Federation University welcomes new federal government

Federation University Australia welcomes the Australian Labor Party and Anthony Albanese as the newly elected Federal Government. 

Federation says it looks forward to continuing to work with the Commonwealth to help more Australians gain a post-secondary qualification and improve the quality of life in regional and outer metropolitan communities. 

Federation University is eager to collaborate with the new Government to achieve the national target of 80% of the workforce holding a tertiary qualification by 2050 as set out in the Australian Universities Accord. This collaboration is crucial to addressing the educational disparities between major cities and regional areas, thereby making these regions more liveable and prosperous. 

With campuses in Ballarat, Horsham, Berwick, Gippsland, and Wimmera, Professor Duncan Bentley, Vice-Chancellor and President of Federation University, emphasised the University's commitment to Victorian communities, which face some of the nation's highest post-secondary education gaps. He highlighted the University's role as an accessible higher education provider for critical national industries. 

"To reach the Government’s 80% by 2050 target, we need to focus on regional and outer suburban communities where tertiary attainment rates are very low," Professor Bentley said.  

"Currently, 63% of working Australians hold a tertiary qualification, but the vast majority are in inner cities. In regional areas, only 20% hold a bachelor’s degree or above, and 40% hold any tertiary qualification. Federation University can help bridge this gap through our ‘earn and learn’ co-operative education model, which strengthens the pathway to a job by combining government funding with industry partnerships." 

Federation University highlights the urgent need for investment in regional higher education backed by powerful community partnerships, to ensure skills gaps do not drive-up living costs and stunt the growth of key regional industries like new energy, accessible health services, and advanced manufacturing.  

The University will be seeking to work closely with the Albanese Government’s proposed new agency to manage student places and ensure the needs of regional and outer suburban Victoria are met, and clarity on international student policy settings for 2026 and beyond. 

Federation has previously highlighted the disproportionate impact of international student caps on regional universities and advocated for fairer policies that support regional universities to maintain their role in Australia’s global education sector. 

The University is committed to working with the new Government to ensure the strongest education-to-jobs outcomes for local students and to ensure significant strides are made towards a more educated and prosperous Australia.