January 2010
Executive summary
Universities Australia strongly supports the Government in maintaining all the commitments it made in the May 2009-10 Budget in Transforming Australia's Higher Education System. A new framework and resourcing for higher education in Australia were defined there.
Universities Australia also recommends that this base commitment be supplemented in 2010-11 by bringing forward the phasing of key commitments in indirect cost funding, indexation and equity and partnership funding.
The Education Investment Fund (EIF) infrastructure funding for general university facilities that was deferred in the MYEFO should be restored. Equally, the Budget should be supplemented for enhanced provision for teaching and learning, competitive research grants and more EIF funding provided for facilities.
These provisions for an enhanced future for Australia through advanced learning and research add a $881 million augmentation to pre-existing appropriation commitments for 2010-11. This is in addition to the restoration of the deferred $200 million from the EIF, and a further EIF drawdown beyond previous commitments of $250 million.
To read the full submission, download the PDF below.
