Education Minister Jason Clare says the terms of reference for the accord and the panel of “eminent Australians” to oversee the process will be announced next month

And the brief will be broad, “I want the outcome of this accord to define Australian higher education as one of the most accessible, equitable, integrated, quality systems in the world,” Mr Clare told the University Chancellors Council yesterday.

He also said the government would respond “shortly” to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security report on risks at universities and that officials will work with universities on foreign interference.

Mr Clare’s announcement on the accord must end optimists’ faint hopes that the government will use this month’s budget to abolish or amend the coalition’s Job Ready Graduates funding model, (under which arts, law and bized students pay just about all the cost of their course).

Mr Clare has previously said that the review of JRG built into its adoption will be part of the accord (CMM June 27).

Which would appear to mean JRG stays as is for ’23.