Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014

The package of reforms detailed in the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014 represent a positive and much-needed reform agenda.

The changes represent a coherent strategy that focuses on increasing access and creating a more innovative and responsive higher education system through the introduction of competition and regulation.

In order to train, attract and retain the most agile, innovative and adaptive people in the world, Australia’s higher education sector must be dynamic, diverse, and capable of delivering:

1. graduates who have the skills needed to be productive and work effectively in the new economy
2. world-class research that leads to innovation and economic growth
3. quality educational delivery and products that both attract people from around the world and strengthen education as an export industry for Australia.

In this submission, we outline our support for the many positive elements in the package. We also comment on elements of the Bill that will require some modification to deliver the reform intent and reduce unintended consequences.

Submission to the Senate Education and Employment Legislation Committee Inquiry into the Higher Education and Research Reform Amendment Bill 2014