smh.com.au
Australia's Higher Education System Faces Challenges
Australia's university system faces challenges from declining high school completion rates and fewer students from disadvantaged backgrounds enrolling, impacting national skill development; high fees, particularly for arts degrees, exacerbate inequality; a multi-pronged approach is needed.
- How do current policies, such as the Job-ready Graduates package and international student caps, exacerbate inequalities in access to higher education?
- The current system's shortcomings disproportionately affect students from low socio-economic backgrounds, hindering social mobility. High university fees, particularly for arts degrees ($50,000+), exacerbate this inequality, despite the arts being a popular choice for women, Indigenous students, and those from poorer backgrounds. This is compounded by the failure of the 2021 Job-ready Graduates package to steer students into needed fields.
- What are the most significant challenges facing Australia's higher education system, and how do these impact national goals for workforce development and social equity?
- Australia's university education system faces challenges, including declining high school completion rates (down 10% over a decade) and fewer students from disadvantaged backgrounds enrolling. This impacts national skill development and economic growth, as evidenced by a 13% decrease in "first-in-family" university students from 2019-2023.
- What concrete steps can the Australian government take to ensure that the education system better supports students from disadvantaged backgrounds and aligns with the goals of the Australian Universities Accord?
- Addressing these issues requires a multi-pronged approach. Fairer student fees, tailored international student caps that consider factors like housing availability and skill shortages (as seen in Western Sydney University's nursing program), and a renewed commitment to the Australian Universities Accord's goals are crucial for improving access and success for disadvantaged students. Without these changes, Australia risks falling short of its skills targets.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article frames the issue through the lens of socioeconomic disadvantage and the need for increased university access for students from poorer backgrounds. This framing is evident in the headline and throughout the article's structure, prioritizing the perspective and challenges of these students. While acknowledging broader systemic issues, the focus remains strongly on equitable access and affordability.
Language Bias
The language used is generally neutral, although terms like "broken system" and "entrenched disadvantage" carry a somewhat negative connotation. However, these are used to describe existing conditions rather than individuals or groups. The author uses phrases such as "unreasonable fees" to emphasize the high cost of university, which is a subjective judgment.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the challenges faced by students from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly regarding university access and affordability. While acknowledging the overall decline in Year 12 completion rates, it lacks specific data on the disparity between socioeconomic groups in this statistic. Additionally, the article omits discussion of potential solutions beyond fee adjustments and international student caps, such as targeted support programs or improvements in primary and secondary education.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat false dichotomy by framing the choice between arts degrees and STEM fields as an eitheor proposition driven solely by economic concerns. It overlooks the value of arts and humanities degrees and the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration. While acknowledging the need for skilled workers in areas of national shortage, it doesn't fully explore the value and potential contributions of graduates in the arts and humanities.
Gender Bias
The article mentions that arts degrees are the 'degree of choice for women and Indigenous students, and those from poorer backgrounds,' which could be interpreted as implicitly linking arts degrees with disadvantaged groups. However, there is no explicit negative connotation to this statement, and the article doesn't make assumptions about women's aptitudes or abilities.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights the decline in the number of public school students completing year 12, the underperformance of students from disadvantaged backgrounds in higher education, and the negative impact of fee structures on access to university for students from low socio-economic backgrounds. These issues directly hinder progress towards ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong opportunities for all. The article also points out the failure of the Job-ready Graduates package, which intended to use price signals to steer students into areas of national labor shortage, but instead priced out students from poorer backgrounds.