Landmark review recommends overhaul of Australian higher education system

CANBERRA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) — The biggest review of Australia’s higher education system in over a decade has called for a major overhaul of the sector.

Jason Clare, the Minister for Education, on Sunday released the final report from the Australian Universities Accord – a landmark review of tertiary education launched by Clare in 2022.

The report contains 47 recommendations and targets to reform Australian higher education and set the system up for success over the next decade and beyond.

According to the report, 80 percent of the Australian workforce will need a tertiary qualification by 2050, up from 60 percent currently.

In order to meet growing demand for skilled workers, the report called for the government to double the number of university places over the next 25 years to 1.8 million, reduce high fees students pay for some subjects and overhaul the higher education loan program to ease the financial burden on graduates.

It recommended participation targets to increase the number of students from low socioeconomic status backgrounds enrolled in higher education.

Clare said in a statement that the accord would help build a more equitable higher education system.

“The Australian Universities Accord has recommended how to reform higher education over the next decade and beyond,” he said.

“It will help us build a better and fairer education system where no one is held back, and no one is left behind.”

The review was the largest of tertiary education in Australia since 2008.

It set a target of having 55 percent of 25-34 year olds holding a bachelor’s degree by 2050, up from 45 percent currently, and called for medium and long-term targets to raise overall research and development funding.

The report recommended that the government establish a new body, the Australian Tertiary Education Commission, to oversee the sector.

Clare said the government is considering the report’s findings.