
Reforming the hated JRG, committing 5% of ARC funds to Indigenous research and increased support for PhD and international students are on the IRU’s wishlist for the 2025 Federal Budget.
The Innovative Research University (IRU) submission to the Federal Government for its final pre-election Budget focused attention on key areas to improve fairness, Executive Director Paul Harris said. Top of the list would be to change the Morrison Government’s Job Ready Graduates (JRG) fee scheme.
“The primary driver of student debt is the cost of doing a degree, and JRG made these costs more unequal, complex, and socially regressive.” Mr Harris said.
The IRU also calls for 5% of the ARC National Competitive Grants Program to be allocated to Indigenous researchers, matching the target for the Medical Research Endowment Account.
“We need an increased focus on Indigenous knowledges to open the door for new ways of thinking about innovation and so that education and research better support Indigenous communities across the country towards the larger goal of self-determination,” Mr Harris said.
The IRU also said that the current PhD stipend of $32,192 was a key obstacle in recruiting new doctoral candidates and should be raised, while also calling for exchange and other priority international student groups to be exempt from visa fee rises.