Labor is “absolutely committed to the demand-driven system,” Tanya Plibersek will tell Universities Australia in a speech today. “We won’t walk away from a system that says if you have the ability and work hard, you should have the opportunity of a university education.”

And she will promise a return to three-year funding agreements, to give universities freedom to “innovate and deliver.”

However, Labor’s education shadow minister will also warn, “with that freedom comes responsibility.”

“Under our arrangements, we see universities as partners in securing our future prosperity, social cohesion, and driving excellence. But I want to ensure that we work together to deliver in the national interest.”

Ms Plibersek will signal closer connections between universities and VET, saying the review of post-secondary education she will commission, “will look at ways to ensure collaboration, transparency and fairness for students across the whole system, enabling students to build a portfolio of skills and knowledge.”

“Our national inquiry will help ensure we have a system in place where universities and TAFE might offer new types of courses that best cater for the future job market and lifelong learning.

“As these new types of qualifications emerge we need to consider who is best placed to deliver these and how to drive innovation in terms of delivery and industry relevance.”

And she will signal oversight of what universities teach.

“We can’t allow a system that sees students taking on qualifications that have no relevance to the workplace or saddle them with bad debt. We need to be bold and look at whether current qualification structures, mix of institutions, and financing models are still fit for purpose.”

In specific commitments Ms Plibersek says in government Labor will reserve “at least” two-thirds of voced funding for TAFE and create a $100m building fund for it.