Australian universities walk back their criticism of higher education changes

Universities Australia and the Group of Eight universities have softened their opposition to the Coalition’s higher education reforms, signalling they could support the bill with amendments to guarantee funding and further growth of places. Despite fierce early criticism of the “job-ready graduates” package, the two peak bodies have offered the federal government a lifeline in submissions to the snap Senate inquiry. Although claiming neither to support nor oppose the bill, Universities Australia called for “funding certainty” and indicated it would settle for indexation of grants to universities and a review of funding arrangements after three years. The Group of Eight set a higher bar, but...