Australian universities now find themselves in a precarious position. The government’s recent proposal to impose caps on the number of international students has sent shockwaves through the sector and has led to significant reductions in faculty budgets. This highlights the extent to which universities have become reliant on international students as a source of income and the way in which they view their students.

But beyond the question of funding and student cohort lie deeper questions about the future of the University in Australia. In this, the next of Big Ideas in the Pub series, we’ll explore a range of critical questions in conversation with Professor Jill Blackmore and Associate professor Gwilym Croucher. These include: What are the most pressing challenges for the future of universities in Australia? How vital is the university, not only for vocational training but for the broader future of society? And, perhaps most importantly, what is the true purpose of the university?

Jill Blackmore AM FASSA is a Deakin Distinguished Professor of Education in the Faculty of Arts and Education at Deakin University, where she served as the former Director of the Centre for Research in Educational Futures and Innovation. She was former President of the Australian Association of Research in Education and of the Australian Association of University Professors. Her research spans education policy and governance, with particular interest in international and intercultural education, innovative pedagogies, and equity policy in education from a feminist perspective.

Associate Professor Gwilym Croucher is Deputy Director of the Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne. A former Fulbright Scholar, his research focuses on different aspects of the political economy of higher education. He has published widely on higher education policy and management and is a regular media commentator on higher education in Australia.