The COVID-19 travel restrictions and the slump in the labour market means the 2021 university enrolments are up, with an estimated 20,000 year 12 students less likely to take a gap year. Pre-pandemic modelling has shown 62 per cent of jobs growth over the next five years will be in health care, science and technology, education and construction.
The student fees for science and engineering degrees will drop by 20 per cent. There will be a bigger reduction of 46 per cent for teaching, nursing, clinical psychology, English and languages degrees.
The biggest decrease of 62 per cent will apply to agriculture and maths degrees.
The cheaper course prices will be accessible to new and currently enrolled students from next year. The increased course fees will not affect current students, who will have their fees frozen.
The federal government will be increasing the cap on university places, to allow for an extra 39,000 places for Australian students by 2023.
Dr Alex Wake, a senior journalism lecturer and President at the Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia, says the announcement sends shockwaves through the humanities academic community.
"I have received several messages from Australians working overseas who have seen the announcements and they have been shocked and horrified by these announcements. That the culture wars as it is called are continuing to this extent in this country. I absolutely believe that this will stop people from all backgrounds from joining the industry at a tune when more than ever before we need to have full representation in news of the full cross-sections of Australians. If nothing else, we have learnt over the last few weeks with Black Lives Matter protests, we need a greater diversity of voices in the news media. And by more than doubling the cost of degrees it is going to stop people from applying to do this."
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