Uni students push for cheaper course fees as some lectures shift online

Tertiary students are calling on universities to discount their course fees for degrees that offer lectures exclusively online, after noticing some courses no longer offer the classes in person.

University students are calling for course fees to be discounted for subjects that offer lectures exclusively online.

University students are calling on tertiary institutions who have reduced the number of in-person lectures to lower their fees, after noticing more classes have shifted online.

While most Melbourne universities have assured they’ve returned to delivering the majority of their lectures and tutorials in-person post-Covid, students have flooded social media with concerns the number of in-person lectures have declined.

Meanwhile, others said their lectures were being held in smaller theatres with not enough capacity to accommodate the dozens of students taking the lesson, therefore forcing some to watch live streamed recordings.

Liam, a 20-year-old second-year arts degree student at Monash University, told the Saturday Herald Sun the lectures for all units he’s studying this year have transitioned online.

“All of my lectures are now recorded online and that’s for every unit across the year and I assume it will be the same for next year’s classes,” he said.

Monash University students have called on the university to lower course fees for subjects that offer lectures exclusively online.

“Some of my friends studying other courses also have no in-person lectures. We feel it’s wrong the fees stay the same when half of the education is delivered online.

“We hope the university can take our concerns into account and see the value of on-campus lectures.”

Another Monash University arts degree student, who didn’t wish to be named, said he was also “frustrated” by the lack of on-campus lectures.

“It’s disheartening that all of my lectures are online,” he said.

“I’m aware that other universities have moved to this model, but Monash should be a point of difference.

“I think our fees should be discounted to reflect these changes.”

Students from RMIT and the University of Melbourne have also complained about there being an abundance of prerecorded lectures, with one international student frustrated they pay “$30,000 a year” to watch lectures online.

Meanwhile a University of Melbourne student said every lecture on their timetable was “marked as a recording and there doesn’t even seem to be an in-person version”.

A spokesman for Monash University said the institution supported “blended, active and interactive learning” and offered its students a combination of face-to face and online learning.

“Monash prioritises active and interactive learning in classes delivered in real time,” he said.

“Students at Monash indicate a high proportion of overall satisfaction with their blended learning experience.

“In 2023, we saw about 85 per cent of our units of study classified as either exceeding or meeting expectations in terms of student satisfaction.”

Students at the University of Melbourne and RMIT have also complained about lectures moving online.

The spokesman added less than 10 per cent of subjects offered at the university are exclusively delivered online.

Meanwhile, RMIT Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education and Vice-President Sherman Young, said the university aimed to deliver “practical hands-on learning supported by providing appropriate online resources”.

“By learning in-person and on-campus, our students can make the most of RMIT’s world-class specialist learning spaces and equipment, as well as the many vibrant opportunities that exist outside the classroom,” he said.

A University of Melbourne spokesman said undergraduate programs are delivered on campus, while there are more flexible-learning options for its postgraduate students.

A survey by the Australasian Council on Open, Distance and eLearning conducted in 2021 found 18 tertiary institutions across Australia considered bringing back lectures at a reduced capacity post Covid lockdowns.