do not deliver and a new system will reward universities that are able to attract more students. This will ensure that taxpayers’ money is put to the best possible use and will give universities a strong incentive to achieve excellence in teaching and learning. This landmark reform will help us achieve our ambition to increase the proportion of 25- to 34-year-olds with bachelor-level qualifications to 40 per cent by 2025. This is a critically important matter. We want to create a modern economy based on advanced skills and technologies.

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate what specific measures are being taken to increase the participation of Australians from low socioeconomic backgrounds in higher education? Has the government set a target for participation by these Australians and, if so, what is it? What social and economic benefits can we expect from achieving such a target?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are clearly underrepresented in Australian higher education. This is bad for the economy because it means that talent is being wasted. It is bad for Australian society because it means people are being excluded from opportunities that should be open to them. This is incompatible with Labor’s commitment to social justice. The government is introducing major reforms to deliver its ambition that students from disadvantaged backgrounds should make up some 20 per cent of undergraduate enrolments by 2025. These measures include support for universities to work more closely with schools and with vocational education and training providers. There are measures to reward universities that attract a higher number of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and there are significant changes to make student income support more equitable— (Time expired)