Over-reviewed and underfunded?

Over-reviewed and underfunded? This is how Meek and Wood (2002) described the Australian higher education sector. See what you think. The following pages provide a summary of the many reviews of the Australian higher education sector and institutions since World War II.

Post-war development to the 1970s

Post-World War II saw the modernisation of Australian higher education, with the capacity-building agenda of the 1940s and 50s, the establishment of recurrent Federal funding in the late 1950s, formalisation of the binary system (universities and colleges) in the 1960s, and the establishment of several new universities to absorb increasing demand from the baby-boomer generation.

1949 Mills Committee

Encouraged by postwar Commonwealth interest, Vice-Chancellors campaigned for increased federal funding, resulting in the commissioning of the Mills Committee in 1949. An important result was the adoption of a shared university funding model between the States and Commonwealth, implemented through a series of States Grants Acts (Jackson, 2003).

1957 Murray Committee of Inquiry

The Murray Committee of Inquiry into the future of Australian universities was commissioned by the Menzies Government in 1957. Again focused on university funding, this inquiry resulted in the establishment of a permanent Australian Universities Commission (AUC) and the introduction of a triennial Commonwealth funding scheme. The Commonwealth share of university funding was also increased significantly (Jackson, 2003).

1964 Martin Committee

The Committee on the Future Development of Tertiary Education in Australia (the 'Martin Committee') recommended a number of changes in the organisation, governance and funding of higher education, principally the formalisation under Commonwealth funding (but still via the States) of a binary system of higher education (Davies, 1989). This two-tier system consisted of universities (conducting teaching and research) and teaching-focused Colleges of Advanced Education (CAEs), including teachers’ colleges. The latter, although provided with some Commonwealth funding, remained primarily a State responsibility (Jackson, 2003).

Direct Federal Funding of Higher Education

In 1974, under the Whitlam Government, tuition fees in universities and colleges were abolished. Student numbers boomed. The Commonwealth at this point took over full funding responsibility for universities and higher education colleges, although the States retained constitutional responsibility for enabling, accrediting and regulating higher education institutions.