UPDATES
Concentration and diversity in Australian research funding, output and impact
IRU analysis on the past 20 years of research excellence in Australia
Read MoreRECENT POLICY
FEATURED POLICY SUBMISSIONS
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April 13, 2026
Higher Education Support Amendment (Reverse JRG and End 50k Arts Degrees) Bill – IRU Response, April 2026
Executive Summary The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on this Bill and the important issue of reforming the Job-Ready Graduates (JRG) policy package. We agree that there is an urgent need to reduce the most expensive student fees for higher education, end $50,000 Arts degrees and reverse the negative impacts Read More
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March 16, 2026
IRU response to proposed changes to the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021
The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on proposed changes to the Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021. The Threshold Standards play a critical role in maintaining the high quality of Australia’s higher education system and providing the basis for regulation and registration by the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Read More
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January 19, 2026
IRU Submission on the Universities Accord (Australian Tertiary Education Commission) Bill 2025
Executive summary: The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) strongly supports the reforms from the Universities Accord designed to achieve a more balanced and innovative higher education system with increased student participation and equity to meet Australia’s future needs. The establishment of a new Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) is a key recommendation of the Accord. The Read More
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NEWS
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March 31, 2026
New era for higher education system with passage of strengthened ATEC legislation
The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) welcomes the Senate’s passing of an amended bill to establish the new Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC). This is a major long-term reform that will improve stewardship of the system and bring greater focus on the mission of public universities to deliver education and research for their communities. IRU Chair Read More
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March 17, 2026
IRU welcomes R&D recommendations to drive a more innovative and equitable future for Australia
The Innovative Research Universities (IRU) welcomes the release today of Ambitious Australia, the final report from the Australian Government’s Strategic Examination of R&D (SERD). The IRU agrees with the SERD Expert Panel that policy and funding reform is needed and that decisions made in the 2020s will be critical for setting Australia up for the Read More
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March 13, 2026
Unfair student fees undermining Universities Accord goals for participation and equity: IRU report
New analysis from the Innovative Research Universities (IRU) shows increasing financial and social impacts of the Job-Ready Graduates (JRG) policy, with rising costs for students and fewer students from low socioeconomic backgrounds enrolling in university, especially in the most expensive fields. IRU modelling shows that students paid up to $368 million more for their education Read More
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