Minister Karen Andrews introduces new protections for students

The federal government will reduce the risk for students with government loans who study with non-university education providers.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Training Karen Andrews.

In today’s Higher Ed Daily Brief: Wider protection, new chancellor

Tuition protection scheme expands

The federal government will reduce the risk for students holding government loans who study with non-university education providers by including them in its tuition fee protection program.

Assistant Minister for Vocational Education and Training Karen Andrews said that the program, which currently protects some international students, would be expanded to include domestic students in the vocational sector who have VET student loans and students with FEE-HELP loans who are studying with non-university higher education providers.

“The new arrangements we’re looking to legislate will mean that if a study provider closes, the government will give students the support they need to continue their studies. That could be with another provider in a similar course, or, if a similar course isn’t available, students may receive a re-credit for units of study commenced but not completed,” Ms Andrews said.

The expanded scheme will start on 1 January next year and education providers will pay levies to support the scheme.

New chancellor at UniSA

In the midst of its merger discussions with the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia has appointed senior business figure Pauline Carr as its next chancellor. She will replace Jim McDowell who is leaving next month to take the most senior bureaucratic post in the SA government, chief executive of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet.

Ms Carr is also chairman of National Pharmacies, a non-executive director of ASX listed Highfield Resources, deputy chair of the SA Minerals and Petroleum Expert Group, and a board member of SA Government’s Minerals and Energy Advisory Council. She has been on the council of UniSA since 2010.