“Universities Australia commends efforts to improve the quality of teaching – but we are concerned about the proposal to impose minimum ATARs included in today’s announcement, Excellence in Teacher Education” said Universities Australia Deputy Chief Executive Catriona Jackson.

“Universities are autonomous, self-accrediting institutions,” Ms Jackson said.

“Universities are responsible for their own admissions, and have significant expertise in making admissions decisions. Just as importantly, universities have strong incentives to get these decisions right.”

UA acknowledges that the Victorian Government’s proposals include measures to strengthen other pathways into teacher education courses.

“UA welcomes recognition of the importance of diverse entry pathways – including mature-age entry – into teaching degrees,” Ms Jackson said.

“That diversity of entry paths into teaching programs is crucial to ensure that Australia has an adequate supply of high-quality teachers, from a range of backgrounds and experiences.”

Universities however do have concerns about the Government’s proposal to introduce a minimum ATAR of 65 from 2018 (rising to 70 the following year).

“This has the potential to exclude some applicants and may well end up reducing overall supply in the teaching workforce,” Ms Jackson said.