The Innovative Research Universities lobby warns members the combined impact of the present freeze on federal funding for undergraduate places and some universities responding by looking to fee-paying internationals for growth, “will be a less educated and prepared workforce required for the 2020s, with an overall lower level of government investment in their education.”

The prediction is in a briefing paper for the group’s annual leader forum, at Western Sydney U this week.

The IRU also advises members to brace for the government’s use of data flowing from the analysis underway on the cost of teaching. “The minister will at some point release the 2018 study, supported by a media campaign – for which universities will have little to no notice and be reactive.”  IRU warns universities to brace for this early in the new year.

In contrast, the IRU points to 13 Labor post school education commitments, notably ending the Commonwealth Grant Scheme freeze and reinstating the demand driven system. “Labor estimates this will allow access to an additional 200,000 students who would have otherwise missed out.”