Thousands of teenagers could miss out on a university education as neither of the major parties has a plan to accommodate the looming demographic crunch caused by Costello-era babies.
“We’ve got to make sure there are enough places for students, young or old, who want to get a higher education, either in the traditional sense of getting a degree or want to getUniversities Australia estimates the population of 18-year-olds will rise by 54,360 by the end of the decade, with half of those coming of age in 2024 and 2025. About half of all school-leavers now go to university, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, which would require about 27,180 more places.
However, the formula is messy because of the wide range in public subsidies for each place, from $1100 a year for law, business, arts and the humanities to $16,250 for nursing, engineering and science. For each $1 million, a university could fund 909 places in law, business, arts and the humanities but only 62 places in science, engineering and nursing, Mr Norton said.
Ms Jackson said that while promises of additional places were welcome, the next government needed to “have a good look” at what demand for university places will be given both the demographic bump and the growing needs of the economy.If it wins the election, a spokesman said Labor would establish a universities accord “with the aim of building consensus on key policy questions and national priorities in a sober, evidence-based way, without so much of the political cut and thrust”.
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Source: 7NewsMelbourne - 🏆 18. / 59 Read more »