The swearing in of Julia Gillard's new ministry is stirring controversy a day before the ceremony.
The prime minister is facing pressure to reverse her plan to abolish the education ministry.
The university sector is dismayed at Ms Gillard's proposal to split her old portfolio into ministries known as skills and schools.
A new super portfolio of jobs, workplace relations and skills will cover undergraduate university courses and vocational courses.
But Universities Australia chief executive Glenn Withers said a skills ministry would fail to reflect the diversity of university education.
"Symbols matter and a title like tertiary education, employment and workplace relations would have worked very well and accurately reflect the wider function of education and not just its narrow skills content," Dr Withers told ABC Radio.
Incoming Labor frontbencher Mark Butler said he understood the disappointment the university sector felt about the word education being dropped.
"I'm sure that there'll be discussions with the government about that," he told Sky News.
Chris Evans has the jobs, workplace relations and skills portfolio while Peter Garrett will be in charge of schools, and Kim Carr retains his responsibility for research.
Unless Ms Gillard changes her mind, Governor-General Quentin Bryce will administer an oath on Tuesday with a raft of new titles.
Ms Gillard's 19 cabinet ministers, 10 ministers and 12 parliamentary secretaries can choose to swear on the bible or make an affirmation.
A time for the ceremony was yet to be determined, a spokesman for the prime minister said.
Former prime minister Kevin Rudd takes on foreign affairs, making him pivotal in setting up a refugee processing centre at East Timor, which the opposition says he opposes.
Stephen Smith moves to defence.
Penny Wong's appointment as finance minister makes her the first woman to hold this senior role in almost 28 years.
Greg Combet will be promoted into cabinet, taking over Senator Wong's old climate change round.
Simon Crean takes on the politically important regional Australia portfolio while Chris Bowen becomes immigration minister.
