The feds have (quietly) released the report on university spending for 2017 – just the thing to read if you have a week to spare

The report looks at the cost of teaching and scholarship, using data provided by 25 universities and while there is a cask of caveats in the analysis there is also a vast amount of data. Points CMM noted include;

* overall labour costs are stable, 57 per cent of funding in 2016, 58 per cent in 2011

* teaching costs ranged from 42 per cent of funding for the research-intensive Group of Eight, to 72 per cent at the teaching-focused Regional Universities Network. The overall average was 53 per cent.

* teaching costs grew 3 per cent annually in 2015-17 but increased student numbers “does not appear” a key driver. “There is no definitive explanation for the increased growth in teaching costs relative to the 2010 to 2015 period.”

* overall bachelor teaching costs relative to base funding was stable, 85 per cent in 2015 and 87 per cent in ’17

* average cost per EFTSL for bachelor degrees rose from $16,200 in 2015 to $16,900 in 2017, a 4.6% rise

* there are swings, and quite possibly roundabouts, in teaching costs at discipline level;

– management and commerce increased from 104 per cent to 114 per cent of base funding

– dental studies decreased from 143 per cent to 114 per cent

– veterinary studies decreased from 152 per cent to 140 per cent

– agriculture, environmental and related studies decreased from 97 per cent to 86 per cent