Senate Inquiry into the Higher Education Support Amendment (Job-Ready Graduates and Supporting Regional and Remote Students) Bill 2020 – September 2020

YACSA is opposed to much of the proposed changes outlined in the Higher Education Support Amendment (Job-Ready Graduates and Supporting Regional and Remote Students) Bill 2020, particularly those changes related to drastic fee increases for a range of degrees in the areas of Humanities, Social Science, Law and Communications.

YACSA believes the Bill should be significantly amended to better reflect the evidence related to degree employment outcomes and the value of Arts, Humanities, Communications, Law and Social Science graduates in the broader Australian workforce. As such we make the following recommendations:

  • Review and revise the Bill to ensure fairer, more equitable and effective changes to the higher education system for both students and institutions. 

  • Remove punitive measures related to student performance that could see students losing access to the HELP-HECS Scheme.

  • Adequately fund the higher education system to provide long-term sustainability for institutions while ensuring quality education and supports for students. 

  •  Ensure higher education is affordable for young people and doesn’t contribute to entrenched poverty and disadvantage for already vulnerable populations.

  • Provide a longer consultation period for the community to more vigorously examine any amendments to the Bill and their impacts on future students and the higher education system. 


 

SubmissionTeam YACSA