
How can higher education reclaim the love and respect that the sector not only craves, but also needs if it is to have a say in its future?
For a couple of decades, the nation’s universities and TAFEs focused on building an Australian education brand valued by prospective students overseas, but with a battle underway to demonstrate how tough parties can be on slashing international enrolments, and disruption of increased domestic regulation, AI and international competition, the sector is on the back foot.
The brand that higher education providers need to start shaping this year is not about selling bums on seats, but rather winning back Australian voters who allegedly believe that HE has lost its way.
The big questions of how to create a ‘brand’ for HE in 2025 that resonates with the Australian public is not a bit a new logo, or indeed, about simply satisfying ourselves that we are still engaging the same small slice of the community who are already pro-HE. No, it’s about talking to the millions of Australians identified as underserved by HE in the Accord who have been largely ignored by institutions until now.
There is a distinct lack of public data available about the loss of social licence, despite both major parties and many sector leaders accepting that it is true. For a sector built on prolific and rigorous research, it is ironic that the jobs, scale and purpose of our institutions hangs on perceptions that are not accurately known. Research believed to have been conducted by universities and peak bodies has not been widely shared, suggesting that the decline in public trust and respect is horrendously large, or perhaps the research itself is not yet satisfactory.
At a time of tremendous change and substantial risk, we have to accept that conversations must begin to identify the key issues and in time work towards effective policy answers.
That is why Future Campus is holding a mini conference – Brand Australia 2025 – in Canberra on 24 February – it is time to start a dialogue that asks some of the questions that others wont ask.
There will be four sessions, focusing on VC perspectives, hearing from missing voices, and also the future shape of the sector from the advocates who fight for it – as well as a keynote not to be missed.
The event will be facilitated by Future Campus staff Stephen Matchett and Tim Winkler, alongside Professor Maree Meredith, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Leadership) from the University of Canberra.
Key speakers include:
- Professor Adam Shoemaker, Vice-Chancellor, Victoria University
- Professor Colin Stirling, Vice-Chancellor, Flinders University
- Professor Zee Upton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation), University of Newcastle
- Ant Bagshaw, Executive Director ATN
- Paul Harris, Executive Director IRU
- Alec Webb, Executive Director RUN universities