University students - their finances, living conditions and working arrangements - are a major priority for Australia's Vice-Chancellors in 2006 who are planning to undertake an independent nation-wide survey to accurately assess the current situation.
President of the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee (AVCC) Professor Gerard Sutton said that Vice-Chancellors are becoming increasingly concerned at the level of anecdotal evidence that suggests that today's students often have financial hardship that impacts on their studies.
"To gather real information and data on the current situation, the AVCC will this year conduct an update of the Paying Their Way - Student Finance Survey, which was conducted in 2000," Professor Sutton said.
"The personal circumstances of students, of which finances is at the core, impact on their learning experience and ability to make optimal academic progress.
"Students should be appropriately supported during their time of study, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate level," he said.
"The AVCC will use any survey results and recommendations to work with the government to ensure that students are provided with the means necessary to participate in, and complete their chosen course of study," Professor Sutton said.
The overall aim of the survey is to investigate the financial situation of Australian students, in particular:
to inform national policy decisions regarding assistance to financially disadvantaged students;
to increase universities' understanding of their student populations (particularly the impact of the students' financial situation on their learning outcomes) and thereby assist universities in planning and delivering appropriate services to financially disadvantaged students;
to collect hard data on sources of income and support during the university experience, and relevant expenditure items, and determine the extent to which there is a gap for various categories of students; and
to compare such findings, where possible and relevant, with those of the three previous such surveys, conducted in 1974, 1979, 1984, and 2000, contributing to trend data.
The project follows similar studies undertaken in 1974, 1979, 1984 and 2000, by Federal Education Departments and by the AVCC.
The project will be carried out during 2006, with the final report ready for publication by January 2007.
-ENDS-
Media Inquiries Callista Punch - phone: (02) 6285 8206 or 0400 166691
