The government’s proposal to decide student growth numbers on the basis of population increase and allocate them according to yet to be set performance measures “pose a major threat to the Melbourne model,” the university has told the Senate inquiry on the government’s proposed student debt threshold, in responses to questions on notice.

The existing University of Melbourne model combines undergraduate degrees and Commonwealth supported places in related professional masters courses.

“The Melbourne Model will only remain viable where there are policy and funding settings that enable it. … Funding arrangements that are based on year-by-year allocation of places result in a potential volatility that is insensitive to the pedagogical underpinning of combined undergraduate-postgraduate study programs. The resultant uncertainty disrupts that graduate pathway, where students who enter one of our generalist bachelor degrees plan to progress to a CSP in a professional masters program,” the university states in answers posted yesterday.

However, UniMelb expects the government to continue in any new arrangement the commitment to the Melbourne model made when a voucher system for CSP professional masters places was planned.