Time to rein-in greedy corporatised universities

The final report from the Federal Senate Inquiry into the Quality of Governance at Australian Higher Education Providers delivered a scathing assessment, largely focused on the corporatisation of public universities and its negative impact on students, staff, and the sector’s public mission.

The report slammed “poor governance, wrongly focused decision-making, and poor employment practices” for damaging public and community trust in the university sector.

It found that governing bodies (Councils/Senates) are frequently “stacked with members lacking educational expertise” and that their decisions often reflect commercial priorities rather than academic or social imperatives.