Director: Daniel C. Levy

Australian Private University Access to Public Funds

PROPHE Summary (by Prachayani Praphamontripong):

The Australian parliament has considered a bill that would enable private universities to access public research funds and the government's new loan scheme. Until now having relied on privately funds, private universities would be able to augment their financial possibilities. Already public universities have private funds but now private universities could have public funds. On the other hand, to be a "university" an institution must meet certain academic criteria.

PROPHE Observation (by Daniel C. Levy):

Australia is a major example of a developed country with a relatively young private higher education sector (certainly compared to Japan or the USA). Like most private sectors globally, it has depended on private money. Access to public money would further blur the private-public distinction-though it would hardly erase it. The two pools of public money involve research and student loans. The policy reform would be another element of Americanization. Similar proposals have been made in other countries but thus far such public funding of private universities remains uncommon. Additionally, how much such public funding would or should make a difference for the bulk of private institutions (which are not universities) is open to question.