Per Capita welcomes the opportunity to make a submission into the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025 & Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission)(Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025 (ATEC Bill).
Per Capita supports, in principle, the establishment of an ATEC to ensure that decision-making for the Australian tertiary sector is transparent, evidence-based, and free from undue influence or bias. However, it is also critical that the ATEC reflects the contemporary realities of the Australian university sector, where both staff and students are increasingly diverse and globalised.
For the ATEC to be effective, it must reflect theses contemporary realities, including ensuring appropriate expertise in international education, as well as explicit responsibility for oversight of campus safety, including sexual harassment, racism, and other forms of discrimination, which are integral to maintaining the quality and integrity of the tertiary education system.