Australian universities are strong supporters of the ‘demand driven system’ -鈥 and we welcome the Opposition’s recommitment to uncapped places under the DDS as one of its Budget priorities.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten pledged tonight to “restore funding certainty to our universities 鈥 (and) uncap places providing our nation with more than 200,000 university graduates”.
黑料老司机 Chair Professor Margaret Gardner said the move to the 鈥榙emand-driven system鈥 back in 2008 had opened the doors of opportunity to tens of thousands more Australians 鈥 and helped the nation to meet the growing demand for skilled graduates in a changing economy.
鈥淪ince before the demand driven system, 60,000 extra Australians from the poorest one quarter of households have had the opportunity of a university education. This changes lives,鈥 Professor Gardner said.
鈥淭hat has been profoundly important not just for those individuals 鈥 but it has also strengthened Australia’s society and economy,鈥 she said.
鈥淭he university funding freeze announced just before Christmas not only shut the doors of opportunity on thousands of prospective students 鈥 it will also cost our economy up to $12 billion as fewer graduates join the workforce.鈥
“We applaud the clear recommitment by Labor to the demand-driven system 鈥 which is strongly supported by Australian universities as a key to opportunity and national prosperity.”
鈥淩estoring funding will also help to bridge the gap for regional Australians who are half as likely to have a university degree as people who live in capital cities,鈥 Professor Gardner said.
In her address to the National Press Club in February, Professor Gardner issued a plea to policymakers to keep open the doors of opportunity for all Australians and end the freeze.
“Don鈥檛 lock the door of opportunity on young Australians 鈥 nor on older Australians who need to retrain and reskill as their jobs change around them,” she said.
