Demand for university study has shifted markedly towards fields which require a solid grounding in quantitative skills (Science, Engineering, Health). However patterns of Year 12 participation by field are not consistent with tertiary demand. Many new students entering university may be under-prepared for study in quantitative fields. The most basic level of maths is now the most commonly completed maths course at Year 12 while the study of intermediate maths has declined. There has been very little improvement in female participation in advanced maths, physics and chemistry.

 Please click here to view or download -  Go8 Policy Note 6 - National trends in Year 12 course completions

The Bradley Review’s recommendation of a demand-driven system of funding university places was made without explicit reference to labour market demand for particular skills and qualifications. It has been implemented without much regard for student demand by field of education. It is clear that the Government underestimated both students’ and universities’ reaction to the opening up of the system. For this reason, initial projections of the cost of a demand-driven system were understated.

Student demand has shifted to more expensive fields (Science, Engineering and especially Health), increasing the fiscal cost of the demand-driven system.  The gap between funding and costs is biggest in these more expensive fields, and demand-driven funding will reduce universities’ ability to cross-subsidise more expensive programs.  Underfunding, and caps on prices, mean universities will have limited incentives to offer enough places in the fields students want.  There is fundamental contradiction: volume has been deregulated, while price remains fixed.

Please click here to download or view - Go8 Policy Note 5 - Demand for Higher Education by Field

Business and universities are different but complementary parts of the national innovation system and the effectiveness of the system depends on them working together. Linkages require reciprocity and both sectors need to play a role in initiating and strengthening them; neither sector can act in isolation from the other and all parties need to respond to the needs and concerns of the others.

Please click the link to view or download - Go8 Backgrounder 26 - The university-business nexus in Australia

This paper shows that while the absolute amount of higher education research funding has grown significantly, the relative shares of research income and research block grant funding of the major university groupings in Australia has been largely unchanged over the past two decades, with most redistribution of shares occurring between non-Go8 institutions.

Please click here to view or download -  Go8 Policy Note 4 - Research Performance

In response to the Bradley Review, the Government has uncapped the number of university places – an important move towards a ‘universal’ higher education system. A large proportion of the additional students will be less academically prepared than was expected in the past.

This policy note highlights the recent strong growth in offers to applicants with Australian Tertiary Admission Ranks (ATARs) of 50-70 and 50 or below.

Please click here to view or download - Go8 Policy Note 3 - University Admissions