The Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC), created in response to last year’s Australian Universities Accord, has begun interim operations and will act as an independent steward for the system, overseeing implementation of reforms aimed at lifting participation, improving equity, and strengthening links between vocational and higher education.
Addressing an audience gathered at the Australian Student Equity Symposium in Sydney, Australia’s education minister Jason Clare said ATEC will ensure long-term reform of the sector and prevent policy momentum from being lost to shifting political cycles.
Clare said reform agendas often lose focus when governments or ministers change. “Almost always, when a big piece of thinking is done to reform or transform a part of the economy, governments will pick off parts of it and then the caravan moves on,” he said.
“I want to make sure that’s not the case here,” he said, reinforcing that ATEC will provide continuous oversight, keeping governments focused on both the unfinished business of the Accord and emerging sector challenges.
While the Accord laid the foundations, Clare stressed it cannot answer every question for the future. “The Accord is a product of a big piece of work in 2023 and it doesn’t necessarily have all the answers for 2030 or 2035,” he said. “This gives us a living process to constantly provide feedback… not just what haven’t we done in the Accord that we need to do, but what else should we be thinking of doing.”
ATEC will negotiate compacts with universities covering funding, purpose, and institutional mission. “At the nitty gritty level, it’s about money, but it’s also about purpose and focus,” said Clare.
“In the future, we do have an ecosystem which looks different than it does today, not worse, better, but different and potentially a little bit more specialised.”
ATEC will also play a central role in Australia’s international education sector, according to assistant minister for international education Julian Hill.
Speaking at the Education Consultants Association of Australia, Hill said the Commission will oversee mission-based compacts requiring institutions to outline their own strategies for international enrolments, rather than imposing one-size-fits-all caps.
Institutions will need to show how they are diversifying, how they’re contributing to national priorities, and how their growth is sustainable
Jason Clare, education minister
“Institutions will need to show how they are diversifying, how they’re contributing to national priorities, and how their growth is sustainable,” said Hill.
The Commission will monitor reliance on specific markets, regional provision, student housing, and overall sustainability, ensuring international growth aligns with broader national objectives.
ATEC is currently operating in an interim capacity and, subject to the passage of legislation, is expected to be fully operational by 2026. The Commission is designed to support a more coordinated and sustainable higher education system, ensuring that reforms progress steadily and that institutions balance domestic and international priorities in line with national policy objectives.
