The University of Wollongong has backed a landmark report that proposes to overhaul Australia's higher education system, including encouraging more international students to study at regional universities.
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On Sunday, February 25, federal education minister Jason Clare released the long-awaited Australian Universities Accord.
The report, which runs to over 400 pages and includes 47 recommendations, proposes changes to much of the university sector, including expanding access, particularly to those in regional areas and from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and providing more financial help for students.
Mr Clare said the government is now considering the report's recommendations.
"This is a plan not for one budget, but a blueprint for the next decade and beyond," he said.
One of the winners out of the report are regional universities, including the University of Wollongong.
The report notes that "regional universities will play an essential role" in the report's aim to have 80 per cent of working Australians with a bachelor or higher degree.
Regional universities also educate more students with disability, First Nations students and students from a low SES background than their city-based counterparts.
"The needs-based funding model proposed by the Review would be a game-changer for regional higher education providers, better reflecting the increased costs of educating students in the regions," the report notes.
The report recommends increasing the number of Commonwealth supported medical places at regional universities, expanding the University Regional Study Hubs and explore the creations of a National Regional University for a "more integrated tertiary education system in regional Australia".
UOW Vice Chancellor Patricia Davidson said the institution was well placed to deliver on the aims of the accord.
"By delivering a world-class education close to home, our regional and outer suburban campuses play a key role in driving student equity and access outcomes, in helping people get skilled and secure work, and in supporting the economies of those communities," Ms Davidson said.
In other areas, the report noted that regional and metropolitan universities will need to lift their game. Universities needed to improve the overall student experience and have appropriate risk management for volatility in the international education market.
Recognising that higher education was a "migration pathway" for some international students, the report recommends that these students be encouraged to study in regional locations and pursue degrees linked to sectors with skills shortages.
Mr Clare said the recommendations of the Accord would guide higher education policy for the foreseeable future.
