I have complained repeatedly that Australia’s universities have turned into ‘degree factories’ since student numbers were uncapped in 2009, whereby universities teach as many students as possible to accumulate Commonwealth government funding through HELP/HECS debts. At the same time, quality of teaching, and students’ ability to secure subsequent employment, remain distant priorities.
Earlier this month, The Australian’s Adam Creighton penned an excellent article questioning the explosion in university places, arguing that it represents a mis-allocation of resources that is bleeding both taxpayers and students alike for little more than a ‘signalling’ exercise:
