Removal of the 50% pass rate and introduction of the Support for students policy requirements
The Australian Government has committed to an Australian Universities Accord to drive lasting and transformative reform in Australia’s higher education system. The Accord Interim Report, released on 19 July 2023, outlines a vision for the future of Australia’s higher education system and contains five recommendations for priority action.
Priority Action 2 is the removal of the pass rate requirements, which applied for independent higher education providers from 1 January 2018, and for public universities from 1 January 2022 and required students to pass 50 per cent of their units of study in their course to maintain access to Commonwealth assistance.
Consultation
Subject to passage of legislation, accountability and reporting requirements for higher education providers will be strengthened through the new requirement that higher education providers have, comply with, and report against a Support for students policy.
The legislation ensures that students at risk of failing their courses are identified, and students, particularly equity students, are properly supported to study successfully.
Specific requirements around what the Support for students policy must include and new reporting requirements for higher education providers will be set out in the Higher Education Provider Guidelines.