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Pyne reveals plans for university shake-up

Education Minister Christopher Pyne's plan for higher education includes scrapping compulsory fees and the possible return of caps on university places.

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(File: AAP)

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Source: AAP


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Axing compulsory university fees collected to support student services and scrapping Labor's targets to lift participation by disadvantaged students are part of the Coalition's plan to overhaul the higher education system.

Education Minister Christopher Pyne described the student services and amenities fee introduced by Labor as "compulsory student unionism by the backdoor" and the Coalition would abolish it.

He told Fairfax Media that the Coalition would also axe Labor's target to increase participation by those from low socio-economic backgrounds to 20 per cent by 2020.

Instead the government will make "sensible, methodical reform" to encourage those from low socio-economic backgrounds to attend university, he said.

A review of the demand-driven system is one of his top priorities for the higher education system, which could see the return of caps on university places.

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He said the review would consider if the demand-driven system was impacting on the quality and reputation of the higher education system.

"It's a very important reputation to maintain and the poison that would undermine that reputation would be a diminution in quality," he said.

The former Labor government abolished caps on the number of Commonwealth-supported university places, helping almost 200,000 more students access higher education.


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