The Morrison government’s job-ready graduate scheme in 2021 overhauled the funding of university degrees which was intended to deter students from courses such as arts degrees and into ones deemed areas of demand.

As a result,most arts degrees went up in cost by 117 per cent while degrees such as teaching,nursing and engineering dropped in price.

Government contributions were previously linked to a student’s earning capacity in a chosen degree.

Williams said Western Sydney University was dealing with an increased number of students dropping out of their studies,with high costs a key driver.

“[The job-ready scheme] was the failed experiment of the previous government to distort student preferences,” he said.

“It hasn’t worked. What has instead happened is students either study and take on these unsustainable debts or they just don’t study,they just drop their dream of studying.

“The government has been great in recognising this problem - they did so in opposition,the Accord review is very clear about the entrenched problems.

“I think the message is simple in that we need to get on and fix it. It’s an urgent priority because of the impact it’s having on students.”

The long-awaited government-commissioned University Accord review this year recommended scrapping the job-ready scheme,finding only 1.5 per cent of students changed their course preferences as a result of it.

The review also found it left students with high debts which were not reflected in their future salary potential,saying fees should ultimately be based on projected lifetime earnings.

Education Minister Jason Clare has stated that the Coalition’s scheme had failed to funnel students out of humanities and into areas of skills shortages but has not committed to repealing it.

Clare said the Accord was a blueprint for the next decade and beyond,and said the Australian Tertiary Education Commission would drive long-term reform including the setting of university fees.

“Funding[the Accord] and implementing it is going to take more than just one budget. We have to do this in stages. But we have bitten off a big chunk -29 of the 47 recommendations,in full or in part,” he said.

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