Don’t expect better student learning and staff working conditions by emulating the US university system

By Jeannie Rea. Education Minister Pyne claims that he wants to deregulate the Australian university system to improve innovation and quality through outright competition. While he cites the United States higher education system as his model, this has been met with dismay and incredulity from within and outside the sector.
The gross education division by wealth in the US system, along with sloppy regulation, and out of control student debt does not make it a system to emulate. Indeed the US federal administration is desperately trying to reign in the billions of dollars in loans and grants by proposing an audit of universities and colleges examining student fees, progression rates and graduation outcomes, as it is very clear that there are numerous private, including for-profit colleges just ripping off students and families. More...