Chair of Universities Australia, Professor Glyn Davis, said "Universities will welcome the review's assessment of a sector that is performing capably, and one which justifies the considerable trust and investment that communities and governments place in our universities. The review's ambition to devise a funding system that seeks to improve the quality, accessibility, diversity and resilience of our universities is one that is shared by Universities Australia."
"Australia's universities have adapted to become more efficient and productive, and the welcome suite of post-Bradley reforms have changed the higher education landscape."
"The review's conclusion that current funding arrangements no longer accurately reflect the costs of teaching and research will come as no surprise to Australia's universities. Similarly, the conclusion that a number of disciplines are underfunded, and maintained only through complex cross-subsidisation, provides welcome recognition of longstanding sector concerns."
"The review rightly acknowledges that costs, and indeed the character of Australian universities, have changed since the current base funding model was established two decades ago. It is therefore imperative we now move to a model that supports Australia to have the best universities possible. No other major public investment provides the returns to society and national productivity that match those of higher education."
"Over the coming days, universities will work through the detail, and consider how they would be affected by the review's recommendations. A great many of the recommendations will find broad support. In particular, universities will welcome the recommended increase in the average level of base funding per place, to improve quality and maximise the benefits of higher education."
"Several of the review's conclusions will provoke robust debate within the sector, notably those disciplines identified as underfunded, the recommendation of uniform funding rates for postgraduate coursework and undergraduate courses, and a proposed 40:60 ratio for private and public funding to be achieved while capping student contributions."
"Universities Australia welcomes the release of the Higher Education Base Funding Review report, and thanks the Chair and members of the Expert Panel for its careful consideration of the issues. We now look forward to working with the Government through its consultation process in 2012 and beyond to reform the base funding model", Professor Davis concluded.
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