Vice-chancellors promote their 2020 vision

The Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee (AVCC) has called for sweeping changes to university funding and regulatory frameworks, in response to an ongoing Federal government review of the sector.

AVCC president Prof Deryck Schreuder, also vice-chancellor of the University of WA, said it was clear that fundamental changes were needed if Australian universities were to become a "dynamic" sector by 2020.

Among the changes mooted by the AVCC are allowing universities to charge student fees in addition to HECS, more Federal spending on research and infrastructure, implementing flexible targets for student places, and reducing barriers for students from abroad.

The AVCC said its vision for 2020 was that Australia would be ranked in the top five nations for university education, would invest 2 per cent of GDP in higher education, have at least one recognised research centre in each major academic field, and make its higher education sector one of the top three "value adding" Australian exports.