JMI was commissioned by the Australian Universities Accord Panel to help design a new funding model for Australian higher education teaching and scholarship.

In 2022, the Australian Government launched an ambitious process to develop the Australian Universities Accord to drive transformative reform of Australia’s higher education system. The Minister for Education, the Hon Jason Clare MP, announced details of the Accord in November 2022 and the Australian University Accord Panel, chaired by Professor Mary O’Kane AC, was established to propose recommendations and priority actions to address the fundamental challenges facing the sector.

JMI was engaged by the Australian Government’s Accord Taskforce to work with the Panel to design a new model for funding teaching and scholarship that would drive growth through greater equity. JMI’s support for the Panel was informed by experts from across the sector, based on a highly collaborative model of working, involving more than 50 hours of expert and practitioner engagement throughout a 6-week process. The model and analysis reflect careful consideration and input from dozens of experts in the field.

Read the full report here.

“JMI was delighted to be part of this ambitious reform agenda to ensure the full power of our world-leading higher education system is harnessed for the good of Australia and its people. Indeed, our future international competitiveness as a nation depends on it. We recognise the complexities involved in the system architecture of higher education teaching and scholarship, and the critical importance of research and innovation funding working alongside that model,” said Libby Hackett, the CEO of JMI.

JMI’s report showcases pathways for different student groups and the impact of the funding model on different types of courses and institutions. This initiative underscores a commitment to thoughtful dialogue and collaborative problem-solving within the higher education community in Australia as institutions navigate the evolving landscape of funding and scholarship.

Reflecting on the contribution made by JMI to the work of the Panel, the CEO said: “The final report from the Panel rightly acknowledges the need for government to better utilise academic research. JMI’s core mission is to do exactly that: to accelerate public policy innovation by enabling our government and university partners to work together on these issues in real-time.”

The Accord Panel published its final report on 25 February 2024. The Australian Government will now consider its findings. The report is now publicly available on the AUA Panel website.