ATEC | 2026 Allocations by University and 2025 Comparison

Question

Senator KOVACIC: ........I have some questions for the department about commencing-student caps. Are you able to table the 2026 allocations by university, along with a comparison to 2025 levels? Prof. Glover: Yes, we would have that. I don't think we have it with us at the moment, but we can take it on notice. Senator KOVACIC: Are you able to tell me-now if possible, otherwise on notice-which universities are required to have fewer commencing students in 2026 compared to 2025, as a result of these caps? Prof. Glover: We could tell you that. By the way, they would have negotiated to take fewer students if there are universities in that category, in the comparison of 2025 to 2026, most likely because they have very substantial overenrolment, and that's a concern to them. There would be some universities that are below their maximum base grant amount who might have been hoping for increased enrolments that didn't occur necessarily for all universities. Overall, we're up about four per cent. Senator KOVACIC: If you're able to give me the list of those- Prof. Glover: I think we can table it. ..... Mr Cook: In this case, these are the things we're required to do around a standard. I understand what you're saying to us. I'm saying that we couldn't give $50 million to a university without some level of conditions around that funding. Senator KOVACIC: I'm with you on ensuring that taxpayer funds are properly scrutinised and that we have appropriate mechanisms in place. That's where my issue is. Effectively, my view-and I put that to you-is that it probably falls below a minimum standard for the governance of an entity to, in effect, seek governance conditions through an email process for an entity that didn't yet exist. That's what I'm trying to say. Mr Cook: Yes, in the sense that they were doing it on behalf of the department. Senator KOVACIC: It hasn't been made public either. It's just through an email: this is what you have to do. Mr Cook: I hear what you're saying. Prof. Glover: We don't have the information you need at hand here today. We'll take on notice the comparison of 2025 to 2026 and provide it to you.

Answer

Please see the attached PDF.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• SQ26-000727.pdf (opens in a new tab)