“Professor Mary O’Kane has given us a blueprint for reform for the next decade and beyond – we have a lot of work to do to bring her vision to life,” Universities Australia Chair Professor David Lloyd said.

“This is where the rubber must hit the road because we really have no time to waste if we’re going to educate enough graduates and undertake the research needed to drive Australia’s prosperity.

“Establishing the Tertiary Education Commission and a new funding model for universities, with needs-based funding at its core, are essential tasks to deliver on the Accord’s recommendations and I look forward to contributing to this process as a member of the Committee.”

Universities Australia Chief Executive Officer Luke Sheehy encouraged the Government to prioritise the further development of system-wide reforms to support universities.

“The Government’s down payment on the Accord through the Budget is very welcome as we seek to expand our system and the number of students we educate to meet Australia’s economic needs.

“We know students are experiencing financial barriers to study and the Government’s support will make a real difference in people’s lives.

“The work of the Implementation Advisory Committee will be key to ensuring further reforms are appropriately prioritised. We can’t afford to kick the can down the road.

“If we don’t see changes to the Job-ready Graduates scheme or serious investment in research in the near-term, we won’t have a functioning university system that supports Australia’s interests.”