Media Release – LABOR’S HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY MIX NOT WORKING AS AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITIES SLIDE DOWN WORLD RANKINGS

19 June 2025

Australia’s disappointing QS university world ranking results highlight the ineffectiveness of the Albanese Government’s higher education policies and the ongoing relative decline of Australia’s institutions against the rest of the world.

Federal Shadow Education Minister, Jonno Duniam, says that Australians can see in black and white that, despite huge funding injections into the sector, the Albanese Government’s approach is not working.

“These results are a disappointing and sobering message to the Government that the current mix of policies and funding towards higher education institutions are not leading to the results that Australians expect, and our economy demands,” Senator Duniam said.

“The Government must take note of our constant slide down the rankings and implement policy and funding solutions to get our universities to where they need to be. It is simply not good enough.”

“The Coalition stands ready to constructively work with both the tertiary education sector and Government to deliver improvements that are genuinely aimed at restoring significantly better student outcomes in Australia.”

“We want education policies that meet the 21st century skills that our economy demands, not just funding injections from which Australian taxpayers cannot see a reasonable return on their investments – not to mention our university students who deserve better.”

Senator Duniam also reflected on a clear lack of emphasis on education in the Treasurer’s speech at the National Press Club yesterday: “Inexplicably, higher productivity is a result of improved educational outcomes, yet at his address yesterday, the Treasurer mentioned the word ‘education’ just once.”

“Rather than simply talking about productivity, the Labor Government must put in place policy settings that actually improve educational outcomes that lead to tangible productivity gains.”

ENDS