OZ institutions seek education overhaul

The heads of Australia's top eight universities have called for a new commission to overhaul the country's higher education regulation system.

The Group of Eight, made up of the University of Adelaide, the Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, Monash University, the University of New South Wales, the University of Queensland, the University of Sydney and the University of Western Australia, said a new Australian tertiary education commission would rationalise the sector's regulation. It would also oversee the Australian student financing service, which would provide loans, income support and scholarships for students. Universities should be allowed to charge up to 125 per cent of the course costs in tuition fees, with costs approved by the Productivity Commission. Student loans would cover the cost of fees above government subsidy, and there would also be a system of national student scholarships.