Rebuilding higher education for students is not just a thought experiment, it’s an urgent necessity. The current system is misaligned with the realities of student needs, workforce demands, and society's expectations. Universities, policymakers, and educators must collectively push for bold, structural change to realign the sector with its core purpose.

This requires more than incremental tweaks. It demands a fundamental reimagining of whom the system serves, how it operates, and what incentives drive decision-making. It calls for a commitment - not just in words, but in action - to the values that higher education should embody.

You could be forgiven for worrying that many key debates in higher education rarely seem to move on, and that 2025 will bring the same old talk. We shouldn’t accept that this is inevitable! The perfect antidote is more exploration and consideration of that which is little discussed or unsaid. So in a change to the format, we’re sharing a list of nine points to ponder. 2024 has been turbulent for Australian higher education – between a Universities Accord report, proposed caps on international student enrolments, and myriad other issues along the way – so we’ve looked for debates that might help us to tease out better what it means to celebrate and advance the higher good of universities.

Dodginess is a persistent problem in higher education, often used to label everything from institutions to behaviors and people. Higher education needs to address genuine issues and separate them from unfounded allegations. Universities must move beyond their ivory towers, acknowledge their shortcomings, and strive to restore confidence by being open about their challenges and successes. Ultimately, trust in higher education is essential for its continued success and public good.

What if the Australian Government had promulgated a Students Accord instead of a Universities Accord?

There isn’t enough debate about what quality means in higher education. So let’s talk about it.

The Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) should draw on the sector’s expertise to ensure that its creation draws on the best of experience and ambition.