Jason Clare (Blaxland, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

in reply—I thank the members for Sturt, Corangamite and O’Connor for their contributions to this debate on the Higher Education Support Amendment (University College London) Bill 2010. This bill makes a minor amendment to the Higher Education Support Act 2003 to list University College London as a table C provider, which will allow it to offer FEE-HELP to eligible domestic students. The government wants to see more Australians, regardless of their socioeconomic status, attending higher education institutions. FEE-HELP assists students with the cost of undertaking courses of study with providers who charge full fees, thus playing a vital role in increasing the number of Australians who are able to enter into higher education.

The addition of University College London to table C of the Higher Education Support Act will increase the number of providers who can offer FEE-HELP as well as increasing course choices for students. University College London is a university based in the United Kingdom and, in 2009, it was ranked fourth in the world in the UK Times university world rankings. Its desire to be listed, along with Carnegie Mellon University of the United States, as a table C provider in Australia reflects the high quality of Australian higher education. I commend the bill to the House.

Question agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

Message from the Governor-General recommending appropriation announced.

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