Australian universities have been likened to "a frog slowly boiling in water", with most people fearing they focus on profit at the expense of quality education.
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Almost three quarters of adults surveyed said they were worried about declining funding to the sector, according to a report from The Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work.
It found 83 per cent of people were concerned education suffered due to an emphasis on making money at universities and more than two thirds thought the cost of attending courses was too high.
The results came from an online survey of 1002 Australians by the institute in March 2023, commissioned by the National Tertiary Education Union.
The union's president Alison Barnes said Australian universities were in crisis.
"Universities have been like a frog slowly boiling in water since the 1990s," Dr Barnes said.
"Funding cuts, insecure work and governance problems are fuelling massive problems across our cherished universities.
"Aggressive corporatisation and abject policy failure have had a devastating impact on universities and their staff."
The report stated federal government funding to education fell from 0.9 per cent of GDP in 1995 to 0.6 per cent in 2021, while private sources of revenue doubled during that time.
About 40 per cent of all jobs at universities are now casual positions and 51 per cent of university funding is from tuition, according to the report.
It also took aim at vice-chancellor salaries which averaged almost $1 million in 2020.
Some 79 per cent of people agreed they should not be paid more than the prime minister, who earns about $550,000.
More than three in four people thought student debt was too high, with the average owed more than doubling over the past 15 years to almost $25,000.
Federal Education Minister Jason Clare is expected to next week release the interim report of a major review dubbed the Universities Accord.
Universities Australia chief executive Catriona Jackson said as universities were not-for-profit organisations, any surplus they made would be re-invested in teaching, research and local communities.
"Constant tweaks to our policy and funding settings have left universities vulnerable, undermining our ability to educate the skilled workers and undertake the research and development the nation relies on," Ms Jackson said.
"Australia needs more of what universities offer, not less, to drive productivity and economic growth while preparing us for new challenges and opportunities.
"This is what the Universities Accord must address."
Australian Associated Press
