Public policy submissions
Through our Government Relations and External Engagement team within the Vice-Chancellor's office, we liaise with federal, state and local government on issues critical to the higher education sector.
Our engagement with government takes many forms, including providing submissions in response to the complex challenges facing our sector, the local community and, more broadly, New South Wales and Australia.
Our submissions are shaped by our deep expertise and bring together our experts across the university, covering topics such as technology, health, the economy, creative industries and Indigenous affairs. We also collaborate with our partner organisations within the higher education sector on policy issues of common concern.
View our submissions below.
2024
Inquiry into the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024 – July
The Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Quality and Integrity) Bill 2024 (the Bill) amends the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 (the ESOS Act) to introduce new measures aimed at improving the quality, integrity and sustainable growth of the international education sector.
Similarly to our submission regarding the draft Australia's International Education and Skills Strategic Framework, this submission highlighted the links between international education, the Australian Universities Accord and the social and economic benefits of international education and students.
Our specific recommendations regarding the Bill included:
- an extended transition period to 1 January 2026 to allow thorough consultation ahead of forward planning and admissions processes
- minimising any further changes and disruptions to current settings during this transition
- clarifying the methodology used to determine enrolment limits and that enrolment limits be at the provider level only, and be decoupled from student accommodation
- replacing automatic suspension with a margin of flexibility or grace period
- clarifying the proposed definition as it relates to education agents
- adopting a flexible, risk-based approach to reporting and compliance, focusing on high-risk areas to ensure that the allocation of resources is efficient and effective, and
- including a sunset clause acknowledging the future role of the Australian Tertiary Education Commission.
Draft National Higher Education Code to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence – June
As part of the Australian Department of Education's consultation, UTS provided feedback on the potential Standards of the National Code to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
In our submission, we recognised the unique role of higher education providers in driving broad social change but noted that UTS is at varying levels of readiness to achieve compliance by 1 January 2025 and reporting by 1 January 2026.
Our key points of feedback urged the Department to:
- foster collaboration within the sector to lift collective capability to prevent and respond to gender-based violence
- provide further guidance required on data collection and reporting requirements, managing perpetrators, offshore campuses and student support
- provide additional funding for the support services required, and
- conduct a comprehensive evaluation after 3 years of operation.
Draft Australia's International Education and Skills Strategic Framework – June
As part of the Australian Department of Education's consultation, UTS provided feedback on a draft Australia's International Education and Skills Strategic Framework. UTS supports the Australian Government's aim to ensure the sustainability, quality and integrity of our world-class international education sector.
In our submission, we highlighted the links between international education, the Australian Universities Accord and the social and economic benefits of international education/students.
Our key points of feedback included:
- a call for a genuine co-design with the sector
- an extended transition period to 1 January 2026
- prioritising public providers and university pathways colleges
- decoupling student accommodation from growth caps, and
- separating discussions on diversification and Transnational Education from the draft Framework.
NSW Higher Education Strategy – May
UTS provided input into the NSW Department of Education's Higher Education Strategy for NSW.
In our submission, we recognised the changing higher education landscape and the importance of the NSW Government and the higher education sector working together to support the future direction of higher education in NSW.
Our key points of feedback included:
- leveraging NSW's research strengths in critical science and technology areas
- taking a systemic approach to improving the foundations of effective engagement between government, higher education and industry, and
- implementing a whole-of-government approach to policymaking.
NSW Innovation Blueprint – April
UTS provided feedback to Investment NSW on developing a NSW Innovation Blueprint, aimed at giving NSW the leading edge in the global battle to attract new investment, ideas, industries and talent.
Our feedback included suggestions on how the NSW Government can best support innovating businesses and drivers of innovation in the four focus areas of ideas, investment, industrialisation and internationalism.
Our key points of feedback included:
- developing a dedicated Industry Policy to support the Innovation Blueprint
- introducing Work Integrated Learning Vouchers to fund NSW businesses to employ university students on short-term projects to drive innovation
- creating dedicated Innovation Facilitators to connect business with the NSW tertiary education and research sector, and
- securing a greater proportion of Australian R&D funding for the whole of the NSW innovation ecosystem.
Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023 – January
UTS provided input in response to the Senate Education and Employment Legislative Committee inquiry into the Australian Research Council Amendment (Review Response) Bill 2023.
UTS is supportive of the Bill, which included the establishment of the Australian Research Council Board and amendments to the current funding arrangements but retains a series of concerns.
Our key points of feedback included:
- the role of the CEO in relation to the Board be made explicit
- a review of the board within 12 months to ensure that its number and composition are appropriate and that the Board is functioning efficiently and effectively, and
- that the approval pathway for the ARC funding rules mirror that of other government funding programs.
Draft Action Plan addressing gender-based violence in higher education – January
UTS provided feedback regarding the Australian Department of Education's Draft Action Plan addressing gender-based violence in higher education, including the establishment of a National Student Ombud.
UTS supports the Action Plan and welcomes the guidance developed to support the implementation of the Respect@Work legislation to ensure that our work in sexual harm prevention and response is best practice in relation to our staff and other members of the UTS community.
Our key points of feedback included:
- ensuring easily accessible, easy-to-use confidential reporting tools and processes for universities
- transparency and co-designed, intersectional, trauma-informed and evidence-based approaches
- flexibility to allow universities to continue to focus on specific needs of their own local communities, while supporting national efforts to eliminate gender-based violence, and
- the need for government to consider the findings from UTS's Community Voice Report for how we can better serve our community in the prevention and elimination of sexual violence.
2023
UTS submission to the NSW VET Review – November
UTS submission to the Special Commission of Inquiry into health care funding – October
UTS response to National Science Priorities – September
UTS submission to the Australian Universities Accord Interim Report – September
UTS submission UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in Australia – September
Tech Central Creative Industries Steering Committee submission – August
2022