Fed: Costs of being a student to be surveyed

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2000
Fed: Costs of being a student to be surveyed

CANBERRA, Aug 21 AAP - The cost of being a university student is to be assessed in
a new study to be run at 19 universities throughout Australia.

The survey, to be run out of Adelaide's Flinders University, will examine the cost
pressures facing students for the first time since 1984.

Acting executive director of the Australian Vice-Chancellors' Committee John Mullarvey
said there had been massive change since that time.

That includes the introduction of the Higher Education Contribution Scheme, changes
to student income support arrangements and a marked increase in the number of students
relying on part-time work as their major income source.

"It is time we took stock of these changes to better understand the implications for
student participation and study performance," Mr Mullarvey said in a statement.

Professor Anne Edwards, who is directing the study steering committee, said the findings
would be of enormous interest to university management and student organisations.

"They are also bound to inform future policy development in education and student income
support," she said.

The study will be conducted over the next two months with undergraduate participants
selected at random.

A future study may target postgraduate students to assess the impact of postgraduate fees.

AAP mb/apm

KEYWORD: STUDENT

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