We warmly welcome the government's announcements over the last two days around providing cost-of-living support to students through reducing HECS-HELP debt and by supporting students on placement.
Increasing access to higher education, especially for those from less advantaged backgrounds and across rural and regional areas, is core to La Trobe's mission and central to the vision of the Australian Universities Accord.
We know that if we are to support more people to go to university, the rising cost of student loans must be contained. We also know that if we are to build the skilled workforce Australia needs in critical areas like nursing, teaching, midwifery and social work – all fields in which La Trobe excels – providing financial support for students on mandatory placements is an important step towards ensuring these students can afford to continue their studies and go on to successful careers in areas of key workforce demand.
Professor Theo Farrell, Vice-Chancellor La Trobe University
