Bill Shorten ‘re-imagines universities’, with specialist institutions and bespoke degrees

By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra

University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Bill Shorten has called for a “fundamental re-imagining” of Australia’s universities as a “core instrument of our national power”.

In his first major speech on the sector’s future, Shorten has urged breaking the monopoly of the three-year degree model in favour of more flexibility; examining the development of specialist universities, and having companies directly subsidise the credentials they need, removing the financial burden from the student.

A former Labor minister and former opposition leader, Shorten became vice-chancellor…

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