Market caps would limit $100,000 university degrees

By Geoff Sharrock. In recent media reports, higher education policy experts Peter Noonan and Gavin Moodie dismiss the use of international student fees as an indirect “market cap” for domestic fees. Independent senator Nick Xenophon is also unconvinced:

Vice-chancellors say that international student fees are an effective cap, but if disingenuity was a subject, then vice-chancellors would get an A+ […] It would mean a spike in fees – in some courses of between 200-300%. It would make $100,000 degrees look cheap.

Implicitly, these are arguments for direct caps on fees or loans to prevent sector-wide overpricing – if federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne’s deregulation plan ever happens. More...