Australia’s Universities Accord – a model for British Labour?

A major Australian higher education policy review, known as the Australian Universities Accord, submits its final report this month. The Australian Labor Party announced the Accord idea from opposition in 2021, with the current review commencing after its 2022 election victory over the Liberal Party. As the name suggests, an Accord goal was greater policy consensus and ‘a partnership between universities and staff, unions and business, students and parents, and, ideally, Labor and Liberal.’

With UK Labour set to return to power in 2024, do their Australian counterparts offer any lessons?

On the evidence to date, the Australian experience provides a cautionary tale – at least for universities hoping a new government might bring better times. While the Accord review panel has consulted widely, a July 2023 Accord interim report and already announced government decisions suggest a regulatory rather than a ‘partnership’ approach.