Students in Australia have been protesting about a new higher education bill that will introduce deregulation of university fees, and require students to pay higher interest rates on loans. Although the cap on student numbers was removed two years ago, elite universities are unlikely to increase their student intake, and there are concerns that poorer and Indigenous students will find it harder to access higher education. Education minister Christopher Pyne has been blunt in his criticism of protesting students, saying they should get some perspective. Our anonymous academic takes the government to task.
Earlier this week I watched a current affairs programme where a vice-chancellor talked about the great things his elite university would be able to do in a deregulated Australian higher education sector.
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